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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

anyone any stories of teenagers babysitting their younger siblings?

25 replies

ScareyBitchFeast · 10/10/2008 21:16

i could leave 8 year old dd with 13 year old ds, briefly- but generally they are the two in the family who just don't seem to get on.
argue argue argue.
unless it is for show?
what do you reckon.

OP posts:
SilentTerror · 10/10/2008 21:19

They probably won't argue if on their own!
We started leaving DD1 with younger siblings from about t his age,iirc.
She had no interest in them at all when we were around,but was great on her own!

HRHSaintMamazon · 10/10/2008 21:22

If they argue and fight then i wouldn't do it. unless it is for a very short period (your going to Tesco and will be half hour)

otherwise you will coe home to screaming and tears and it'll be more stress than if you had just taken them.

juuule · 10/10/2008 21:24

Agree with HRH.

Original poster
ScareyBitchFeast · 10/10/2008 21:28

no, that's why i havent so far.
oh well.

OP posts:
lilolilmanchester · 10/10/2008 22:44

you'll know when the time is right. Go with your instinct, whether that's now or later.

Milliways · 10/10/2008 23:11

Mine have a 5 year gap, and I left them for longer periods from when DD was 14 (but short periods before this age). They tended to stay in their own bedrooms! SOmetimes DD would insist that DS help her clean the house!!

I used to babysit my younger brother, but m Mum refused to leave my older brother alone with younger brother as they would kill each other....

unknownrebelbang · 10/10/2008 23:15

Mine are 14, 12 and 10, and I never thought I'd be able to leave the older two alone, and much less all three, but even though they argue when we're around, they know it's different when we're not there and toe the line.

It's about the trust shown in them, I guess, but I agree with others, you'll know when the time is right, IF the time is right for your two.

lissysmum · 11/01/2009 00:51

I have just started leaving my 13 yo DD in charge of her 8 yo brother if we are not more than 10 mins away. Has been fine, even though they can't bear each other usually,when alone they are almost friends,she even does artwork with him!! hope this helps her patience!

modernart · 11/01/2009 00:52

They'll be fine, I think

purepurple · 11/01/2009 16:49

I have 7 years between my two and the argue like a couple of toddlers but when hea has been left in charge the older steps up to the mark and is a fantastic babysitter. A bit of responsibility does wonders.

stitch · 11/01/2009 16:50

dsis and i would argue and almost kill each ohter, even inn our twenties. three years between us. but, we only do that when our parents are around to referee.
put us on our own, and we behave ourselves.
its a sibling thing. not an age thing.

SlartyBartFast · 11/01/2009 16:51

i thought - ah i have that predicament - then doh - it was mine.
perhaps the responsbility would do him good then.

jura · 11/01/2009 17:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

crkm · 11/01/2009 19:55

We leave dd (15) to baby sit her siblings of 7, 5 and 3 in the evenings after the younger ones are in bed. We have been doing this for about 18 months. Its not very often and we are always contactable and able to get home if there is a problem. Have left her with the 7 and 5 year old for an afternoon from time to time - but not the 3 year old as she can be a pickle.

luckychubs · 13/01/2009 13:26

I leave mine for a few hours in an evening DS1 (14) DS2 (11) fight like cat and dog when I am around but when I left them together DS2 says that they just sit and watch tv and dont speak so DS2 told my mum I am never home later than half 11

oxocube · 18/01/2009 16:32

ds (13) babysits in the evenings occasionally for his 11 and 7 yr old sister and brother. I'm only ever a 5 -10 min walk away. I wouldn't leave them more than a couple of hours and would be back by 9ish. We have good neighbours in an emergency and ds wants the money - he knows I wouldn't ask him again if he was an arse when babysitting even though he and his siblings fight when I am home!

seeker · 18/01/2009 16:42

My dd 13 and ds 7 LOVE it if we leave them alone at home for a while (never at night and never for more than 2 hours) They enjoy each other's company, rarely fight and as ds worships the ground his big sister walks on he behaves better for her than anyone else.

Lins75 · 19/01/2009 11:54

My DSD and DSS have once babysat for my 2 year old DD2.

Needless to say they had ' a few of their friends over' and I never ever let them watch her again.

My DD1 (12) now does it and it's really great.

SexyDomesticatedDad · 19/01/2009 13:08

DS1 (16) does a bit of baby sitting for us for DS2 (12), DS3 (7) and DS4 (3) - usually its the evenings and we try to get two LOs to bed. DS1 ben doing this for about 18 months now and is quite keen to allow us time off (trade for lifts). Having a resonable gap between each seems to have helped us.

I'd say 99% of the time its been fine - one Sunday a few weeks ago DS1 called to say DS2 was being awful to him and doing as told (can be really stubborn when he wants to be. Advised DS1 to keep calm and we sorted it out on return - won't be having a repeat performance!

aGalChangedHerName · 23/01/2009 08:19

Ds1 and Ds2 (17.6 and 13) don't get on at all We reguarly leave ds1 in charge of the dd's (4.6 and 2.6) and the ds's are usually takling to each other/playing x-box live and surprisingly not killing each other.

Have been doing this for a few years before the dd's were born and they have never fought or gotten into bother when we are out afaik anyway.

pagwatch · 23/01/2009 08:53

My 15 year old son babysits for DD (6) and DS2 (12 with SN).

He has done it for increasing periods oftime since he was 13.

He does a great job ( which is flippin brilliant as trying to get a babysitter for DS2 is a pain) but tbh I wouldn't leave him with the other two if I had any concerns what so ever.

Loshad · 23/01/2009 22:36

Instinct definately. Ds1 (15) babysits his younger siblings - 13, 10 and 8 - he's fab at it and it works very well, BUT it will be a long time before i leave Ds 2 and 3 without DS1 around - they bicker and DS2 is not that nice to DS3 so wouldn't do it.

tigermoth · 28/01/2009 21:11

MY ds1 (nearly 15) has been babysitting my ds2 (9) for a few hours here and there for the last year. They do get on OK anyway but agree with the others that once alone, they are more calm and responsible. Tbh when we first put it to ds1 that he was old enough to be trusted to babysit ds2 for a short while in the evening, he wasn't that keen. He said it sounded too much like hard work. We decided however to give it a go and it was a success.

Sometimes we let ds1 order a takeaway pizza for them both - they really like this - it is a big lure

Jampot · 29/01/2009 09:43

I leave mine (nearly 16 and 12) alone and they get on fine - in fact better than when we are here. They plan a night of tv/film/pool, we usually get them a chinese takeaway or pizza. They have a great time. Sometimes dd has a friend over as well but the same still applies.

Pagwatch, my dh's goddaughter babysits for children with SN, she does Makaton and is member of ST Johns Ambulance. She was presented with an award a couple of years ago after she saved her friends life whilst on school hol to USA. Her friend who is epileptic choked on chocolate bar whilst having a fit. She's West Mids and is working towards being a paramedic

ChampagneDahling · 29/01/2009 10:43

You are the one who knows your DC best so go with your instinct.

Personally I wouldn't leave 13yo and 8yo though - what if something beyond their control happened - could they deal with it?

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