The Babysitter is Twelve
Cross-posted from our sister site, 50-Something Moms.
In Canada, Red Cross babysitter's training is the bottom line recommendation for mothers searching for someone to watch their children. It surprised me because back in my American home state, I'd never heard of such a thing though don't doubt it probably exists.
The minimum age at which a child can be left home alone, or put in charge of the care of younger children, is twelve. Anyone with sitting aspirations registers for the training at or shortly before this magic age.I am not sure what it is about twelve. Here, children that age are likely in junior high - seventh or eighth grade - which perhaps is a tipping factor. Having taught primarily twelve and thirteen year olds back in the day, I never put much stock in age. Children's maturity levels, as far as I could tell, sprung more from innate temperament and their parents' willingness to delegate responsibilities and hold them accountable for their actions. Parents who demanded early, appropriately and often found themselves rewarded with more responsible pre-teens than those who were inconsistent and fearful.
Back in Iowa, finding babysitters was impossible, but here in Alberta, I've had a consistent supply of sitters and most of them have been twelve. As I myself began to babysit at around that age, and I fully expect to be able to leave my daughter alone for an evening at that age, I was fine with this.
