At what age do you feel ok leaving your kids with a baby sitter?

Australia
October 28, 2007 3:27pm CST
just wondering at what age everyone else felt ok leaving their child with a sitter? for me i only leave my kids with family, but am considering a sitter for when we cant get family to do it but im worried as our youngets son is only 11 months
5 responses
Debs_place
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
29 Oct 07
My son, modeling a weird hat and acting silly - This is my son, the product of many babysitters. I went back to work when he was 8 weeks old, we had no family in the area, then I spent most of his life as a single Mom. I was selective in who he stayed with and he is fine.
My son went to daycare at 8 weeks old and I started using the kid next door when my son was about 6 or 7 months. I have no family in the area, so I had no choice. I never had a problem. We had known the young man for about 3 years and felt he was capable of watching my son. We would be gone for maybe 2-3 hours at a time and never more then 15 or 20 minutes away. His mom was also next door. We moved, and at 4, I started graduate school and again, we had the kids next door baby sit and we never had problems. Here is living proof that kids can stay with sitters..here is my son, he is 21 now, and a happy kid. He is here goofing for the camera, he was home on leave from the Navy and in a silly mood.
1 person likes this
skeen1981
@skeen1981 (54)
• Australia
30 Oct 07
thanks for your comments, it seems your son has turned out good, i bet you miss him now hes in the navy though,
Debs_place
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
30 Oct 07
oh yes, but we talk and email on a regular basis.
carlaabt
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
29 Oct 07
The first time I left my son with a babysitter he he was around 2 months old. We live 1000 miles away from our closest family, so getting a relative to do it isn't an option. My son's only been to a babysitter a handful of times, though. We're going to be leaving him with a babysitter for the first time in about a year next week. My husband has Airman Leadership School graduation, so we have to have a babysitter since our toddler is too little to attend. I'm a little worried about leaving him with a babysitter since he is such a Mommy's boy right now, but I'm sure he will be fine.
1 person likes this
skeen1981
@skeen1981 (54)
• Australia
30 Oct 07
it must be hard living so far away from family, even though i have family near it would be nice sometimes for the adults in the family to go out without the kids, then finding someone to look after 3 kids is a little harder to. we are going to look into getting a regular sitter though so the kids can get used to them and i can check them out first. congrats to, to your husband on his graduation!
Ravenladyj
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
28 Oct 07
With my oldest son I only left him with friends I trusted starting when he was a about 7 mths old but with my daughter she had to start being left with a sitter at 5 weeks old because I had to go back to work...My youngest however was NEVER left with a sitter during his time with us because he was special needs..
1 person likes this
skeen1981
@skeen1981 (54)
• Australia
30 Oct 07
it must of been hard leaving your daughter so young, i know going back to work when i eldest was 9 months was hard but i knew she was with my mum and that she would be ok, it was me who wasnt! my youngest now 11 months has never been left with anyone other than my mum and sister, and is a real mummys boy now.
marymarj2002
@marymarj2002 (1769)
• Philippines
31 Oct 07
I have no choice but to leave my son in a nanny because I have a work and after I gave birth to him I only have two months of maternity leave. I want to care him personally because mothers can care best for their babies. I leave him but I still check everything like vitamins, food, milk and everything. Even if you left him atleast you should monitor always your baby.
ayou82
@ayou82 (3450)
• Philippines
3 Nov 07
Im sorry to say this but im not confident leaving my kids to a babysitters. A lot of cases falls into abduction. And i dont want that to happen to me. My hubby is running an organization dealing with parental abduction and i read a lot of stories and its really a heart breaking experience to all the left behind parents. How they struggle to fight and have their children back. To know more of the stories visit. www.hugurkids.com I mean having employing a babysitter is not bad but as a parent i will never put so much of my trust to babysitters. I rather leave work and be a hands on mom.