DO you / Would you allow your D-child to babysit?

[dnkool]

We do not have my stepdaughter full time, so this may not ever come up for us. But, it did come up at her house last night and I was just wondering what you all would have done.

Do you allow your d-child to babysit knowing that they could have an episode and no one would be there to help?:confused:

[Jeff]

Marissa, now 20, babysat beginning around age 12, after she had taken a Red Cross babysitting class at school.

She still sits for many families who have kids with type 1 -- even as a college junior.

When she was younger and babysitting, we would always be home so we could check on her. We would always pay special attention to blood sugars before she went out and she would always take her glucose meter and emergency glucose.

My guiding principle is simple: If you would allow your child to do something if they didn't have diabetes, you owe it to them to find a way to make it happen with diabetes.

[Hollyb]

Well, I wouldn't let an 11-year-old babysit except in very limited circumstances (like, "I'm just going out grocery shopping, back in half an hour). I definitely do let my 15-year-old with diabetes babysit. But I know he has the experience and judgement to be proactive about heading off lows when he's in charge of a child.

In this case, if I wasn't comfortable having the 11-year-old daughter babysit, I would sure not have hired one of her friends the same age instead! Someone considerably older would have eliminated the insult factor, I think.

[Christine's Mom]

We just started using my older daughter to watch our youngest when I am out. My oldest daughter is now 13 and my youngest is 8. This was a uncomfortable transition to make but we based our decision on her ability to care for herself. We started off slowly and now occasionally leave them alone for @ 3-4 hours. I have her test before we leave and call her @ 2 hours later. I know she is responsible enough to care for my youngest but the phone calls are to remind her to test and to check up on them. My youngest is old enough to get a juice box or test kit if needed.

However, I will probably have her wait a few years before she babysits for other families. I wouldn't want anything to happen if she was watching really young children. She isn't really interested in babysitting for other families at this point, so it isn't really an issue.

My next fear is driving! Ugh

[dnkool]

BTW...
Diabetes aside...I think 11 is too young to babysit also.

[skimom]

Marissa, now 20, babysat beginning around age 12, after she had taken a Red Cross babysitting class at school.

She still sits for many families who have kids with type 1 -- even as a college junior.

When she was younger and babysitting, we would always be home so we could check on her. We would always pay special attention to blood sugars before she went out and she would always take her glucose meter and emergency glucose.

My guiding principle is simple: If you would allow your child to do something if they didn't have diabetes, you owe it to them to find a way to make it happen with diabetes.

I agree - I make sure I am home and that we are always available to help her out (she is twelve).We check in with her regularly. My son was allowed to baby sit as well with the same arrangements. It is all part of the learning to take responsibility for their condition - plus if they are that responsible for their own health, I think they ould be very responsible when it comes to other children.
If your child is responsible and baby sitter material (would you let them do it if they didn't have diabetes?) then they deserve the chance and it is up to us to support them

[Jacob'sDad]

I would say that as long as D is under good control and can be managed by the child, it shouldn't enter in to the decision.
My 11 year old non-D son babysits as long as we are in town, which means we are never more than ten minutes away. Our cell phones are always on in case he needs to get a hold of us.

We also always check to make sure we have reception. If we went to a movie we would call from inside the theater to make sure a call can get through and we call to check in frequently.

[Boo]

My oldest is the one with D. He turned 12 over the summer (brothers are 10 and 8). Since this summer, I have been letting the kids stay home alone, with him in charge, for short times. We have only done it twice at night, both times when we were in the neighborhood.

He has been asked by a neighbor across the street about sitting for their younger boys (6 and 2) for short times during the day next summer. He's not really interested now, but if he were, I'd allow it as long as I was home.

[kiwikid]

The 'legal age' for babysitting in NZ is 14. Children are only allowed to stay home alone from the age of 12. My eldest daughter (non-D) has babysat since she was 14 and I am always available on the phone if she needs me. I don't think children under 14 have the skills, or should be given the responsibility to babysit young children, in case something does go wrong.

[funnygrl]

I remember babysitting once and tripping over a baby gate and falling flat on my face. The boy I was watching asked if he should make me a pbj sandwich so I wouldn't fall again. It was cute.

I figure you're going to want to live alone some time, you're going to want to have kids some day, and D won't stop you from those things, so might as well practice responsibility for a few hours.

I too was older than 11 when I started though. Like Jeff said, my parents let me after the red cross course.

[diabeticmonkey]

im older then 11 too. but I been babysitting since I was in Highschool. I kidsit for 2 families the ages range from 3 to 5. Also when I didnt have a job I would watch two boys who parents were in the national gaurds for 2 weeks during the summer while out of state and also 2 weekends a month while they were in Pittsburgh. Knock on wood no problems so far and I always carry my meter and extra supplies on me

[MamaC]

Interesting that this question has come as I am about to check with Tom to see if he wants to take the Red Cross babysitting course. It's something we had discussed before and he wanted to do it. He's been minding other peoples' kids (such as soccer game tagalongs) for years and enjoys it. He also had a paying "mom's helper" job when he was 11 or 12. And he just took the CPR/AED course at school and will take First Aid as part of lifeguard training.

I would of course make sure I was around if he was working as a babysitter, but as Jeff said, if he was OK to do it before diabetes, he should be able to do it after.

