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I was taught to protect yourself. I tell my daughter if someone hit you in school tell your teacher, if they continue to bother you after the fact then hit them back. If my child was at the park and a child hit her to hit them back and then come get me.

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I haven't had the problem with cursing yet and I'm not sure how to handle that yet. Grown up my mother tried the cursing jar. Every time someone cursed they would have to put a dollar in the jar. Since me and my brother didn't have a job we would lose money from our allowance.

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Growing up in my house you didn't have a choice on what you want to eat. Sometimes it was hard and we only had what we had. If you didn't eat what we had you'll go hungry. Now a days children would look you dead in the eyes and tell you their allergic to something because they don't like or want it. I hated eating things I didn't want so I don't force my kids to eat nothing they don't want to.

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I had no problems getting up in the morning for school, so my mother would let me stay up longer then my little brother because he didn't like getting up in the morning. His bed time was at 9:00, mines was !0:00 when we were younger. My daughter bedtime is also !0:00. This answer also very depending on you and your child.

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I always felt that siblings shouldn't have to babysit their younger siblings but in my household that was normal. Both of my parents had to work and my older sister and brothers would have to watch me and my little brother. That's why I pay my step kids to watch their little brother and sister. I don't make her watch them if she don't want to.

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Once again i grew up on video games, violent, adventure, puzzles all types of games. One thing my mother told me was that video game is just a game not real life. It all come down to parenting and what your comfortable with.

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As a kid growing up most of my favorite cartoons had fighting in them. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Power Rangers, G.I Joes.  I don't see a problem with children watching cartoons that have fighting in them. As long as the parent explain that its only entertainment and not real.

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Everybody raise their children differently. when my child throws a tantrum I give him the death stare, showing him that I'm serious and he better get it together. If that doesn't work I usually tell him when we get home your going to bed, or ill ask him do you want to go to the car for a spanking. As a parent we use different strategies to handle certain situations.

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Depending on the maturity of the child the age my very. Also we must use our common sense. I have a 6 year old at home and she very mature but i would not leave her home alone. Ill be comfortable leaving her home alone for a short period of time around the age 10. When i was growing up i remember being young and my parents would to me and my little brother, when we leave you better not answer the door or phone for no reason at all.

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I was raised on spankings and thinking back on some of my whooping's or spankings, most of them was well deserved. I knew right from wrong in those situations leading to my whooping's. I don't think you should beat your child but a spankings yes.

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I believe you should teach your child to defend themselves. In school is diffent they should tell a teacher and if the teacher does nothing about it you should visit the teacher and talk to about. My children have been told if someone hits you hit them back. They was also told if they are in school you tell the teacher and nothing gets done about it and I talked to the teacher and its still happening they they have that right to defend themselves and they would not get in trouble for it.

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Children are recorders they repeat what they hear so you should watch what you say around them. If they are doing it ignore what we ignore will diminish. If they are still doing it you should tell them that it's bad and do not repeat it again: and once again it depends on the age of the child. on what you should do. No child should have a potty mouth neither should an adult for that matter.

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How To Handle Your Child Swearing – 5 Tips For Parents

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Children are picky eatters. I had to learn the hard way my twin's was hard to please one would eat only meat and the other just vegetables. I had to learn how to add different things to their plate and give them a treat if they would try something new. Every child is different some my never want to try something new but there is no harm in trying it any way.

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Children that are 21 to 36 months should be in the bed by 7 p.m. school age children should go to bed between 8 to 9 p.m. Teenagers should be in the bed by 9 to 10 p.m.

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The parents' should find a babysitter or a day care to put the kids in if the are working. The older sibling will do it if the parents make them do it but it is not their job. Wonder if the child gets hurt or sick the only thing they can do if the parents is out on a date night or at work is call them and wait to see if they have to take them to the hospital or not. It also depends on the age of the older sibling.

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It is not ok for young children to play violent video games. The games are age- appropriate the age is on the back of the case of the game. Which parents should check before buying for them. With repeated play children learn to think in aggressive ways that can eventually influence their behavior

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It's not ok for children to  watch cartoons which people are fighting because children are prone to agressive reactions and violent behavior. They become insensitive to others pains and sorrow and also do not feel discomfort from any elements of violence around them in real life. We can not blame the kids we should be monitor what they are watching on TV and on the web.

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First you should let your child know that you are not having it. If the child is still at it stop shopping count to ten. Take the child out of the store and explain to them you left the store to give them time to clam down. If they still don't calm down let them know that they are going in time-out when the get home for their behavior in the store. And let them know this will not happen again.

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Children can be left alone at 12 years of age lachkey kids are what they are called. They get home from school before their parents are home from work. I Believe a child should not be left no more then 1 to 2 hours depending on their maturity- level.

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Growing up me and my siblings would get a spanking if we did
something wrong or was disrespectful. Now you can't hit your child with out getting in trouble. You now have to give your child a consequence for doingsomething wrong. Younger children age 2 to 3 don't understand wrong from right or the reason why they got spanked in the first place that's why they should have time out.

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🍐Food situation🍞
Well this can be a tricky subject. Most kids just really do not eat. This is a new generation. Back then you eat what your mom cooked and that is it. I belive children took a stand from the old school way and said no mom we don't want that. I always say it is how you raise your kids that will get you farther in parenttines

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If my child is starting a tantrum at the store, I will try to find out what is wrong or what is bothering him. At home, depending on the age, I would talk to my child to find out what was wrong, and teach him how to manage emotions. If my son starts to say bad words, first I explain that you shouldn't speak that way, I would explain the meaning of the word so that he can understand why he should not use it. I would also ask him where he heard the word. If a child continuously hears inappropriate words, it will become normal to use them in the future, and he will see it as usual.

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To leave a child alone in the house, you must be considered many factors, including the age and maturity of the child. I believe that an appropriate age would be more than 13 years old, depending on the child's maturity. I think we should not forget that even though they are 12-13 years old, they are still children or teenagers. It is also important to guide them well and teach them what to do in case of an emergency.

Children taking care of other children?
I would say that a teenager of 15 years old or more could take care of another child who is not too baby. For a short period, I don't see it as bad, but not as a daily responsibility. In the end, they are children, and it is not their responsibility, but they can help in a particular situation. I understand that many mothers may work and have no one to take care of their children, but I believe that there are resources and help in these circumstances.
This babysitting certification course helps those ages 11 and older prepare to become babysitters. ↓↓↓↓

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As a African American it is common to spank your child when he/she/they gets out of hand. Personally I think some parents go to the extreme where they will whoop their child for every little incident not acknowledging that they are a child and children are allowed to make mistakes. Some parents even whoop kids so hard that they leave marks. I do believe in whooping but i unless my child isn't committing a child i wont be punishing my child that way. I personally wont be leaving my child alone until they are around 13. Earlier then that i thinking is irresponsible and you are just begging for your child to get into some mess. If my child has a temper tantrum in a store i would snatch them up and we will be leaving the store immediately to have a stern conversation in the care. The conversation in public may be embarrassing for the child, making the situation worst. As long the show/cartoon is rated for their age group im fine with it. I think representation matters and hopefully being surrounded by positive people who handles themselves diplomatically that may child wouldn't look up to fictionally characters. I'm fine with age appropriate games. If the older sibling is well into high school I wouldn't mind them babysitting their younger sibling. A child's bedtime should reflect their age. If my child only wanted to eat one thing i would give my child incentives to try other things. I would have my child healthy food from jump so that i wouldn't be forcing them to eat it when they are older. If my child begins to curse they would be put on punishment. I wouldn't teach my child to hit back but i would take my child to a karate class or boxing class where they wouldn't just learn how to hit but they would learn discipline as well.

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I think it is important for parents to be aware of what children watch on TV/Ipad/Video Games. We know that even in children's materials, there is a lot of violence, inappropriate language, and even scenes not proper for children. Violence in cartoons is not something new, but we see it more explicitly in these times. I think that being exposed to that kind of violent material only encourages violence. The same goes for today's video games. There are too many video games that are too violent and too explicit. I believe that everything we look at stays in our subconscious and in one way or another works in our mind. I think that as parents and future educators, we must promote peace and not violence. We must teach children that there are other ways to defend themselves and express their feelings. I don't encourage hitting back. I think there are different ways to solve problems before they reach the level of aggression.

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New research suggests violent games can stir hostile urges and aggressive behavior in the short term, but it is not clear whether the habit increases the likelihood of committing a violent crime.

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Sleep Time & Healthy Food
Having good health is very important. I think it is a priority to seek that our children enjoy good health, which includes proper nutrition and a good rest. I believe that children should have good hours of rest, depending on their age. In my case, my girls go to bed between 8-9 at night. Maybe 1-2 hours later on special occasions. For me, they must have a good rest since that will help them cope with the day in a better way. Proper nutrition is another essential point in my house. We try to eat the best balanced possible. We try different menus and also try to satisfy everyone's tastes while I can. As a mom, I always try to watch what they eat and see if it is healthy. There are days when we go for a pizza, nuggets, or something less nutritious, but most of the time, we try to include nutritious food. I believe that the best way for children not to prefer to eat the same is to offer them different healthy meals.

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I Survived "La Chancla" during childhood...
In my culture and the days of my childhood, it was common to spank children. In my personal opinion, I believe that there are better ways to discipline children and that these disciplines should be applied from an early age. Communication is essential on both sides. I think that to obey, you first have to understand the rules and the consequences of not following them. I am more inclined to removed privileges rather than hitting them. I think that by spanking children, we are crossing the line of respect for others. I don't think it's good to use aggression to get respect.

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🥱Sleep😴
School night 8-9 pm
Not a school night 10:30 p.m to 11:30 p.m

I believe a child needs the sufficient amout of sleep to keep their bodies working properly. As children, lack of sleep can cause them to be grumpy, mean, tired, can cause insomnia, unhealthy eatting habits/choices and even be the cause of bad decision making habits. Even as adults we can not fuction without sleep imagine a child. Our bodies as well as the childs body, can not regenerate correctly, if they are missing the correct amount of sleep needed for the body to function right.

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Children who don't get enough sleep are more likely to not finish their homework as well as care less about their school performance. Getty Images

A new study concludes that almost half of children in the United States don't get the recommended 9 hours of sleep.

Experts say a lack of sleep can affect schoolwork and produce long-term health effects, such as obesity.

Experts have a list of tips for parents on how to improve their child's sleep habits. Among them are no electronic devices between dinner and breakfast.

Our children aren't getting enough sleep.

Early school start times, screen related distractions, and other external pressures have contributed to 52 percent of American children ages 6 to 17 getting less than the 9 hours per night recommended by pediatricians.

That lack of Zzz's has effects for a child's development, according to a new study being presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2019 National Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans.

The study hasn't been published yet in a peer-reviewed journal.

What researchers found was that compared to their sleep deprived peers, the 48 percent of kids who did sleep enough had a 44 percent higher likelihood of demonstrating curiosity in learning new information and skills.

They were also 33 percent more likely to complete all their homework and 28 percent more likely to care about doing well in school, the researchers said.

Risk factors for poor sleep include living below the federal poverty line, lack of caregiver education on the importance of adequate sleep, increased digital media use, adverse home-life situations, and mental health issues.

Hoi See Tsao, MD, a pediatrician in Boston, Massachusetts, and a study co-author, called this chronic sleep loss "a serious public health problem among children."

The dangers of not getting enough sleep go beyond mere academic performance, experts say.

For one thing, lack of sleep combined with greater exposure to germs at school makes it more likely a young person will get sick.

"Your physical health can begin to take a beating when you skimp on the nightly rest you need," Sujay Kansagra, MD, the director of Duke University's pediatric neurology sleep medicine program in North Carolina, told Healthline.

Developmentally, a lack of sleep is also problematic.

"Young people, especially teens, are still developing their frontal lobe and decision making skills, but when sleep deprivation is exacerbated, your frontal lobe is most impaired," Kansagra said.

"This can cause mental function to be reduced similar to that of a drunk person, where decision making processes are delayed and impaired, attention is shortened, and memory functioning is decreased," he said.

The effects can be more than memory lapses, too.

"Sleep deprived kids have more behavioral problems, more academic problems, more health problems, more risk-taking behaviors, and more anxiety and mood related problems," Lynelle Schneeberg, PsyD, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and director of the behavioral sleep program at Connecticut Children's Medical Center, told Healthline.

In addition, she said, "Sleep deprived kids have more sleep terrors, nightmares, sleepwalking, and bedwetting."

In addition, too little sleep can increase a child's risk for health problems, such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, irregular heartbeat, and diabetes, says Jessica Brown, DO, MPH, a board certified expert in pediatric sleep medicine at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health in Louisiana.

But perhaps most concerning is the link between too little sleep and teen self-harm and suicide risk, according to Susan Malone, PhD, MSN, a senior research scientist at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing in New York.

She highlights a 2018 research letter in the journal JAMA Pediatrics warning of the risks of less than 8 hours of sleep on teens' self-harm risk.

"The strongest link was between mood and self-harm, such that high school students sleeping less than 6 hours were more than three times as likely to report considering suicide, making a suicide attempt plan, or attempting suicide than high school students sleeping 8 hours or more," Malone told Healthline. "Moreover, high school students sleeping less than 6 hours were more than four times as likely to report an attempted suicide."

While we know that screen time can disrupt kids' sleep, social media may pose unique risks because of its influence on the reward centers of the brain, Kansagra said.

"We live in an online world dominated by social media through which we not only consume content but can create it with a touch of a button," he said.

"When you are watching or creating content, your brain is secreting chemicals like norepinephrine and dopamine," Kansagra said. "These chemicals stimulate the 'wake centers' of your brain, making it harder to fall asleep."

Social media also signals the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline and the stress hormone, cortisol, when a person checks social media, says Beatrice Tauber Prior, PsyD, a clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and owner of Harborside Wellbeing in North Carolina.

"The last thing you want your child to experience is a surge in adrenaline and cortisol when they are trying to fall asleep," she told Healthline.

If you want to help your children sleep better, start at home.

Parents and caregivers play an outsized role in ensuring children and teens understand the importance of sleep and receive an appropriate amount of it, experts agree.

"Parents can teach their kids to fall asleep independently, can set good limits at bedtime, and can manage electronics with a house rules contract," said Schneeberg, who's also the author of the book " Become Your Child's Sleep Coach: The Bedtime Doctor's 5-Step Guide, Ages 3-10."

Some potential rules include agreeing to turn off devices an hour before bedtime, leaving those devices off until after breakfast, leaving devices outside bedrooms overnight, and leaving devices in non-blue light "night mode" from dinner until breakfast.

Terry Cralle, a registered nurse and sleep expert with the nonprofit research organization the Better Sleep Council, concurs.

Here are the steps she suggests for helping kids sleep better:

Caregivers should talk about the importance and benefits of sufficient sleep early and often with young children. Have conversations about the value of sleep during the day, not at nighttime or while trying to get a tired child to bed.

Never use going to bed early as a punishment or staying up late as a reward. Don't use the bedroom for timeouts.

Optimize the sleep environment for your child and teen. A dark, quiet, and comfortable bedroom with a comfortable mattress and pillows are just as important for children as they are for adults.

Going to bed should always be cast in a positive light. Instead of telling children that they "have to go to bed," say instead, "You get to go to bed."

Kids should have a media curfew, and parents should try and keep screens out of a child's bedroom.

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half children united states get enough proper sleep

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how to make sure children get enough sleep

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Children Don't Get Enough Sleep: Serious Health Problems

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A new study concludes that almost half of children in the United States don't get the recommended 9 hours of sleep. Experts say a lack of sleep can affect schoolwork and produce long-term health effects, such as obesity. Experts have a list of tips for parents on how to improve their child's sleep habits.

