When it comes to Babysitting - CareforKids.com.au®

When It Comes To Babysitting
How old is old enough?

A recent news article stated that President Barack Obama's daughters might be growing up in the White House, but that does not mean they have to miss out on a rite of passage for American girls – apparently they are being groomed for their first job – babysitting.

President Obama said in a television interview that he was also teaching his daughters Malia, 12, and Sasha, 9, about savings, interest and money management.

"What I'm doing now with Malia and Sasha is they're getting an allowance," Obama told ABC's Good Morning America. "They're starting to get old enough where they may be able earn some money babysitting. They've got their own savings accounts".

Any First Daughter babysitting service would be highly sought after, as presumably as well as the prestige, parents could expect a full retinue of Secret Service protection for their little ones! A perfect situation all round, that is depending on what they charge of course! We're not sure what the going rate is for a team of White House bodyguards these days…

All of us have probably had babysitting jobs in our youth: It's perfect for earning a few extra dollars a week to pay for the odd night out (if you're old enough); for a new outfit, a schoolies week away or to start saving for that elusive first car.

But it's a massive responsibility for teenage kids, even if their own parents are next door. For one thing young teens and especially tweens are still kids and lack the experience and knowledge to deal with difficult children, crying babies or emergency situations.

It's also often a bit scary – on their own with feral children in a house in the middle of nowhere and nothing on TV except Law & Order SVU or a re-run of Psycho for company.

And not forgetting the potentially confronting and awkward situation faced when the parents (often friends of the babysitter's own parents) arrive home rather jolly after a night out - probably with the babysitter's parents - and not quite in charge of their own behaviour let alone the well-being of their children…

Sadly the age of suitability for babysitting has been pointed out just recently with the murder of a child by its 11 year old babysitter in the USA.

Maybe President Obama's kids aren't quite ready just yet.

So at what age are kids old enough to cross the line from being babysat to being babysitters? Click here to take our babysitting poll and let us know.

You could win* a the latest music CD from Play School's Jay Laga'aia - 'I Can Play Anything' courtesy of ABC Kids and Roadshow Entertainment. Just make sure you leave contact ddetails when completeing the poll.