Babysitting advert for 13 year old?

[mindymindy]

My very sensible, responsible 13 year old wants to offer babysitting to our neighbouring streets. She’s always been fantastic with children and is saving towards a school trip abroad. I’ll go with her to meet any potential takers, and will be at home when she babysits as a backup for emergencies. She knows she’s not likely to get much interest due to her age but wants to try anyway. She’s looking at first aid courses at the moment. My question is how to phrase her flyer without making herself too vulnerable - she needs to state her age, do we say that I’ll be at home, and do we put a phone number or email or home address - or my mobile? Thank you for any thoughts/suggestions!

This sounds like an incredibly risky business.
I can't imagine responsible parents paying a child they don't know to care for their own children so the sort of people the advert attracts will not really be the sort of want my daughter involved with.
I personally think it's way to young so I'd suggest she re thinks.

I did this at her age but that was 30 years ago!
I don’t think it’s ok these days. I think it puts your dd at risk to advertise.

At this age I think this only really works with people you already know, can you ask any friends if they need babysitting?

Nope. Absolutely no way. Far too risky for a 13 year old with quite a number of potential safeguarding issues.

I did this aged 15 for carefully selected neighbours. Like a pp, that was 30 yrs ago.

No ad. She asks people you already know, if she must, and even then I’d be surprised if anyone hired her. I was babysitting for money aged 11 in the early 80s, but that was another world, I was the eldest of a big family, and experienced with babies and younger children.

I would not be happy to employ her, or to allow my 13 year old to go to random people's houses and stay until late at night.

I would concentrate on people you know.

No, a 13 year old isn't suitable for babysitting🤦‍♀️ and a flyer or any advertising outs a target on her from who knows.And yes 30 years ago lots did xyz, and you know what we have progressed.

I don't know of anyone other than family who would employ a child that age.

Honestly yes it happened in the past but I doubt anyone is going to want a 13 year old looking after their young children. She's just too young to be able to handle any potential problems and anyone wanting to entrust their child to a 13 year old stranger is probably not going to be someone you want her dealing with.

its a definite no no

I'm not sure advertising is sensible. Because of her age, I think she'd appeal to family friends at most. Do you have a street WhatsApp? Perhaps post there to find out interest first.

I get a babysitter FOR my 13 y/o 😆

My daughter babysat at that age but we lived in a small village where everyone knew everyone and it was word of mouth and either for downstairs neighbours (so I was in the same building anyway), or for a large family where the mother was home and just needed extra help.

Maybe your daughter would be better off advertising as a mother's help eg she entertains young children so the parent can get other stuff done?

(I wouldn't hire a 13 year old I don't know to look after my kids while I go out. And it does put your daughter under a lot of unfair responsibility should something go wrong.)

Thanks everyone - your responses are very much along the lines of my own thoughts. We do have a street WhatsApp we can post on, and we live in a small, close-knit street. It’s so frustrating for them, the opportunities are very limited at that age (my other daughter is doing a paper round which takes her 35 minutes a day, 6 days a week and she earns a paltry £10/wk, practically slave labour!). I don’t want to discourage her when she’s keen and motivated, but I think you are all right - we’ll stick with friends and family.

It’s hard getting any job before 16 these days …. Most are through family friends connections .

i feel so many would benefit.

I would rather pay them for chores than have them do a paper round. It is practically slave labour and I would not condone the exploitation.

It’s a hard no for me at 13 to be looking after small children no matter how responsible she is.
NSPCC say 16 at the earliest as so RoSPA.
Can she wash cars? mow lawns? Walk dogs?

Her best option is advertise to be a Mother's help type person for infants school aged children whilst mins wfh during the school holidays. She's not then in sole charge but she can entertain them, prepare a light lunch etc

Mums wfh!

I'd say to advertise via flyers en masse to strangers doors could be risky.
Is there a local group online, or a newsletter through her school or social activities where she could place an ad? If she does then ideally it should be a separate email/ phone number specifically for this work.
I'm also not sure legally about a 13 yo caring for young kids. I presume it's fine, but I think at this point people want advanced DBS checks and experience/references etc. but I could be wrong.
Could she do it for friends of the family, to gain confidence? Then she'd have satisfied clients who could recommend her.

That is a brilliant idea, I hadn’t thought of that option. Already today since I’ve fed back some of these comments to her, she’s been in touch with family members and lined up some housework and gardening jobs. She’s certainly motivated, I’ll give her that!

Locally there's postcards of a 12 year old girl advertising her babysitting services alongside a picture of her and phone number. The postcards are attached to lampposts and telegraph poles and street signs. To me it's a massive risk to take and no way would my 13 year old be doing that. I wouldn't be happy with my very sensible and mature 15 year old doing it.

Yep me too!

hey! that sounds like such a tricky balance of being a responsible 13 year old but also being vulnerable because she's 13 - it's so hard to get work at that age! If she's interested in first aid courses though I know a great company!

https://www.momentumpeople.co.uk/first-aid-training/

They do a one day course and it's so unbelievably helpful.

If your daughter is still stuck trying to find a babysitting job, a lot of gymnastics clubs hire 13+ year olds and it's not great wages but better than nothing and very little actual responsibility - just a lot of fun!

I wouldn't assume that advert is actually advertising babysitting. I think I would report it to social services.

I think a wfh mother of small children would like the help of a smart 13 year old to be with them play and doing crafts I would go for that market just generally be with them why you work. I would put it on the local WhatsApp group and as mothers helper . Also well done your daughter for being so pro active. Dontt forget to let us know how she gets on. Also good idea for wfh mothers to put an advert on there local groups that they would like a mothers helper over the school holiday might make the summer a bit less stressful for them.