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👦👶 Well in the state of New York, it is legel to leave your 12 year old with a younger sibling. But once again, this depends on the level of maturity that 12 year old has and what kind of youger sibling they have. If their younger siblings does not respect an adults then "no" I would not leave my older child with their younger sibling. If I have a 12 year old that is not responsible then that would be another "no". Not every child matures or develops a clear sense of understanding the cognitive prospective the same. I feel like it is o.k to leave a older sibling with the younger sibbling as long as they are age appropriate or stable mentally to handle the responsibilities of babysitting.

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If you're tired of not having any money and always relying on your parents financially, then you are probably pretty eager to get a job like babysitting. But how old does a babysitter need to be?
Most babysitters start working between the ages of 11 to 14 years old but in most places, there is no legal minimum age required to babysit. You can take a Red Cross babysitting course starting at age 11. If parents consider you responsible enough to offer you a job then you are old enough.
In this article, you'll learn how to tell for yourself if you're old enough to start babysitting, and things you can do to make yourself more likely to get hired as a young babysitter.

Are You Old Enough To Start Babysitting?

You might start to feel like you're old enough to start babysitting once you're a tween. That's kind of a grey area between the ages of about 9 and 12 where you're not a baby anymore, but you're not a teenager yet either.

The Red Cross offers its babysitting course with a recommended age range of 11 to 15 for students ( source). That's a pretty good guideline for the age when most people start babysitting.

In most places, there aren't laws that specifically state an age when children are allowed to be left alone or start babysitting. For example, in the United States, all but one state has no minimum age requirement for babysitters. The one exception is Maryland, where babysitters are required to be at least 13 years old ( source).

To decide what age you can start babysitting, you really need to take a few different factors into account.

Do you feel that you're old enough to start babysitting?

Do you feel confident enough to know what to do in any situation if there are no adults around?

Will parents think you're old enough to hire you as a babysitter?

Do You Think You're Old Enough To Start Babysitting?

To understand if you're old enough, the first place to start asking questions is with yourself.

Are You Mature Enough?

When I've asked parents in the past, most say that it's okay to start leaving a child alone for short periods during the day around 10 or 11 years old. Kids should be at least 11 or 12 before they're left alone at night.

Personally, I think 11 is a good minimum age for when kids should start babysitting, although lots of parents would probably say at least 12. Of course, it depends on the maturity of the child.

Do you feel like that's a fair assessment? Do you feel like you're old enough to start babysitting even if you're only 10 or 11? Be honest with yourself. If you're not sure, ask a parent and they should be able to give you some feedback on whether you're mature enough.

Do You Know What You're Signing Up For?

Could you see yourself being alone in a stranger's home after dark with a crying toddler or child?

Do you feel like you're prepared enough and have the knowledge to deal with emergencies or any other babysitting situations that might come up? Have you learned basic First Aid in case someone gets hurt while you're babysitting?

Would you be able to tell a child no if they wanted to eat something or watch television when parents said it wasn't allowed?

If you think you're ready to start babysitting, check out my article: How to Become a Babysitter for tips to get started.

Have You Looked After Other Children Before?

Have you ever stayed at home alone before? If not, that's a good place to start. You need to be capable of taking care of yourself before you can be left alone in charge of another child!

If you have younger siblings, have you ever been left alone to take care of them before? You might want to ask your parents to leave you home alone to watch your little brother or sister for a few hours. That way you can prove both to them and yourself that you're really ready to start babysitting.

If you don't have any siblings of your own, maybe you can speak to an aunt or uncle about watching one of your younger cousins for a few hours to get some babysitting experience.

How Will You Get To Babysitting Jobs?

Being young can really put some restrictions on how you're able to get around.

If you're too young to get a driver's license, then the logistics of how you'll actually get to your babysitting jobs and back home is a real consideration.

Will you get a parent or older sibling to drive you to babysitting jobs? In that case, you'll need to do a lot more planning to make sure someone is always available to take you. If you don't have a ride, you won't be able to babysit.

