Conference moira::parenting_v3

    I think the "mother's helper" is a excellent idea.  For instance, we
    could really use one now - we are getting ready to paint the interior
    of our home and are thinking about the hassle associated with the kids
    getting into every project that you are doing.  A little helper would
    be nice to take them to the park (walking distance from home) or out
    back, or just to another part of the house to play...

    I second the idea of being a mother's helper.  11 is a bit young
    to be babysitting by herself, but some kids are very mature so
    chronological age is not always a factor.  Hey, where are you
    located?  I'd love to have her come to my house so I could get
    some cleaning done.  I can't seem to accomplish anything with
    my 10 month old underfoot and anyone who could occupy her would
    be a welcome addition.  :-)
    
    Maybe your daughter could put up a little ad on the grocery store
    bulletin board?  I think she'll get a lot of response.
    
    - Kathryn
    

I also am interested in this issue.  Our ten year old would also like to earn 
some extra money.  

This summer, she's gotten a couple of jobs watering plants, letting the dog 
out, taking papers and mail in, etc., for neighbors while they were on 
vacation.  That's been a good start.

We have some neighbors who we are trying to cultivate as babysitting clients.  
That will be a good start, because they are right across the street.  We would 
probably want to start out with her babysitting only when my wife and I are 
home, possibly even in our home, if that would make our daughter more 
comfortable (which it probably wouldn't, since she's really iindependent).  
Then, after we feel comfortable that she can handle it, we might let 
her do babysitting for other people who aren't necessarily neighbors.

My personal view is that 11 or 12 is the right age for regular babysitting; 
with another year or so added on for special situations, like an infant or for 
very late nights.  

Many towns have some sort of formal or informal babysitting prep courses, 
often conducted by the police of fire departments.  They teach emergency 
procedures, what to do in case of fire, CPR, Heimlich, and other useful stuff. 
I would make sure that Lara has been through something like that before I let 
her babysit.  

Clay

    My sister has used girls that young but they can as a pair of
    babysitters and one of the girl's mothers is guaranteed to be at home
    in case a immediate problem comes up or the kids just need to know
    something. These girls also went to a "training" course that taught
    safety, how to get kids out during a fire, emergency procedures, etc.
    It worked out well for my sister.  
    
    I'd recommend a training course anyways so your daughter can add it to
    her "resume", so the speak, when prospective parents are talking with
    her. 
    
    You might also check with neighbors and see if they just need a couple
    hours of sitting, maybe on a Saturday. The kids could even be brought
    to your house to start with so the parents feel that an adult is still
    around or you could offer to check in after an hour to be sure it is
    all going well. Have her drop a note in the mailboxes of any house with
    kids she could handle. 
    
    Have her also check with her school. I know alot of parents call the
    local schools looking for names of kids who want to babysit. She could
    add her name to the list.
    
    Andrea

    
    Thanks for the input.  She's very independent and can be extremly
    mature at times.  Then there are other times I wonder what happened...
    I guess it's called puberty ;-)
    
    Good idea about putting a note in the mailboxes in the neighborhood.
    I know of a couple of houses where there are little ones that the
    mother may need a hand with at times.
    
    She's also got a friend across the street and maybe they could join
    forces to do this.  They're the same age.
    
    I second the training course.  I'm planning on re-signing the kids
    up for the Girls Club and I believe they offer a course there.
    
    
    					jean
    

    My babysitter, now 14, started babysitting at 11. She's pretty mature,
    and I feel good that her mom is only 3 houses away.
    
    My 12 year old stepdaughter has taken the Red Cross course, which is
    very good, but her mother won't let her babysit til next year. To me
    it's a pity, since she's very mature and responsible for her age group.
    

    One of my sitters started with me right before she turned 13.  I
    found her through the Girl Scouts.  She took a babysitting course
    for a badge and is very efficient.  Her mother was home the first
    couple of times she sat for me.  My only complaint is that she has
    to be home by 11 and that makes for a short night for us.  However,
    she is very responsible and dependable.
    
    Kim
    

    I'd agree that starting as a 'mother's helper' is an excellent way
    to get start babysitting.  
    
    Kat started babysitting when she was 10 -- she had a little baby
    brother to practice on.  She helped a lot when we were around.  We
    then started gradually letting her keep an ear out for the
    sleeping baby so we could go for a walk and finally having her put
    give him his dinner and put him to bed so we could go out to
    dinner.
    
    She didn't babysit by herself for someone else until she was 11,
    though. 
    
    --bonnie

    
    Well, *I* thought it was a good idea.  Unfortunatly, Juli isn't
    crazy about the idea.  Maybe she'll get the clue when I start telling
    her that she can't have the money for this or that (she's so used
    to just asking me for it and - sucker that I am - I give in to her)
    maybe then she'll get the idea that she needs to "earn" the cash.
    
    Well, I'll give her some time to get used to it.
    
    
    							jean

    I was 12 yrs old (Jr. High age) when I started babysitting.  I was the
    youngest of 3 in my family (2 older brothers) and all of the
    neighborhood kids were older also, I grew up fast!  But I do think/know
    it definitely would've helped if I had a younger brother or sisiter to
    practice on.  I was a little nervous the first time the baby would cry
    or I had to change him for the first time (when I was alone).  But soon
    got the "hang of it"!  It worked out good for me on weekends too
    because My folks weren't too concerned with getting me home at a
    certain time.  So I usually got to earn some pretty good $$$$.  Also,
    the people I babysat for were some of my school teachers, new neighbors
    and once in a while aunts & uncles who were having babies...they all
    told me the basics, don't use the phone too much, in case they needed
    to call home for something, help yourself to anything in the fridge (or
    they'd specify which "snacks" were for the taking!) and make sure the
    baby is in bed at whatever time.  After that, I was watching TV and
    usually sleeping on the couch by the time the parents would come home!
    
    Not too bad for a few hours work, 'eh??
    
    mel

    Jean,
    
    	I was about 11 the first time my Mom let me watch my 5 younger
    brother and sisters for a while after school before she got home 
    from work at 4:00.  Lots of practise changing diapers and feeding 
    bottles and such, but mostly just keeping them from killing each
    other and me.
    
    	I was 12 the first time I babysat for the neighbor across the
    street, a little 3 month old baby.  Before I actually sat for her
    by myself, I spent alot of time with the Mom and baby to show the
    Mom that I could take care of her infant and just to generally be
    a mother's helper, without pay.  Even though I never needed to call
    her, it helped to know my Mom was right across the street.
    
    	In my neighborhood now, there are no young teenagers and only one
    12-year-old girl who I wouldn't trust to walk my 3 1/2 year old across
    the street because she has shown many times just how irresponsible she
    is with her own safety.
    
    Donna
     
    

    Hey, where are these helpers???  Sounds like what we could use over the
    next week or two.  We're in South Oxford, (the Sherwood Forest
    Development near Chafee) and plan on taking a few days of vacation (is
    that what vacation is for??) to do some small projects.  It's going to
    be a pain in the A** if we have to keep AJ out of the driveway sealer,
    cellar floor paint etc for a bunch of day.  Unfortunately my regular
    sitter is back in school(college) and doesn't get home til supper time.
    
    If you've got any ideas, please respond by mail, or dtn 234-4558 or
    even at home (please talk to the machine!!) 508-987-3401.  I'd like to
    find a helper REAL SOON!!
    
    LYN