Would you consider trying to find a (responsible) teenager to look after children aged 8 and 10?

[paolosgirl]

I'm going back to work next Feb, with the baby going to a nursery. DS (10) and DD (8) have been going to an after-school club, but it's £13 for the 2 of them, plus £5 in taxi fares to get DS there, each day. I've then got to get there after work to pick them up.

Now, I was thinking. Given that I'll be home around 1hr 45mins later, would it be OK to see if a local teenager (a responsible 16/17 yr old) would look after them in our home after her/their school, with very clear rules for all concerned? Pay would be childminder rates, and there would be less running around for me, given that I'll also be picking up bubba from nursery. It would be 3 days a week.

Would you do it, or not?

Yes, I would do this if I was 100% confident in the teenager concerned. My boys don't actually need a lot of 'looking after' in the couple of hours after school, just someone to be around to sort out any crises or emergencies.

I actually bumped into a 'responsible teenager' I know in town today, and accosted her for phone number in case of babysitting duties.

My boys (also 8 and 10) would also be much happier at home with a minder to keep an eye on them than in an after-school club.

Will they walk home from school alone? Does the secondary kick out at a reasonable time for teenager to guarantee to be at your house before the children?

I think it would work

I employ a responsible teenager to babysit (evenings & during the day) for DD (9) and have done since teenager was about 15/16 (while I was closeby - in the village)

She is now 17 - & I also employ her to help with my childminded children as she is so mature

I also had an 18yo who was about as much use as a chocolate teapot

Good luck finding your star helper (ps I would not advertise btw - word of mouth only - imo)

Oh, this sounds hopeful! I was thinking of doing it all by word of mouth. DS cycles home himself and could let himself in, and DD could come home with a neighbour and stay with him until the teenager gets home from school. The important thing is to make sure that DS and DD aren't left alone together

It depends on the maturity of the teenager I suppose.

I used to babysit for friends of the family who had children a bit younger than your dcs when I was a 15/16 year old teenager. It was about once a month on a Saturday night and I had the phone number of where the parents were going, the kids were either in bed or ready for bed when I went round and the dad always walked me the 50 yards home when they came back home.

Very sensible

Try to give teenager some guidelines about conflict resolution & explain the sanction he/she can give in front of your children (ie agree them first then reiterate in front of children)

Maybe sending to bedroom/removing PS2/turing telly off/????

Yes, I was thinking of having clear guidelines for both the kids in terms of what they must/musn't do (although actually they are pretty well behaved), and the teenager - ie no friends round, no long chats on the phone, no PC. Clear consequences for the DC, and emergency contacts should they be required. Does that all sound reasonable do you think?

This may sound over the top but if you do employ a teenager make sure you put them on a First Aid Course not only for your peace of mind but for theirs if you can. Childminders are now supposed to be police checked, to complete a chilcare course and have a First Aid qualification which is expensive. Out of the three though a first aid course is very important and trust me....is worth every penny (about £60.00 depending who you go to) as a simple thing as a bump on the head or a fall needs early treatment and to know how to deal with it is essential.

I'd agree with Vixma - but you might havew an active St John's Ambulance round your way - lots of kids do first aid that way, some even do it at school - so you might not have to pay

No. it's not over the top - it's a good idea. I've got extra backup as the neighbour who would walk DD back from school with his DD was a paramedic, and would be on hand.

hell I'd do that and I'm 27!

LOL

I would, yes. 16 or 17 deffo old enough for babysitting, I leave my 17 year old sister with my 1 and 4 year old (although they're in bed)

definitley

i did that when i was a teenager...

now lots of my original little ones are adukts themselves in their final yar of uni and one of them is already herself a mum!

What about contacting the local colleges and finding a childcare student?

The conflict management thing is something to think about. Most teenage babysitters do not have that sort of experience as their charges will be asleep the whole time.

Yes, as long as it's someone with younger siblings themselves. At least that way they KNOW what siblings can be like.

That's in addition to the ground rules and the first aid course etc....

A childcare student is probably your best bet though - or a uni/college student if you live near any unis?

yes, I did this when I was a teenager - after school and Sat mornings.

I did similar as a teenager, at age 17 I was doing daytime care for two children (age 5 and 7) during school holidays (at their home), as well as evening babysitting. I didn't collect children from school back then (as far as I recall), but no real reason why I couldn't - I was often helping at a local crèche back in those days. I also used to help at Beavers and Cub Scouts, so I had experience with young children, plus had done basic First Aid training and some pre-school playgroup courses as well (though those were aimed at working with children aged under 5).

Your issue I feel is finding someone suitable, someone you trust, someone your children get along with, someone who is committed. After all, it's better than a paper-round.

Absolutely fine. I use teens all the time. They are a wonderful under used source (not my local teens you understand... they are a very much used resource)

Thanks for all your posts here - I thought I would be shot down in flames, but it sounds as if it could work well. A family with 2 teenage girls has just moved in to the house opposite us, and they seem like a really nice family (the girls seem quiet and normal, with no unsavoury youths hanging about ), so I might approach their parents and see what they think. That way, their mother and my friends/neighbours would be right on hand if needed.