AIBU to suggest babysitting to my 13-year-old daughter?

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My dd is 13 and is keen to start earning some money. At her age I was babysitting every weekend, but I’m unsure if that’s the done thing now? What are the chances people these days that would be ok with a 13 yr old babysitter? I think if she sticks to our estate then I will be around in an emergency too?! What you think? AIBU to suggest it to her?

I personally wouldn't be keen to let a 13 year old i didn't know babysit my kids

I babysat on our massive council estate from about 12 - 16. I was mature, sensible and in demand because I was a "scholarship" kid. But when I look back I was horrified at some of the situations I was left in. Parent's violent ex partners banging on the door, kids being left with unmentioned illnesses, extra kids, parents staying out all night or coming home unfit and other things that would out me as I've dined out on the stories. A lot of the houses had no phone and obviously no cellphones then.

When my kids wanted to babysit, I encouraged them in another direction!

I too used to earn money from babysitting, from the age of 13, and my sister started doing it at age 12. It was totally the norm in the 1970s.

It's a big responsibility, especially if there's more than one child to look after. I actually used to prefer looking after babies, as I found them much easier to please and easier to look after.

I think the most challenging jobs were the times when I was looking after 4 children, all aged 6 and under, from the early evening until after midnight. I had to give the 3 children their tea and feed the baby (a jar of Heinz baby food, then a bottle of formula). Then play with them all (or let them play with their toys) for an hour or two before attempting to get them all to bed.
The baby was the easiest one - a change of nappy, a bedtime bottle and he would usually settle in his cot. The three kids (two boys and a girl) were challenging! But eventually they all got into their pyjamas and I read them stories until they passed out 😂 . By the time the parents got home, I'd barely sat down (having done washing up and tidied away all the toys after the kids had finally gone to sleep). This was when I was 15 though, I don't think I could have coped at 13!

Are you sure it’s not 18? Or 21?

I would say no to babysitting - there is no way I would let a 13 year old look after my children, even though it was definitely a thing when I was young (1980s). Yes to feeding cats though!

I would pay a 13yo a reduced rate to come and entertain my kids while I wfh, supervise them in the garden, entertain the younger one, play boardgames and do homework with the older one. In that situation, I would still be the responsible adult in the house.

I would also potentially pay a child that age to collect my older one (8) from school clubs, walk him home and do homework with him, assuming the school would allow it. That sort of arrangement would be quite useful to me and I can't see too many safety risks as the streets round us are safe and usually busy and the school is only a short walk away. I know some local schools allow children to be collected by older siblings although they have different age limits.

I wouldn't leave a child in sole charge of my children in the house for an extended period of time or at night.

She is too young. Still a child herself and not mature enough to be responsible for other children. I don't think any responsible parent would employ a 13 year old

I was babysitting at this age. But I look at my 13 year old and he's just a child - I can't imagine him babysitting toddlers like I did! - even though he's responsible and sensible, and now we have mobile phones.

It's weird!

When I was 13 my Aunty tries to get me to babysit my Baby cousin. I didn't cope more then 1.5hours. She was 8months old. I was in pieces. She was a bad crier and was not easy to settle.
Now as an Adult I think to myself what on earch were they thinking. Yes I play well with babies and toddlers and kids BUT not responsible for them.
I wouldn't allow ot even for family. I very much believe under 18 is a no no.

It's different when it's family. OP is suggesting she babysits for people she doesn't know

I wouldn’t leave my baby with her but it ain’t illegal

For a babysitter?? What happened to just getting the neighbour’s sensible kid in for the evening and giving them a tenner when you got back from the pub?

Years ago, girls were taught to look after younger siblings/ relatives. Families were generally bigger. Things were different.
Thirteen was still young for babysitting when I was a kid in the nineties.
There is zero chance I would leave my dc with a thirteen yo these days.
My mil told me she once let one of the neighbours daughters babysit one time. She was fourteen. They came back to all three kids crying including the babysitter. She just got overwhelmed but her mum got upset about it and it became a whole thing. I’d say in most cases it’s just not worth the hassle.

13 is too young unless it’s just to keep the kids entertained while the parent is working from home. It depends on the age of the kids being minded too. A young baby requires a more experienced minder imho.

I also did babysitting at 13, but wouldn't let a 13 year old look after my toddler 😅 its tough for young teens to earn money these days!

There's a lovely group of young lads in my village, I think they're all about 10-12, they knock on doors on the weekend to check if anybody wants their grass cutting/garden weeding/cars washing etc. It works well for them as we have a lot of older people living here who appreciate the help!

They're ever so polite and I really respect them for their industriousness. Maybe she could knock on the neighbours and ask if they need any odd jobs doing? (Having said that, if they happen to be MN'ers they likely won't open the door 🤣)

I wouldn’t let a 13 year old babysit, I started babysitting when I was about 15. Cat / dog sitting might be better

What about a sort of mother’s help for school age children? So a daytime babysitter if the parents are WFH for example? Play with the children, make them lunch, take them to a nearby playground or library (if there is one).

My 9 year old loves it when her older brother’s female friend come over (age 13). I’d be happy for her to be kept company like this. Cheaper and more convenient than a school holiday club.

I was 18 in the late 90s and had just left school when I got my first nanny type job. No qualifications, no references and hired by a local couple to look after their 7 year old, every day after school including collecting her and bringing her home on the tube.

I was a graduate of a local well known private school and that alone made me trustworthy! I got the job via an advert in the local newsagents window. How times have changed 😬

No, it wouldn’t

It might feel more like the parent wfh is babysitting OP’s kid than anything else.

Since when?

Think I was 15 or 16 when I started.
I’d trust my 16 year old neighbour.

When one of my children was 12 in year 7 she'd pick her 2 siblings up from school 1 day a week and watch them until I got home at 4.30.

I had a cushy little job when I was 16, looking after babies and toddlers for the mums at a keep fit class in my local sports hall. It was one morning a week and there were about twenty of them and just me. I had a room I could use with some of the playgroup's toys. This was back in the 90s and it was £1 per child. I felt like I was raking it in.

Illegal? Ffs 🤦🏼‍♀️ where do people get this nonsense!