Seriously? A fourteen-year-old isn't capable enough to care for his own three-year-old sibling for a half hour? And the kids' mother lost her job because of the caution she received.
What'd you all order a dead guy for?
Jayne ,'The Message'
Natter 67: Overriding Vetoes
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, nail polish, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Amy - Feb 17, 2011 7:20:39 am PST #23413 of 30001
Because books.
Kathy A - Feb 17, 2011 7:28:01 am PST #23414 of 30001
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil
From that article:
England's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children actually states no one under the age of 16 should be allowed to babysit!
I was babysitting at 12, and a busy babysitter, at that. I know that from what I've heard from coworkers and friends, most teen girls are done babysitting by the time they go to high school at 14.
Amy - Feb 17, 2011 7:31:12 am PST #23415 of 30001
Because books.
I was babysitting at twelve, too! Sometimes for infants!
meara - Feb 17, 2011 7:31:29 am PST #23416 of 30001
I, too, was babysitting by 12 and done by around 15. After that I had other plans on weekends, and I generally couldn't on weeknights. My sister did more than I did--she was an au pair for several summers...high school summers. 14-16 or so.
Gudanov - Feb 17, 2011 7:31:40 am PST #23417 of 30001
Coding and Sleeping
Crazy, there are totally 12 year olds I'd trust to babysit a toddler... and 20 year olds I wouldn't.
Cashmere - Feb 17, 2011 7:32:17 am PST #23418 of 30001
Now tagless for your comfort.
England's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children actually states no one under the age of 16 should be allowed to babysit!
What about a 15 year old that has a kid? It's not unheard of. Are they for taking those babies away?
I'd like to see the legal statutes for that "caution" case. It just screams idiocy to me.
Cashmere - Feb 17, 2011 7:33:41 am PST #23419 of 30001
Now tagless for your comfort.
At 14, I was a live-in babysitter for my cousin. She had a six year old, a three year-old and a one year-old. I watched them while she and her husband worked second shift at a factory--from 3 in the afternoon until 11 o'clock at night. I couldn't drive--they lived out in the country. I cooked them dinner, bathed them and put them in bed. AND got up with them in the morning so their parents could sleep in.
Gudanov - Feb 17, 2011 7:38:25 am PST #23420 of 30001
Coding and Sleeping
I remember one time babysitting (14 I think), I put the infant to sleep and took the other kid outside to toss a ball, but the door locked behind me.
I went to a neighbor and called the parents who directed me to another neighbor with a spare housekey and got back into the house.
I felt so bad I never babysitted again, the parents were actually very pleased because I handled the crisis.
Amy - Feb 17, 2011 7:38:39 am PST #23421 of 30001
Because books.
What about a 15 year old that has a kid? It's not unheard of.
Presumably her parents could be *cautioned* for leaving her home alone to get pregnant.
Also, what Gud said.
§ ita § - Feb 17, 2011 7:39:05 am PST #23422 of 30001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Doesn't the sentence fragment "in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in Haiti" smack, at best, of sloppy construction?