How old were your babies/children when.....?

Question

you left them with a sitter for the first time? I don't mean with a family member, but your local teenager who babysits. Just curious. My daughter is 16 months old and, although she goes to daycare, we have still not left her at home with a sitter other then her cousin or Grandma. Just wondering how old other parents' kids were when they first left them with a sitter.

Answer 1

4yo.

My son's goes to his School Friends for a play date, every couple of weeks. So I can organise things at home a bit.

Answer 2

I have never left my son with anyone other than family, and I NEVER will. Just because someone is a "family friend" doesn't mean anything.

It was on the news yesterday that a family left a 9yr old with a "family friend" .. and that family friend tortured, raped, and beat the 9yr old!

So I don't think it's safe at all to trust anyone else with your child. Unfortunately, we just don't live in that kind of world anymore.  

Answer 3

My son was 3 before we left him with a non -  relative.  The sitter was a family friend, but it was still a big leap for us.  

Answer 4

I was lucky and didn't have to leave my girls with a sitter until they were 8 and 6. I always had family and friends close enough to be family nearby.

Answer 5

I've never left my 2 yr old with a "hired sitter".  We have left her with family and friends since she was about 6 months (we HAD to have a break).  However, any time friends watch her we wait until after she's gone to bed - so they don't have to put her down.  My Mom is the only one I'd leave her with for any significant length of time.  I'm like the other people on here... I just can't bring myself to trust strangers.  Most especially young teenagers!

Answer 6

like other's have said, I never did either. My son is now 10 & I don't leave him w/ anyone, but close friends or a family member when we

go out . I just feel he is safest this way.

Answer 7

I guess I've never really left my daughter with just a local sitter.  Like you mentioned, family members have watched her, and she goes to a regular sitter every day while I work full time.  The lady is a SAHM so she started watching my daughter when she was 8 months old.  That was the first person outside of family to watch her.  I've never actually gone out for a night and had a neighborhood teen watch her or anything, it's always been family.  My daughter is now 4 yrs.  It's weird to think about it, but I guess I've just never needed a different person to babysit for us yet.

Answer 8

I'm 13 and a mom of twins and I stay alone at home every day with my 4-month-old twins and the 1yo daughter of my best friend who I live with. So, when I was younger, my mom left us with a sitter. She told me i was with a teen-sitter when I was 1yo, also 2yo, then I went to daycrae, etc.

Answer 9

I left my first two children with a teenage sitter from the ages of 3 and 8.

Then my youngest daughter came along and we only used family members until she was 3.

I think it is all based on how well your child develops and how confident they are in themselves as well as how confident you are in the sitter. The maturity of the sitter, AND the child are key points to consider. We had to think about things like: would our children play up? Would they run riot? Would it be too much for a 16 year old to keep track of three children? Is the pay sufficient? How long can we stay out?

My kids are generally well behaved, but you never know how they are going to act around other people. So we had an introductory session. Marcia (the sitter) came over for a few hours. Me and my husband were with them for a while, then we told Lola, Finn and Skye that me and Daddy needed to pop to the shop for some things. Would they be okai with Marcia for a little while? They all nodded eagerly and started bringing games down and asking Marcia to play, etc.

We got back and they were all rolling around on the floor laughing their heads off. We hired her on the spot. She's been our sitter for almost two years now/ The kids love her. I'm not sure how we're going to break it to them that Marcia leaved for Uni in September. She says she'll write and come visit whenever she can, she's part of the family, and she keeps the kids happy, so we're happy.

xx

Answer 10

Not sure I would ever feel comfortable unless I trusted the person completely and my child was happy with them. At least when they're old enough to talk they can tell you whether they would mind. My son only likes to be looked after by family and he's 5.

Answer 11

My baby was just over three months when we left him with one of my co-workers.  We lived far at the time and had no family around and had a work function to attend.  Wow, some people are really paranoid...

Answer 12

I haven't yet.. and I have 3. I guess I just don't trust anyone but family members. I think I might be willing to let my neighbor (19) watch my 12 month old though.

Answer 13

My daughter was about 2 and a half. I left her with this lady who was also a teacher at her daycare. We have no family around and no friends that I could ask them to do that...This lady has continued doing it for us ever since. She's like a second mom to our kids.

Answer 14

Anytime after a year old is fine,especially if its only for the evening and the baby will be sleeping most of the time. I hope I don't have to tell you that the baby sitter you chose has to have impeccable credentials.

Answer 15

I still haven't and I dont think I ever will. I don't trust anyone but family. Even friends Im not keen on, except my BEST friend. My daughter is 2 and a half.

I am in Australia though and I haven't ever really known anyone who has been babysat by a teenager, or any teenage babysitters so I don't think its as common over here