Using a teenage babysitter for occasional nursery pickups

[Cotherstone]

Just trying to put together possible plans for DC starting nursery in September. Depending on which schools our CM gets for her DC, we have to use nursery and wraparound care instead of the CM.

However a few days a month I do pick ups instead of DP, and currently don't get to the CMs until about 6.15. Wraparound care closes at 6. I don't want to 100% rely on work agreeing for me to leave even earlier (too boring to explain here - they should agree, but don't have an obligation to) so am thinking of other possibilities.

We do have a very lovely and trustworthy 16 year old babysitter we use regularly. She lives on the same street as us, which is just a few streets from the nursery. If she collected DD at 6, it would probably take her the better part of the 15 minutes to walk back to our house at toddler speed. I'd be back at 6.15/6.20. So it would be a tiny bit of care, just a wander home and then be in the house for 5-10 mins.

There aren't really any other parents we could ask to help, or at least not that I know until DD starts at nursery.

Is this a ridiculous idea, or would anyone else do it?

I did similar but at the other end of the day - had a teenager (and then her younger sister when she went to uni) come to my house at 7.30, stay with my daughter for a bit and take her to nursery in her buggy,on the bus. It was fine, but I did meet her before, make sure she could change nappy etc and she was local and I vaguely knew her mum.

Picking up may be an issue though, some nurseries will only release a child into the care of an adult so it depends if your nursery has a rule like that and if this 16 year old looks 18

Thanks, I hadn't thought of the rule. I hope they don't! We've met her parents so we knew to trust her before having her as a babysitter. She's very sensible, I'm sure she could cope with ten minutes of telly until I get back.

It's frustrating because everywhere else in our town is open until half six because they've worked out the train times and that most people won't get to a nursery until about 6.15 from the most popular train. Just this place hasn't!

If you trust her and your 3yr can listen to instructions - ie holding hands on way home then should be ok - as long as nursery is ok about it - many I know have an adult policy

Even though your dc is old enough to walk holding hands, you might want to consider reins, or a buggy for extra safety.

Thank you, yes, reins would be a good idea so as not to put too much pressure on the babysitter. DD is generally very good but I'd want to make it as easy as possible.

Hopefully we won't need to do it this way but it's reassuring to know other parents don't think it's a ridiculous idea!

I would be concerned about the teenager not being reliable. I know from experience how fickle they are
I would rather ask work to leave early than rely on a 16 year old