I have a 5 year old and 1 and half year old and plan on having my niece and sister age 16 and 13 watch them while I go for my date night. Is that a good age to leave to babysit? They keep asking to try it out so they can start making extra money and my youngest is very attached to my niece.
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You would know them better than I, however I was babysitting at 16. Make sure they know the rules and have the contact number for you. Aside from that…go have a good time!
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I was babysitting before 16, but it all depends on maturity of the kiddo.
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It’s all about maturity. But 16 and 13 should be able to handle it. I babysit at 12 as did many people I know
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I started babysitting at 11…but i also took the babysitting course before. Maturity has lots to do with the decision…if u trust them to be mature and do things properly and not screw around, then maybe yeah. If u trust them 150% then have fun. Have the rules set big time, emergancy numbers clearly stated and tell them they are to not just play on their phones and ignore the kids lol. But habe the ringer up,so if u call to check in, they hear it.
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I started babysitting at 12 for non family members, I was younger when it was family, I was always mature for my age so that needs to be a factor in your decision on if they’re mature enough
I was babysitting 4 boys by the age of 13. Like others said, make sure they have your numbers available. Also knowing bed time routine and what to feed them and when, helps tremendously.
I think that should be ok! If your. Comfortable with it for sure! Just make sure you have a cell they can get a hold of you if they are having a hard time. 
They should be fine at that age…but yes babysitting courses and CPR certification are a plus to have for sitters!!!
I started babysitting at 12, but it’s all about maturity level. I also didn’t have a smart phone when I was 12 so just make sure they won’t be on them the phone time (only saying this because my sister is 13 and my aunt had her watch my cousins and she was on her phone the ENTIRE time)
My oldest started watching her brother and sister at twelve, but she had been begging me to try it for a while. We have an alarm system and she had her own little emergency plans in place and everything. She’ll be 15 in a few months, and babysits for a few people now.
It’s the maturity level that counts more than age if u feel you can trust them then go for it. Also maybe check out paediatric first aid course they could maybe go to. If anything were to happen it would prevent them panicking before you and emergency services arrived if they knew how to deal with an emergency properly x
Do they have first aid certification? How will they respond if the one year old starts to choke on something? If they are certified then 16 is plenty old enough. I babysat 2 kids for years, started when I was 15.
I was babysitting my neice at around 12-13. She was 1 at the time. My sister always said if there are any problems call either her, my mum (my sister lived across the road 
) or an ambulance if it was serious. Thankfully I never had to call either but if you think they’re mature enough and can handle an emergency situation, go for it. Just make sure your phone is on hand and it’s always got reception.
Yeah, both ages are fine.
Absolutely good she’s to let them try it out! Just make sure they have number for emergencies, know kids routines, and what they are allergic to if anything. I have 12 nieces and nephews and the oldest was born when I was 7. By 9 I was babysitting for 2-3 hours at a time one at a time. By 12 was keeping 2/3 of them overnight on my siblings date nights. By 15 decided I wanted to get my cda to work in preschools/daycares, but not ever have any kids of my own because nieces and nephews as they got older and mouthpiece and crazier drove me crazy enough! I’m now almost 22 with my own one year old son and working on a new job at my local daycare so I don’t have to give up my time with my little guy because he can come in with me and receive free childcare with me working there. I’ve been unemployed since just after finding I was pregnant and a stay at home mom since birth with no time apart other than a few dozen Friday nights where he’d go with his grandma 3 miles down the road around 6pm and I’d be at her house by 10 am Saturday morning and once a week for an hour while I had appointments for a few months, now once a month for an hour for my appointments.
I started babysitting at 11. They’ll be fine.