Would you leave your own child with their younger siblings?

Just realising how difficult it can be as a single parent especially with 4 kids. No popping to the shop or whatever, and god i would have to get them up if i forgot to get something on a night. Chelsea is 13 now and am wondering about leaving the kids with her incase i need to pop to the shops or whatever. Obviously i would never go out for longer than than that and am not talking about a night out or anything.
She is very very good with the kids. And i do trust her. mmmmmmmmmm.

Thoughts please Am not asking you what i should do as i think the need will probably arise at some point so therefore i will probs have to, but if it were you what would you do?

Yeah i would. 13 is a good age

*edited cos im a tit*

My mum used to leave me to look after my bro and sis when i was 13 (isnt it legal from 14?) only to go shopping and things like that. They were 9 and 7 then. If she is mature i think there is no prob!

i think 13 is a good age./ my mum was letting me go to the shop (across the raod) at about 9ish.. n ithink she sarted to leave me by my own at 12.. i think the only thing you would have to worry about is if they would play her up? x

I used to watch my younger brother and my young cousins at 13 and I quite enjoyed it, I used to get 'paid' (probably 50p or something) but I was really proud that my parents/aunt trusted me enough at that age. I don't see the problem hun, you know Chelsea better than anyone so if you trust her then that's all that matters.

xx

i would leave them with her ,,,, i was 12 when i was elieved to be responsible enough
x x

when i was 13 i looked after my newborn sister quite alot on our own took her to town and everything, i also used to look after my ste bro when i was 12 and he was 5 xx

I was babysitting regularly from 13, I think you know Chelsea t bst so if you think she'd be ok then thats all that matters.

From a legal point, I've just had a quick google and theres not an age which they can but they must be old enough to do part time work so thats 13 (probably different with siblings if not getting paid) If they are under 16 then they can not be held responsible legally so if anything was to happen youd be the on responsible

My mum left us for short periods once my sister was around that age - but I was only 18 months younger

I think you know if your eldest is capable of it, and Im sure Chels is!

13 is fine hun. If she is a responsible girl, there is no problem in that. I leave Maky with Matthew sometimes to run quickly to the store. Sure beats having to drag them all out for a jug of milk. I was babysitting all the time at 13. xxx

Actually...bad mum moment here...Izzy is left alone at home in the morning when I go to work..cos she is asleep...so yours are all fine Donna!



Yes that IS actually what some dimwit thought when I said that this job was ideal cos I could leave Izzy in bed and she wouldn't wake til I got home

Lisa wrote:

Actually...bad mum moment here...Izzy is left alone at home in the morning when I go to work..cos she is asleep...so yours are all fine Donna!



Yes that IS actually what some dimwit thought when I said that this job was ideal cos I could leave Izzy in bed and she wouldn't wake til I got home

Omg Lisa can't believe someone thought that you left Izzy home alone when you went to work, some people.

Donna,think 13 is fine hun you would only being running to the shop and if Chelsea needed you she can always call your mobile

my step son is 13 and i wudnt leave evan with him but guys dont tend to be responsible i think if he was girl i wud prob leave evan jst to run round to the shops
purely cos i think girls are more responsible and wud react better if something was to happen
so yeah if she was responsible and u know she cud cope then i dont see any harm in it
its not like ur off for a night out or anything

LOL Lisa who thought that??!! And Donna I would say 13 is fine, I used to look after my sis after school before mum got home from work xx

The woman at the golf club!

I certainly think that chelsea appears to be sensible enough to keep an eye on the younger ones if you need to pop out.

xx

Yeah hun I would, I was left at that age for my mum to nip to shops etc and im the eldest of 5 my youngest sib is 11years younger than me. Im pretty sure i started babysitting round then as well.
xx

At 13 i used to babysit for EVERYONE!!! LOL I had a babysitting job nearly everynight (people working etc. I think for small pop out visits you should be ok.

One thing I would do would be set boundaries before you leave her, though Chelsea is pretty level headed

xx

I think she should be cool while you are going to the shop hon she seems to have a good head on her shoulders x

Yes, I used to nip out to the shop or walk the dog when Charlotte was 12/13 and Paul was 6/7 they were fine, they usually didn't want to come as the were watch telly. To be honest I probs could have nipped out and wouldn't have noticed.

Paul is 13 now and I wouldn't trust him with ellie (or even the cat) but that's because he's a boy and totally irresponsible.

I'm sure your daughter will be fine, but I think you just know when it's right!

TBH I would take youngest one with me, so she was left with 2 more independent children.. I would ask her to see how she feels,
Lewis is 11 and tends to get quite nervous so if I send him round to conveinence (sp)store round corner if I need something urgent but only before 5pm.. after that I go without till morning but then I don't drive. I wouldn't leave her whilst I went out for hours to do weekly shop, but to jump in the car to get petrol or a loaf of bread I would

Hope things are settling for you a bit honey xxx

yep i would, i remember being about 12 and taking my baby cousine to the park that was miles away x

ash is 11 and responsable my shop is across from house and she has been left in house while amelie is sleeping..i trust her and her instincts.. that is all she has been left for though!! i was baby sitting from age of ten upwards all the time and also for my younger siblings as they where new borns whe i was 10 and 11 and used to take them out in pram on there own !1

ash isnt aloud to answer door or the fone and i shut the curtains xx she texts me and i txt her .. ash is left by her self when she comes ohome from school as i dotn finish work sometimes till 4 and she has been fine..i rang direct .gov to find out the leagl side of it and they said as long as i think she is responsable x

I use to look after my younger sisters and brothers at that age in summer holidays for my mum at times x
I think she would be fine looking after them xx