If you wouldn't leave your kids alone in the car does that mean you wouldn't ever leave them alone at home either?

[moono]

Following on from the leaving kids in cars thread.

I leave my kids alone for several hours at a time on occasions with my 14 year old dd in charge, but only when they are fast asleep in bed.

Would you?

god lockets yo are so over protective

i use to babysit when i was 14 so to me 14 years old id old enough to be home alone but not to be in charge of a young child under 3.

My boys' top ambition of all time is to be left home alone. They're always asking me to do it. I think they think it'll trigger a sries of burglar highjinks akin to the happenings in the eponymous film.

I'd much rather leave a 14 year old in charge of 2 sleeping infants than 2 awake ones.

I babysat at 14 but they were usually asleep and I had phone numbers to ring.

I leave dd (11) on her own for a couple of hours during the day while I go to Tescos but I always take ds (6) with me. DD has my mobile number and strict instructions not to answer the door. Our neighbours on both sides are always in and she has Granny 5 mins away.

I know one 14 year old I'd be delighted to have babysit - she's got more sense than one of my 17 year old options, frankly - and will also be delighted when the older brother of one of DD1's mates turns 14 and can be asked.

At 15 I used to babysit all day saturday for a working couple, 2.5 yr-old and 9 month baby.

Before I had ds, I tried to remmeber what it was like,a nd couldn't. I could clearly cope though.

The mother was working just down the road though.

Your house could spontaneously combust at any time of the day or night so imo that argument is irrelevant. It is far easier for a 14 year old to look after a sleeping baby/infant than one who is awake and getting up to mischief.

soapbox - for one house I had to take the bins down a small track to the bigger road. Took about 5 mins. dh would do this :) - when I had to do this I would do so when dd2 was in my arms & dd1 at school!

I live in a development, the bins are a few minutes' walk away.

Last night both DH and I went out, leaving both boys alone in the house, asleep. We were gone for two periods, maybe 5 minutes each (once, we were next door, and there are connecting doors, so I'm not sure whether that counts as out properly?).

my nearly 15 year old dd has babysat on a couple of occassions while i went to the local pub, was only gone couple og hours and i made sure ds2 and dd2 were in bed.
when i went out last month and i knew it was going to be quite late, i used a babysitter, although had to point out to dd , that she was not being babysat, just the others!

I used to babysit when I was 14, for a young lad of 10, he was in bed though! Just sat and ate crisps watching tv!

I leave ds in the car while buying petrol, but usually use the drive thru at Asda.

During the day whilst ds has his nap I will put rubbish out or do other chores such as wash the car, sweep drive way, water outdoor plants etc.

I dont have shops that close to pop out for milk etc, have to take him with me.
If the shop was couple of doors away, I would leave him asleep and pop to shop.
I sometimes pop next door to a neighbour for a chat if ds is napping.

If Ive been out in the car and ds falls asleep in the car seat, I will leave him in the car on the drive.

had to post...
bad mother alert:o
I leave my ds(13 at time 14 now) at home looking after dd who is 11 and has cp when i pop to the shops. Only gone about 30mins and have mobile with me.
My friend uses her ds to babysit her dd who has cp when she works he is 15.
in my mind they are better than anyone else as they know them best

the world sure has changed. I was babysitting at 12. Used to come how from school and watch a toddler and newborn, change the diaper (the cloth with pins kind) give them supper etc. until the dad got home from work. I was the oldest and my parents often left me to watch the younger ones at 12 onwards if they went out on a weekend. and we were normal family, my parents were not running to pubs but socializing with friends at their homes etc. And I never even took a babysitting course which is required today for a kid to babysit it seems.

Same as beety- for short periods of time I have no hesitation in leaving a 10/11 year old on his own because he's fine with it. 8 year old dd would not want to be left on her own. Ds knows not to answer the door, has my mobile number and so on.

I babysat loads from being 14 - think I would worry unless I knew the 14 year old really well (there is an 11 year old girl I know who whilst I would NEVER ask her to babysit, I would be perfectly happy for her to iyswim), whilst there are plenty of 16 year olds I WOULDN'T leave the kids with.

I have my 14yo DS babysit for his 4 younger siblings. He's done a babysitting course, with first aid etc. He babysits for 2 -3 hours at a time, and we will drive rather than rely on taxis in case we have to get home quickly - but it has never happened.

I am happy for my 12 yo to look after one sibling for a short amount of time, eg 1 hour max, and I am happy to leave him home alone for most of the day.

If we are out for a whole evening, we get the au pair to babysit, but expect DS1 to help her with the younger ones.

hope no one minds but i am going to change the subject a little - i think someone close of leaving a 7yo and 4yo alone to go to shop or work in evening when kids are in bed (when dh is way)this has only happen once or twice to my knowledge. As long as nothing happens i understand that this is legal, in all other respects the children are well cared for, but its not something i could do although i do leave my ds 10yrs on his own for up to about 30mins but never at night. Would you do something? - i have offered to babysit at anytime

I wouldn't leave a 14 year old in charge of younger children for several hours. If a babysitter is under 16 the parents are completly responsible for what happens and the sitter can not be made liable in the case of emergancy. If they are over 156 the baysiter is responsible and is liable for any emergencies.

But you can't sue your babysitter can you? It's not like they have insurance! Well at least not usually, as most people in general use their friends older children, or other informal arrangements.

My ds is 5 so would never be left alone..although when i have been ill he has been left to play in the room whilst i have been in bed etc..

I left him in the car with the dog outside the vets last night and was panicking..(my dog is a mastiff and no one would dare attempt to get in the car but still)

When it comes to babysitters I think it depends on the maturity of the child in question.

I used to babysit at age 13 for 2 boys age 2 & 7, the 2 yr old was easy..7 yr old a handful as never did anything i told him!

My nieces are 13 (twins) and both are completely useless and i would never trust them to look after my ds (5)..they are too immature.

There seems to be such a shortage of babysitters nowadays..when i was younger there were always girls my age who babysat. I cannot find any i trust and always rely on my sister or mum to do it.

I used to look after two girls aged 3 months and 2.5 when I was 15 for long weekends.