Kids = Built in Babysitter

I think if you ask the child if they will watch the other one then that would be fine but I don't like it when the kid is told they have to take care of their brother/sister. I think they may rebel if they are made to do it and not asked.

I think that as long as you ask if they want to watch their siblings then its ok. I use my older son to watch my younger sons, but I also pay him or give him rewards for doing so. My mom and sister also help out and are very kind in doing so. I think if it works for your family then it is a great thing!

I don't think it's right to always use other kids to watch the younger ones. There are too many older teenagers that want to babysit just to make spending money. To use your oldest to watch the younger ones might make them not enjoy their own lives like they should. What if they had plans with friends but get held back on the count of their parents wanting them to babysit? I do believe they will rebel unless they volunteer to do the job in order to make money for themselves.

I think it's okay as long as you don't overburden the older child and ask them to do it too much. We use our oldest child to babysit maybe once a month or a tiny bit more frequently just for very short periods if I have to run out quickly to the grocery store or something similar. He doesn't mind and I think it instills in him a greater sense of responsibility. Also since my friends and neighbors know that I use him to babysit our younger children they view him as responsible and have also offered him babysitting jobs. He's making lots of $$$ and he'd never have gotten those babysitting jobs if I didn't use him to babysit in our own family.