I am 11 years old and I'm in 6th grade. I am very mature and responcible and I think that I am ready to babysit. I know a lot about caring for kids (I have a younger brother) and I have the american girl book "Babysitting Guide" I am going to take a babysitting course to get certified, but I want to here advise from a mother's point of veiw. Also, I have a neighbor who lives next door with kids. I live in Maryland.

Hello,even the most responsible 11 year old can have a hard time dealing with small children,there is also the problem if an accident happened while you were babysitting,for example would you be able to stay calm and look for help.

For me,11 is a little young,however,I would be willing to let an 11 year old help me take care of young children,for example at a wedding a few years ago my niece at 12 helped play with and feed my 2 year old,there were plenty of adults to help out and she was really a great help.

We have a 13 year old Mom's Helper who takes care of the kids with one of us here. It allows me to work and my wife to clean and other household things.

Our real babysitter is 18.

I would never consider leaving my kids with anyone under 18 for more than an hour or so.

My daughter started babysitting at age 14. She took the Red Cross babysitting course and get certified in CPR prior to even getting her first sitting job. At that age she only babysat for a few hours at a time. Now that she is 16 she sits for longer periods.

11 years old is a great age to be a mother's helper, as Steve said above, but too young to actually babysit with no adults around.

11 years is pretty young to babysit. As redhead35 said, are you confident enough to stay calm, if accident occours while babysitting? Think twice. Babies are not so easy to manage, they may get the heck out of you sometimes.
But, at such a youn age, I appriciate your confidence for babysit. Regards!

I'm 19 and I run a daycare by myself and I find it difficult sometimes. Kids you watch aren't like your brother. If they misbehave you can't punish them. I think it might be difficult for an eleven year old to take care of a small infant or toddler alone for a long period. No offense to you but I'd start as a mother's helper as they said before. That's what I did I started when I was 13. And the babysitting guide doesn't have everything that can go wrong while on the job. Trust me if they can they will get into everything and put anything in their mouths you can't let them out of your sight for a minute.

I agree with J_9
I believe that 14 is an acceptable age to babysit alone for 1-3 hours tops. Any more than that, not so good. Definitely start as a helper first. It's goot that you have confidence, but what if you're aske to babysit someone just 2 years younger? Do you really think they will take you seriously?
13 is still kind of too young in my opinion. You'd be surprised at how much you mature every year as a teenager, heck the rest of your life. It really makes all the difference.
Start slow, you'll be glad that you did. :)

I'm 11 and in 6th grade I take care of my brother,6 and my sister,9 when my parents are away.I always get good good grades and on the weekends I help at my aunts restaurant. Would I be able to babysit

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Originally Posted by Ashleyjiang

I'm 11 and in 6th grade I take care of my brother,6 and my sister,9 when my parents are away.I always get good good grades and on the weekends I help at my aunts restaurant. Would I be able to babysit

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What do you mean by "be able"? Would someone hire you?

Are you experienced?

Your parents go away and leave you in charge of 6 year old and 9 year old?

How much other babysitting experience have you had?

I think you could be a mother's helper, assist when the mother is home. I don't think you will be hired to babysit alone.