Recently, an article was posted on determining how much to pay a babysitter. With the thought of babysitting in mind, I wondered at what age is it acceptable for a person to start babysitting. I understand that the maturity of each individual will play a part in that determination, but what age is the youngest you could consider for this job?
As a parent who has had babysitters of various ages, I have a few thoughts worth considering:
- Older teenagers typically tend to be more responsible. However, with a driver’s license, many opt for retail work and have less availability.
- Children ages 12 and under are too young. At this age, many children just are beginning to stay home alone for extended periods of time, which makes it soon to add more responsibility.
- The age of the babysitter will depend on the age of the children being watched. If you have an 11 year old, he or she may not take direction well from a 13 year old. Also, leaving an infant with a 13 year old babysitter might be overwhelming for the sitter.
Of course, these are just my personal reflections on babysitting age. In addition to age and maturity, you might want to consider other factors, such as how long you have known this child and his or her level of interest in children.
I have used http://www.babysitters4hire.com to find my sitters. I have found the sitters to be very timely and professional. The sitters post there pay on the site and then I can work out the pay with them directly Check them out for your babysitter needs.