I’m teaching for the next two weeks but my older children are now on holiday. I managed to get my teenage son organised for the first week but now he’s back with me all he’s done for the last few days is build up the blisters on his hands from playing on the X-box. My daughter is mooooooching. She’s like a graceful sloth. Slowly coming down the stairs blinking into the light wearing grungy PJ bottoms and a hoody to climb onto the sofa. Occassionally she will slowly move to another item of furniture in the same room. Then she might have a bath or cook a vat of pasta to spread around the house. Today she is about to get dressed. It is 3pm. I don’t mind though. For a bit. I think it’s good for them to do nothing. Annoying though it is. Although only for a bit. Too much nothing is not good. Too much hanging around with mates is not particularly good either.
She is getting dressed because she’s going up on the train to meet her father at 4pm. He is taking her for tea. I’m really pleased. I think it will make her feel far more special and hopefully will resolve their latest drama.
My son is meant to be babysitting for me tonight as I have my book group. Here is the text I have just recieved from him (we are in the same house, but he can’t be arsed to come down the stairs):-
Mum I really don’t want to babysit tonight – as u’re only going round the corner and I’ve been invited somewhere I really want to go can I find someone else? I understand if you don’t want me to but please? Will that be OK? Love u with all my heart x x x”
He can be such a creep when he wants to, but he gets me every time….
I still don’t really get the rules here. Am I legally allowed to leave my youngest child in the care of my 12 year old daughter, who is far more practical and sensible than my teenage son? Does it depend on maturity? Or is 13 years old meant to be the cut-off? Anyway, I’d only do that if my 8 year old was asleep and I was two minutes away. Or is that irresponsible?
SusannahS
July 9, 2008I started babysitting in my neighborohood when I was 10 yrs. old. I think, as long as you’re reachable by phone, it should be okay for younger two to stay home.
family affairs
July 9, 200810!! Bloody hell – that is young. Is it different in the States then I wonder? Lx
Chris
July 9, 2008Bet I have missed you and you are off to the Book Club but as the mother of sons who is further down the parenting line than you I tell you now DONT DO IT. If the committmment has been made then he should stick to it not bail out for a better offer. I know I know how nice they can wheedle when they want something but listen to me (cue deep strong echoey voice) I am your future and it isnt good…..Uni student son got up at
4pm today. Made his poor “working” mother a cup of tea and I actually found myself thinking “ah nice” what a soft sod am I.
Mind you it is hard work watching all that Dog Bounty Hunter and UFC rubbish at 2am.!!Am I scaring you into action yet??? If not I have a fund of stories to make all your “hairs” stand on end.
BTW whats your Book?
Working mum
July 9, 2008I think I’ve mentioned this before, this is very difficult territory. According to the child protection training I’ve had there is no legal age for babysitting; it does depend on maturity and the support you put in place for them should something happen. (As teachers we have to watch out for children who are going home to empty houses after school with no system for calling for help).You have to feel that your children are safe and have someone close they can call for help if necessary. Good luck!
Sorry about the tome!
family affairs
July 9, 2008OH NO, Chris. Too late. I let him go. But never again. I promise Lx ps we read the Haruki Murakami book “Sputnik Sweetheart”.
Thanks working mum – you’re right, I think u have advised me before….I need to be told at least 3 times before anything sinks in. Lx
Suzysoo
July 9, 2008As I understood it legally they have to be 12 to look after siblings, but 14 to look after other people’s children.
But working mum probably knows best.(Her version’s better, anyway!)
SusannahS
July 10, 2008I think my first babysitting charges were between 5-8 years old. I certainly didn’t start sitting with babies & toddlers until I was 12 and had taken the Red Cross Baby-sitter’s Certification and First Aid Course. It may have helped that I had several younger cousins who I had helped with from the time they were born.
And of course, my mother was always at our house when I was babysitting and would have come over if anything had happened. I was never more than 3 or 4 blocks away.
Hadriana's Treasures
July 10, 2008Good Grief! It’s true what they say…you get different problems at different ages…please say it isn’t so!!!? Good luck with it all. It’s probably how “mature” they are..my 1 and a half year old son is more mature than my nearly five year old daughter. Ho hum.
Suzysoo
July 10, 2008Oh, yes, and my kids are far too tight to use their precious phone credit to text me. They just use MSN instead!
A Mother's Place is in the Wrong
July 15, 2008Oh Problems, Lulu, and I agree that he should stick to a promise – but it’s so hard not to give in. I know that too! M xx