Becky

[Mama2H]

Where we live the babysitting coarse is for 11 and older. I have allowed Hailey to babysit twice for my nieces and nephews but it was only when I was home, if I wasn't going to be able to get there right now I would say no. The first time she got scared (my sister lives on a farm in the middle of nowhere) but the 2nd time she did great. I only allow her to sit for 5 hours or less and only for family for now. I had her use her glucophone and test a minimun of every 2 hours and I do run her a little bit higher (upper 100's) just to be on the safe side. I run an inhome childcare so she has been helping me for several years and the kids all love her.

ETA: Hailey was babysitting for older children that live in our neigborhood ( kindergarten/1st graders) before she was dx, it was really hard to take that away from her since she was making really good money and enjoying herself.

[Schpoodle's Dad]

Looking at it from the other side.... We would LOVE to have a D babysitter. Already trained, knows the signs, knows what to do etc etc.

I would treat it the same as driving or anything else, check sugars before and make sure D is under control.

[jodiv]

To follow up on what Schpoodle's Dad said, we have a 16 year old babysitter with Type 1 D to babysit our 3-year old D daughter and 1-year old non-D son. She is VERY responsible, knows exactly how to care for a D child, (carb counting, shots, pump, glucagon, etc) understands the importance of that care, and we pay her extra for that knowledge and added responsibility. If old enough and responsible, your D children are in high demand by other D families that want to go out an see a movie!

Jodi

[Schpoodle's Dad]

Jodi - SHE's HIRED! (as long as you guys live in Calgary ;))

Actually we are very lucky to have two college aged girls who do most of our sitting. But there will soon come a day when we will be looking for a new sitter and we would love for it to be one that has D. We have looked on the D babysitting website and there are none in Calgary.

[jodiv]

Our endo actually suggested her. With HIPAA here, she could not give us the name until but rather gave the other family our name and number to call. I would suggest anyone asking their endo if they know of a responsible teen they see to use as a sitter! It has been great for us!


Jodi

[ScottB]

I guess it would all depend on the age and maturity of your child, just what that magic age is, I can't answer but Jeff made a good point in that if you would trust your child to do it if he/she didn't have D, then they should be allowed to figure out how to do it with D.

It seems that Justin has impressed his endo with his maturity and ability to maintain good BS #'s that during our last visit a week ago, she asked Justin if he would like to babysit kids with D. She said she has a lot of parents of patients who's child has D and are too paranoid to leave their kid with anybody who has no experience with D or they can't find a babysitter who's willing to learn. Justin had no problem with his endo's suggestion and agreed. I almost burst out laughing because of the thought of my "I'm just so cool" soon to be 17 son babysitting some rugrats but he is good with kids. :)

[Boo]

We have also used a local type 1 teen as our sitter on several occasions. (Not "DiabeticMonkey", because I didn't know he existed then. ;)) It was a relief as far as knowing that he knew how to handle things...though his personality just wasn't as fun as some of our other sitters, so he wasn't usually the boys first choice. However, he also had a sister who was great, and who ALSO knew what to look for and how to handle things.

So, another thing to consider is hiring siblings of T1's. They are usually more knowledgable than the average teen when it comes to D concerns.

[Momof4gr8kids]

If we knew a responsible teen with type 1 I'd certainly hire her/him to babysit on occasion, but I'd start her/him the same way I have anyone else with short sessions or having her babysit with me there and just doing busy work (still paid of course).

So as long as Julia is a responsible teen, yes she can babysit.

[dnkool]

WOW. Thanks so much for all these great point of views!

At this point I think Sydney is way too new to D to be left alone, not to mention be in charge of another person.

Thanks again! I love all the opinions.

[sam1nat2]

we have a sitter who is D. She does fine and her mom is home when she babysits. Her bff is also D and they often sit together. Our only problem is that I think Sam has a crush on one of them, so for now, they just watch dd:p
We are also fortunate in that on our block, there is one neighbor with D and another whose neice has it, so she knows what to do as well. Our "trusty" pump rep lives less than a mile away too, and he as well as his kids have babysit my kids. If there were an emergency, someone close would know what to do to help till we got home.

[Treysmom]

I think it all depends on how responsible the child is w/ his/her D. Trey does'nt have any younger siblings this will more than likely not come up for him. My oldest dd is very responsible 13 yr old, but I would't ever leave Trey with her due to his D. Not that I think she would or could handle most situations. Its the situations like the other day when he was 36 that I don't know if she could handle. I would trust her with other children though.

[wendyc]

We had a college age sitter who has T1D. Unfortunately, they have moved away:( She was incredible. She was a conselor at a D camp and so was well versed in the pump. She was able to work the Animas even though she was on a MM. Wrote down everything and made a point of checking herself when checking Abby. Abby would narc on her though if she was low:eek: Not a big deal, she always treated herself.

I think if you feel that your child is able to stay home by themselves and care for themselves properly and you trust them wholeheartedly, then I say let them do it. I have no problem hiring another person with D to care for Abby.

[Heather(CA)]

Well, I wouldn't let an 11-year-old babysit except in very limited circumstances (like, "I'm just going out grocery shopping, back in half an hour). I definitely do let my 15-year-old with diabetes babysit. But I know he has the experience and judgement to be proactive about heading off lows when he's in charge of a child.

In this case, if I wasn't comfortable having the 11-year-old daughter babysit, I would sure not have hired one of her friends the same age instead! Someone considerably older would have eliminated the insult factor, I think.

This is EXACTLY how I feel about it...Especially at night, I wouldn't let anyone under say 15 babysit a 4 year old at night. D or no D.