Should Preteens Be Babysitting?

Have you ever had second thoughts on hiring a preteen babysitter? Many parents do, including mine. Some can be very irresponsible. They could leave the kids unattended, which means that they could get injured. These kids need to learn that they need to be responsible for not just themselves, but for the children they babysit too. Being responsible now could help you with future jobs and situations. If I left a kid and they got seriously injured, I would feel bad for not only the child, but for the parents and family.

Have you ever, accidently, been distracted or left a child alone to look at your phone, TV, etc. while you were babysitting? 40% of young babysitters reported that they left kids alone when they were babysitting, says ScienceDaily. Preteens need to learn that they need to concentrate on the kids they are babysitting and not anything else. One reason is because the kids could get hurt. They could have a minor injury, like a scrape, or a severe injury, like a being hit by a car. The children would also not want to trust you if they know that you aren’t going to keep them safe. They could learn to do the bad behavior with their parents, at school, etc.


Babysitting is also a big responsibility… Trust me! You have to be watching the child 24/7 while you are babysitting! Being responsible will help you “train” for a real job when you get older because you need to be on task at all times. The kids will look up to you, you will be their role model. If you do something that’s bad, they will want to do it too. You want to be sure that the children are being good and are in a safe place. According to ScienceDaily, 20% have opened the door to a stranger. That could be very dangerous! It could be a kidnapper or a robber!


The parents will not be happy that you have left their kids were not safe at all times. They won’t have you come back to babysit again and may not trust another young babysitter with their children again. When you create a resume for another babysitting job, you will not get good feedback from the parents of your previous job. When you go to someone’s house to do an interview, they won’t trust you with their kids. Parents can be very picky about who can babysit their kids. So if you have one mistake, like if you got fired from one of your previous jobs, they will be suspicious. They will think that you aren’t fit for the job. According to to a survey taken by the Red Cross, nearly 30% of parent have rejected a potential babysitter because of safety concerns. The parents actually hired you to keep their children safe. If you don’t, you didn’t do your job.


Other people might say that you should hire a preteen babysitter. They may claim that they are responsible. The teens charge less than adults do. They are kids themselves, so they should be good with kids that are younger. They have a lot more energy than an older babysitter would. That still doesn’t mean that they can be responsible. Adult babysitters are more responsible because they know when to have a lot of energy and not to. They know how to act if something bad happens. A preteen might freak out or only be concerned with their well-being. Even though adults might charge more, you will have a better feeling that your kids will be safe than with a younger babysitter.


All preteen babysitters really need to learn how to be responsible when they babysit. If a preteen babysitter is in a bad situation, it’s not only their life they are risking, it is the child’s life, too. If they are not responsible, there could be serious consequences. Knowing how to be responsible can help you in a future job or any situation. The parents will be very upset since they hired you to keep their kids safe, not get them injured. If you are a parent, will you still consider hiring a preteen babysitter?