They let their daughter babysit

babygirl2000

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Friday I wasn't babysitting my nephew.. he was with his other grandmother. Well my sister came over yesterdy and told us that she is never letting her babysit again because they let their 10 year old daughter (the baby's other aunt) watch the baby. In my opinion.. that is too young to be caring for a 10 month old baby.
 

hammyandwaf

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I started babysitting when i was 11, for a doctor and his wife who was a dental assistant. For the first month ( i did it on wednesdays all day stayed home from school with schools permission and homework for that day) my mom went with me and then i did it on my own after that. Their baby was about 6 months old, and i babysat for them for the first 3 years of their babies life, then they got pregnant again and she started staying home with the babies and not working but on an occasional saturday, i watched a 3 yr old and an infant all day at the age of 14. I was raised with little babies, my parents friends all went thru a baby boom together and since my parents house was the card playing and drinking house, from a very very early age i learned how to take care of little babies cause i was the sitter when it was card nite!!!!!
 

fwan

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I dont think its too young, it also depends how long the child was sitting for. Not all children are careless, I also baby sat for an hour or two when i was 9 and 10 for my neighbours daughter.
 

kaylacat

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It depends on the kid and how responsible they can be I think. I started babysitting at 11 (the baby was around 3 months old, up until he was around 1 year old).

I was also babysitting my brother when I was 10 on up.
 

bella713

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I think it depends on the maturity level of the babysitter, I have been around babies since I was a little girl and always took care of them. I started officially babysitting at the age of 11 for a 6 month old and a 5 year old and I took care of them for years among many other children
 

isabel

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I agree with the others, it depends on the maturity of the 10 year old. I was babysitting my younger brother/sister before I was 10, and babysitting for relatives (including infants) when I was 10/11.
 

hammyandwaf

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yep i agree with everyone else. Age dont matter just matters how mature they are and how much they have already been around babies especially when you consider there are teenagers (13-14) some even younger that go out and get pregnant and are actually the mother of infants at a very very early age that turn out to be some to the best daggon moms there are. I know a few of them personally.
 

lsulover

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I think it depends on how mature the other child was too. It also depends on the situation, like how long she was babysitting. I know many 10 year olds that can take care of a baby.

I also think it is wrong to take away the other grandmother's baby sitting rights, that is gonna cause many problems in the family. Kinda like saying that the other grandmother is not good enough.
 

natalie_ca

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I was the resident babysitter for an entire area of my city when I was 11 years old. There were other kids who babysat in the area, but because I was responsible and actually played with the kids instead of sitting there watching TV, I was the one most requested. There were times I babysat for more than one couple at the same time. Instead of them finding someone else to sit, they contacted whomever I was babysitting for and made arrangements to drop their kids off too.

It all depends on the kid babysitting. I've known some kids at 10 who showed more sense and maturity than someone twice their age. And then I've known some 10 year olds who acted like they were two!

However, in the eyes of the law today, I think a child has to be 12 years old or more and have taken a "baby sitting" course in order to be allowed to babysit...at least here I think that's how it is.
 

lillekat

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Wow, I would say that that was far too young to babysit. I was babysitting at the age of 16 - because that's the legal age in the UK. At least it used to be... I've no idea what that stands at nowadays (stop me before I start to sound old) - but I would most definitely not be leaving children in the care of anyone under that age.
 

mschauer

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I think 10 is way too young to be responsible for a baby. I would be worried about whether someone that young could really handle an emergency (fire, baby choking, etc..).

Come to think of it, I think a 10 year old is too young to be left alone with only responsibility for herself.

Disclaimer: I don't have kids.
 

whitewillow

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I guess I agree with most everyone else, though I always though the legal age to be left alone was 12. For example my sister was very smart at that age and would most definitely know how to handle an emergency, however I have come across many kids the same age that I would not even think they are old enough to care for themselves alone.

If I was a parent I think I would judge whom to leave my child with based on Responsibility/Maturity not age. Even when it came to adults. I know many adults I have met that I would even rather consider a teen to watch a child than them. Just depends on the person.
 

miagi's_mommy

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I also agree it depends on the maturity of anyone that babysits that young but if the child were to choke they wouldn't know what to do.
 

ping

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I guess I was not much older than that when I first started baby sitting. By the time I was 14 I was watching kids for up to 48 hours or more straight. Basically it was from after school on Friday to mid moring on Sunday with no adult around. When I was maybe 11 or 12 I watched my nephew and niece pretty all day by myself over the summers and after school during the week days.
 

capt_jordi

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yea I started baby sitting my little cousins when I was around 8. I would stay at my grandmothers after school and they would be there while their moms were at work. And while my grandmother was there, she was doing stuff she hadnt been able to do all day.
It does depend on the kid.
If you are worried about it check at local red crosses and YMCAs/YWCAs and see about getting the 10 year old in a baby sitting class. Even just suggest it to the parents.
 
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