Would you...

[Fleurdelise]

allow a very responsible 14yo babysit for his 8yo sister one morning a week during the summer holidays?

DS is very responsible, knows the house rules and I trust him alone at home since he was around 12yo. Dd is 8 and a well behaved kid, not getting in trouble or anything like that.

She is going to spend time with her grandparents and DH and myself during the summer holiday but dd asked the other day if she is allowed to stay at home with DS the day when I finish work early rather than go to the GPs' house.

I work over the road from my house and I could be there in less than 5 min if needed. They would be on their own from 10am till 1 max 2 pm.

Ds said he'd trial it as long as they just watch TV and hang around, I would leave lunch for them out.

I don't know if that is ok?

PS not sure if I posted in the right place, just thought I may get more answers in teenagers from your experiences. Thank you!

Yes.

Yes definitely

Yes, I would

I am voting yes too!

yes from me too.

Yes I would.

I work from home most of the time but will be leaving 14yo and 11yo alone when I have to go out to meetings.

You are across the road and can be there quickly so I think it is absolutely fine.

Yes. It sounds fine.

Another yes. No question!

Thank you all! Glad I asked because I did expect people to tell me they would never do it and it is irresponsible for me to do so.

We'll trial it first week during summer hols and I am sure the little one will be as good as gold (as she promised to her brother) as even though she loves the GPs she does prefer to be at home playing with her stuff instead.

Definitely yes from me too!

my 2 are similar ages - they are allowed 1 day a week at home together during the school holidays at their request. They get so sick of being made to get up early and bundled off here there and everywhere during the holidays while dh and I are at work. They love the day they get at home and mostly just stay in their PJ's in bed lazing around.

Another yes here too.

Yes for sure

Yes.

I used to pay my older DS to babysit his slightly younger DDs but I used to pay them to be good. Not talking about much money here, £1.00 for older child and 50p for 2 youngers ones, it was about 25 yrs ago. I never knew if they were all good really but they all told me they were!

yep.
in fact last year when I accepted a new job, my two who were 9 and 14 had to do this as part of the deal really. ds 14 had ds 9 every morning for an hour, dropped to child minder, then picked up after school for an hour every day.
I pay him a mere 10 pounds a week but it works for us. they have to do a few chores a week too
perfectly fine

Yes. sounds fine to me as well.

Yes

Yes, if they get on well and wont fight!

Absolutely

Yes - as long as your DS is happy with this arrangement? Any ground rules eg no friends in the house?

Hi all, thank you for your answers, today is the first trial day. Rules are: no friends around, not going out except in the garden, not spending the whole time appart (eg DS should not play his PS all the time while DD is left to her own devices) but interact, watch a movie together or at least be in the same room while one is using the PS and the other the Nintendo ds.

They were both excited (little one more so as she looks up to him) and I do believe it would be a bonding exercise also, they get along well anyway but as you would expect with the age gap and the sex differences they haven't got much in common so I do think this will bring them even closer together.

And yes he did agree, I wouldn't do it if not, I actually can't remember the last time I was able to "make" him do something he didn't agree to.

Ah and he will get some cash as a "thank you for helping out".