You could take public transportation like a city bus. But in some areas, there are limits on how young you can be while riding the bus alone. 10 or 11 might be too young in your area, which could rule that option out.

You could get the parents you're babysitting for to pick you up and drop you back off at home after you're done, but that seems like a hassle many parents wouldn't be willing to deal with if they could just hire a different babysitter instead.

If you can find babysitting jobs within a couple of blocks of your home that would be ideal since you could just walk there. But depending on where you live, that might not be an option.

Are You Babysitting For The Right Reasons?

Think about why you're interested in starting babysitting. In some ways, there are right reasons and wrong reasons to want to start babysitting at a young age.

You may have heard older friends or siblings talk about how much money they've made from babysitting.

Babysitting is one of the few rare jobs that a preteen can do. Even with consent from your parents, most places like fast-food restaurants or grocery stores won't hire you until you're at least 14.

Babysitting just for the money is the wrong reason. If you don't enjoy looking after children, then it's going to be a negative experience for you. You also might not be as attentive to the job and giving children you're watching the care they need.

If you're not excited about babysitting just for the sake of it, completely detached from getting paid, then babysitting might not be right for you.

You might want to consider a different job like delivering newspapers or mowing people's lawns where you aren't responsible for another child's life!

See our article on the benefits of being a babysitter for more reasons why it's the first choice for many people starting their career.

Are You Easily Distracted?

When you're babysitting children, you need to be able to focus and give them your undivided attention for long periods of time.

If you're somebody who gets bored easily, then babysitting might be a very challenging experience for you. Particularly if you're watching infants or toddlers who are somewhat limited in what they're able to do.

You also need to be able to stick to any tasks or schedules that parents give you while they're away. They won't be very happy if they come home and their child isn't fed and hasn't been put to bed at the required time!

Part of this just comes down to maturity. But you also need to have systems in place to keep track of information and remind yourself of what needs to be done. And you need to be okay potentially sitting and watching a baby do nothing eventful for 4 hours straight.

Babies can't be left alone for even a couple minutes or they risk getting hurt or into something they shouldn't. So being able to focus for long uninterrupted periods of time is crucial.

Are Parents Willing To Hire You?

Do you feel like you're mature enough to be trusted by other people's parents?
The honest truth is that no matter how mature and ready to babysit you think you are, it doesn't matter if parents aren't willing to hire you.
Parents might worry that a pre-teen babysitter would just let kids they're babysitting watch television and eat junk food, and think they'll come home to a mess.

If you're in the younger age range for babysitters and look small or young for your age, it can be especially hard to get parents to be willing to trust you as a babysitter.

If you don't have the appearance of a babysitter that parents are looking for, then no matter how mature and ready you feel, you might just need to wait an extra year or two until you look a bit older.

How To Prove Yourself To Other Parents

If you feel like you're reaching out and offering to babysit for plenty of parents but nobody is hiring you or even interviewing you, then there are a few things you can do.

The major things you'll need to do to prove that you're a capable babysitter is by getting some qualifications and experience.

Take A Babysitting Course

If you've never babysat before, then taking a babysitting course is a good place to start.

The Red Cross babysitting course is among the most popular worldwide and you can find it offered in most countries like the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. You might also have regional organizations such as St. John Ambulance or private companies that also offer babysitting courses in your area.

Take Safety Courses

CPR and First Aid qualifications are a great way to show parents that you know what to do in an emergency situation. Most parents would be a lot more comfortable leaving their kids with you if you can prove you'd know what to do if their child cut themselves or went unconscious.
At Kidsit, we recommend babysitters buy this first aid kit to bring along to your jobs too!
A big concern for parents about younger babysitters is that they might panic in a stressful situation. A First Aid course gives you the information you need to be prepared and stay calm during any emergency.

It's a great qualification to have for all babysitters, but especially younger ones.

For more qualifications that could help you land your first babysitting gig, check out my article on Babysitting Qualifications.

How To Get Childcare Experience

When you're brand new to babysitting, you want to do whatever you can to start getting your first work experiences as a babysitter. You need families to list on your resume, as well as for references that people can call and verify with.

