Tween & Teen

Q: At what age can we leave our eldest daughter to care for her siblings? Is there a legal age or some kind of guideline I should follow?

A: There isn’t a definite answer; it depends on the children involved. For the most part, 12 is considered appropriate; kids can take babysitting courses at this age and often start looking after other people’s children. Of course, there are other considerations when siblings are involved, including the number of children and how well they get along. I’d suggest trying it out for short periods at the beginning and see how that goes.

If she’s also babysitting other children, the question of money may arise. I don’t believe she should be paid, but others feel differently. If your daughter has to turn down a paid job to stay with her siblings, you might reimburse her or negotiate just how much babysitting you expect her to do.

Originally published in Today's Parent, March 2010