How Old Should I be to Start Babysitting?

Some parents don’t like the idea of “kids taking care of other kids”. Some parents prefer their babysitters be old enough to have a driver’s license and be a responsible driver. The Red Cross teaches babysitting classes to kids as young as 11 years old. So, what’s the answer?

In my opinion, age doesn’t matter as much as ability and responsibility. Ability is what you know. Responsibility is how you act when I’m not looking.

Let’s do a little interview. You be the babysitter. I’ll be the parent. And I’ll try not to make you cry. Are you ready? Here goes.

The Interview

So, insert your name here, you’d like to babysit for me. Well, I want to feel satisfied that my children will be safe and happy in your care. So I’m going to ask you some questions, ok?

Do you like children? Because if you don’t, you can save us both a lot of time by ending this interview now.

When my children get bored they tend to get themselves into trouble. How are you going to keep them from getting bored?

Let’s talk about my baby…
What would you do if my baby won’t stop crying?
How would you lay my baby in his crib? On his stomach, his side, or his back?
How would you handle diaper rash?

The interview continues in my book. I ask 50 questions dealing with the baby, first aid and emergencies, child behavior, safety, and your rates. Then I give you my answers to all 50 questions. If your answers are close to mine, then I would assume you are mature enough to babysit. I also give you 2 ideas to get you off to a good start. I end the chapter by pointing you to some resources that can explain any laws or regulations pertaining to babysitters in your area.