How old does a person need to be to babysit a 3 year old?

It all depends on the 13 year old. I know 23 year olds I wouldn’t leave kids with and 13 year olds I would. This is a very case by case question. I would think a 13 year old that has taken a class would be mature enough to handle the situation. Start out slow. Give her a chance to babysit on a very short outing (maybe and hour) and then work your way up as you get a feel for her.

I started babysitting at 12 for older infants around 10 or 11 months old. But as @missingbite says, it depends on the maturity level of the young person. Have her come by for a bit and watch the child while you’re in the house doing chores or whatever other tasks so you can see how she handles dealing with the child, and then go on from there.

How much experience has this particular girl had with THIS particular age group.

A 3 yr. Old can absolutely NOT be left unattended ( or even out of direct-line eyesight) for even a minute as they are still exploring their world and can get into unbelievable situations in two seconds flat. Most adults understand this. The average 13 yr. old does not.

If the basics are grasped on infant care, they are actually easier than a 3 yr. old since they are not mobile. Most toddlers are perpetual motion machines and far more challenging.

It really depends on whether this particular teen truly grasps this difference. If not, it’s just a recipe for potential disaster since you can’t possibly leave instructions for every conceivable situation for a toddler like this. She may be the most well intentioned teen in the world, but there are just so many things toddlers get into.

I would have far less apprehension about leaving a 6–9 yr old with a teen rather than a 3 yr old.

Work your way up to it. Maybe have her come be a “mother’s helper” for a few hours, and have her watch your three-year-old while you’re home, but doing things that you can’t do unless someone else is occupying your child. Honestly, the questions that she asks you while she’s there will let you know whether she’s ready or not. And make sure you tell her to ask you when she has any questions!! It’s good to instill in a babysitter than asking is not forbidden, you don’t expect her to know everything. It’s more dangerous for her to guess when she doesn’t know exactly what to do, so make sure she feels comfortable asking for your advice. She could always be your afternoon sitter, and then you could see if there’s an adult you could ask for evening and late night baby sitting. I was an experienced sitter by the time I was 13 (I had 3 younger brothers and sisters at the time – I have 5 now) but I would always get freaked out and lonely when babysitting alone at night! Although I guess I did till I was about 18, so maybe I’m just a sensitive nancy. :D

Our main sitter is a 13 year old. She is the daughter of my husband’s boss. We were her first client and she was our first non-family sitter, but I knew she was responsible. She asked all of the right questions and our daughter adores her. She gives her 100% of her attention the entire time she is here.

She calls us if she thinks anything might be important for us to know and I am reassured by that. I also know that her parents are supportive of her and also very responsible. If she could not get in touch with us for some reason, she would contact them and they would come immediately.

The only downside is that we need to pick her up or take her home sometimes, but that is a small price to pay for a reliable sitter we are happy with.

Babysitter ≥ 3

Depends on both, of course, but more particularly: will she babysit while the child is sleeping or not?

I think it could work; it depends on the 13 year old. I would start with small, short sits or even, as has been suggested, a mother’s helper stint and see how it goes. If you have the teenager over while you are there and see her judgment and interaction with your child, you can then leave them together for an hour or so at a time before trying a longer sit. We did have a wonderful Friday night sitter for years who started when she was about 13. She was one of the most responsible people I have ever known.

This is just my personal opinion but I really don’t think a 13 year old is mature enough to watch a child under 5. Sure they might put on a good front for you and make you believe they’re mature and able, but when you walk out that door, are you sure they’re giving your child the proper attention they need? Or do you suspect that they may be chatting it up on their cell phone about their latest crush. Or just sitting back an watching tv while your child plays all by themselves? The only reason I’m against a teenager watching a child is because I used to babysit at that age also. Everyone thought I was mature for my age and would be a great sitter. I was really good and sweet talking and impressing parents. But once they left I’d get right on the phone. Or watch tv. Or eat. Needless to say, the kids were basically on their own. A 13 year old is still a kid themselves. So just be careful!

It really would depend on the person but they would have to be over 18 for sure…I have never left my children with anyone other than my mother…I am extremely arrogant in thinking that others would not provide the kind of care I’d be satisfied with

I go with the suggestion of @fireinthepriory have her over a few times as a mother’s helper.

you have to be comfortable with the situation otherwise, if you’re going to be worried there’s no sense in doing it. i know when i was 14 i babysat for a baby with a friend of mine, and we were laughing and ignoring the baby, and the baby fell down the stairs (just a few, but still, the parents would have been mortified if they knew). i have a 2½ year old and i have left her with a teen neighbor but the girl’s mother was present (it was more like the mother babysitting and the teen playing).

i don’t think i would leave a 13 year old with a 3 year old. that’s just me.

Is the 3 year old completely toilet trained? A lot depends on that.

I was babysitting infants as a Freshman (9th grade) in High School. But I was blessed with MANY brothers and sisters so I had a “clue” how to take care of kids. I had 5 siblings below me. But I’d say by the time a person is 16–17 yrs old, they should be able to handle any situation that might arise while babysitting.

Sounds like the 13 year old is mature, I mean she took a class and wants to learn how to care for children. I don’t think I would have a problem with this scenario