Would you let a 12-year old babysit your kids?

Question

I am a 12 year old Girl and i really love watching my cousins Lili (2) and Mia (4). But my mom always says that if i wanted to start babysitting in my house (while shes there) nobody would want a 12 yr old watching there kids.....

any answers?

Answer 1

12 is a good age to start learning responsibility I think babysitting is a good idea.

Answer 2

OK here's the thing i wanted to babysit too and I'm almost 16 but I'm not gonna no mater how much i really want to because i heard on the news just about a month or so that a babysitter was with her cuzns from 2 families and she fell a sleep during there nap tome and they op end the door n left the house and drowned in a pond that is 2 miles away from the hose...her house , and the sitter is 18 yrs old ... you can even look it up on-line ... so wouldn't take a risk ... you never know whats gonna happen... hope i helped ...u can always go and let them have fun ... u dint wanna get Ur self in a mess so don't... it is OK though ...its Ur choice good luck xoxo..

Answer 3

I know how you feel about loving to watch your cousins. I started baby sitting my brothers when I was your age and it worked great. If you were a member of my family and I knew that you would be able to take good care of my son then, yes, I would probably let you watch him...especially if your mother was there with you to help out if something goes wrong. As far as watching other people's children (people outside the family) you may want to hold off for a little while and build up some good skills until you are a little older, I would wait until you're at least 14 before you try to babysit children outside your family. But at that point, you'll have plenty of experience.

Answer 4

I'm the same as you! I'm 12 years old and will be 13 in June. I stay at home alone, and babysit alone. i think it's fine as long as you can change diapers, comfortable with staying home alone, chnaging diapers, tying shoes, playing games, watching movies, cooking, etc.. Prove to your parents that you can do it by changing your attitude and maybe helping out a little more around the house. If you do get to babysit, always ask for a list of emergency numbers so that the child(ren) parents know you are responsible. You should also take a CPR class, and get certified. Me, my sister, and friend took it before we started. Hope i helped :)

Answer 5

First I admire your desire to babysit AND 12 year-olds vary in age by several years; meaning, there are old 12 year olds and very young 12 year olds. It would earn you tremendous experience if you could babysit at home while mom is around and then as you grow in experience you can perhaps venture into babysitting in the little one's homes.

When you start babysitting outside of your home, have a telephone contact list of those you could reach immediately for any/all questions/concerns. Make sure that people don't take advantage of your youth or kindness by having you washing all their dishes, cleaning house, folding clothes that is unless they pay you for it, because they could try to take advantage of your youth.

Make yourself a babysitter survival kit; a good book, writing pad, bottle of water and other things that make it fun/nice for you too.

Good luck!

Answer 6

I started babysitting when I was younger than you... I think I was 10. I would watch my cousins also. What might work, is to prove to you mom and your aunt that you can be trusted to watch them by yourself. They want to make sure that you know what to do in case of an emergency, or anything like that.

I've been babysitting for my aunts for 5 years (I'm 15 now), and they always call me to watch their kids, instead of calling a stranger, because they know I can be trusted. But the best part for me is getting payed :-) So try to let them know that you can be trusted first, and I'm sure that it will work out.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 7

From what I understand, 12 is the legal age to leave kids home by themselves. I started babysitting when I was around 12 or 13, so I see no problem with it. If your mom's going to be home, the adults whose kids you watch should have no problem with it. If you prove yourself responsible, they'll be even more inclined to have you babysit at their houses and pay you more. Good luck!

Answer 8

I started babysitting at that age, after taking the Girl Scout class on child care.

If you take the class from your local recreation center. YMCA or even church, they will teach you a great deal about how to deal with different situations, how to do CPR and present you with a certificate at the end of the series of classes.

HOwever- your state may have a law about the age you have to be to babysit. In iowa, for example, you can be any age. In colorado, though, you have to be at least 14 - and no one under the age of 14 can be left home alone.

Go see about taking the class, then start asking people if you can babysit for them - but I would not do any late night or overnight babysitting at your age.

Answer 9

Sorry, honey, it's true. Most people would consider 12 years old to be too young to bear the responsibility of caring for a very young child. You must remember that in many cases, the parents regard their tiny child as the most precious thing in their lives - just as your mom regards you as very precious. It would break a mother's heart if anything happened to her child whether accidental or not. If your mom is actually there while you're doing your babysitting, the parents would regard your mom as being the sitter

Answer 10

It would depend on the 12 year old and if I knew him/her well and their level of maturity. Also, it would depend on what period of time I would be away. I would certainly try for 1-2 hours the first time and see how that went. I would also make sure that that the 12 year old new the emergency numbers and possibly some basic first aid.

Answer 11

No, I'd feel that they still wouldn't have much of a sense of maturity or responsibility yet. But experience would also play a part....

I'm not saying all twelve year olds are like this though...
because I watched some of my cousins when I was 12, you just have to be reliable and trustworthy (: