Would you leave a 13 year old to babysit 3 infants 10 mo old 7 mo old and 2 mo old?

Answer 1

NO NO NO. a responsible adult would not leave 3 infants in the care of a child who wouldn't know what to do on her own if something went wrong. Wow please don't do that. VERY bad idea !

I have to disagree with the poster above. This all depends on how well you trust your child. I'm 14, and babysit triplets (who will turn 11 months old Jan 2011),as my part-time job. I don't have my CPR Training, I don't have my babysitter courses either. But, I do read about how to do CPR. I do have a St. John Ambulance First-Aid Book. I always take a first-aid kit. After being around my mom who does daycare for 12 years, I know how to handle kids. I am very experienced. If you think they are ready, then let them.

Answer 2

An adult caring for 3 infants all under 10 months old would have a difficult time properly caring for the infants at the same time.

Consider the following "worst case" situations:

1. You are feeding a bottle to the 2-month old, who is in your arms. The 7-month old is busy eating Melba toast in the playpen. The 10-month old is practicing crawling and pulling herself to standing. All are within 6-feet of where you sit. The 2 month old swallows wrong and starts coughing; you move her over your shoulder and pat her back but she's still having trouble clearing her throat despite coughing. Just then, the 10-month old takes a tumble and falls between the couch and a table-- he immediately starts screaming and you see blood pouring down his face (even small head wounds bleed a lot). As you juggle the 2-mo old as you try to get up, out of the corner of your eye, you see the 7 month old has gotten herself turned around and somehow gotten her foot tangled in a blanket--she's screaming. You can't put the 2-mo old down because she's coughing and could choke; the 10-month old needs immediate help and assessment; and though the 7-mo old is in the least immediate danger, her screams are piercing!
2. You are watching TV. One baby is sleeping in her crib in the next room, within 20 feet from you. The 7-month old fell asleep in the playpen. The 10-month old is playing on a mat on the floor near your feet and looks like sleep will soon take over. The parents will only be gone another 45 minutes. You notice a slight smell but it's similar to when a neighbor walks by the outside door as he smokes a cigarette; you ignore it. You're immersed in your favorite show, anyway. But, a few minutes later that previous "slight" smoky smell catches your attention. You can see into the kitchen from where you sit--you see nothing amiss. Within seconds, the upstairs fire-smoke detector in the parents' bedroom goes off. The one at the top of the stairs starts within seconds of the first! You jump up---and from the bottom of the stairs, you can see heavy smoke filling the upstairs hallway. You recall that opening a door can suddenly feed a fire with oxygen--the outside door sits right in front of the stairs, which could cause an updraft of air. Which baby or babies do you grab first-- you can't carry them all at the same time! You can't stop to put them into packs or carriers---the smoke is already coming down the stairs! The apt is on the 3rd level and the door opens to an outside walkway-- e.g. each baby cannot be just left on its own outside the door and you have to carry each baby down flights of stairs (you cannot use the elevator during a fire). Which baby! Hurry, make the decision--who can you save? How will you safely carry ALL 3 of the babies out at the same time, and get them to safety?!

This is why a 13-year old should not be left alone to watch 3 babies who cannot walk on their own.