(See our guide to babysitting references for help with this.)

Start by reaching out to anybody in your immediate family or friends that have younger children you might be able to watch. You can get your parents to help contact family members and put in a good word for you if that's easier.

Sometimes it's even worth offering to babysit for free a couple of times just to get some initial experience. For more information on why this is a good idea, check out our article: Should You Babysit For Free? you might be surprised by how beneficial it is to you!

Also see our article: How to add babysitting to your resume, a good resume that lists your experience and qualifications can help you to find work.

Once you've babysat for family and friends, try reaching out to neighbors in your area. If you belong to a church or other type of larger community, you can see if anyone there needs a babysitter as well.

Can't manage to get any on-job experience? See my article: How to Start Babysitting with No Experience.

Other Factors To Consider

Besides qualifications and experience, there are some other considerations that might determine if you're able to start babysitting yet or not.

Where Do You Live?

Do you live in a small town or a rural area? Are you in a quiet residential neighborhood? Or are you in the middle of a big city?

Do you know what the crime rate is like in your area?

Parents might be less likely to leave their kids alone with a young babysitter if they live in a rougher area. Your own parents might be a bit more hesitant about letting you go too!

Think About Offering A Trial Run

Maybe parents are almost around to the idea of hiring you as a younger babysitter, but they just need a little more convincing.

You could offer to work as a mother's (or father's) helper a few times. This is basically where you babysit, but one of the parents is still in the house in case you have any problems or questions. That way they get a bit of time away from their baby to do some other things without having to leave you home alone.

You could work your way up slowly by offering to watch their child for short periods of time. For example, 30 minutes or an hour while they go to the grocery store by themselves. Then you can increase the time until you're being left alone for 4 or 5 hours at a time.

If you're planning to work as a mother's helper then read this article first: How to babysit when the parents are home for some handy hints you should know.

Also, consider offering your babysitting services for free for a limited time to help build up your experience and trust with the family.

Look At The Age Of Children You'd Be Watching

Parents are more likely to leave older children with a younger babysitter since they're better equipped to take care of themselves and less likely to get into trouble.

If you're only 11 or 12 years old and looking to start babysitting, many parents won't feel comfortable leaving you alone with a newborn or infant. However, other parents might be totally comfortable letting you watch their 5 or 6-year-old.

When you're brand new to babysitting, I would avoid looking to babysit kids under 3 years old. They require a lot more effort and specialized knowledge like how to change diapers or prepare a bottle and feed them, which you might not be ready for yet.

See these articles to learn more about what's involved:

How Long Will You Be Left Alone?

Parents might be fine leaving a young babysitter alone with their kids for a few hours during the day. But if they need to go away for a lot longer, like 6 hours or more, they'll probably want an older babysitter that they perceive as more responsible and capable. Particularly if they need a babysitter to be there until late into the night.

Conclusion

In many places, there's no legal minimum age for babysitters. To take a Red Cross babysitting course you need to be at least 11 years old.

If you can find a family that wants to hire you to babysit, there aren't really any limitations. But the struggle might be finding a family who is willing to work with a brand new babysitter who is only 11 or 12 years old.

If you're eager to get started as soon as possible, you can increase your chances of a family being willing to hire you with some extra training.

I'd highly recommend taking a babysitting course, as well as basic First Aid and CPR training. That will show parents that you have the knowledge to take care of most emergency situations.

Getting experience is also really important. You want to have previous families you've babysat for on your resume, and for use as your references. If you're having trouble getting paid jobs, try doing some free babysitting for family members or friends of the family just to get some initial experience.
Next:
Written & Illustrated by:

Kidsit Founder, Editor, Illustrator, and father of three beautiful kids in Sydney, Australia.

Reviewed & Edited by:

Renee is a children's author and freelance writer from the Sunshine Coast, Australia. She has 20 years of combined experience working with children as a babysitter, swim coach, special education teacher and an after-hours care supervisor.

Updated: 2 June 2020
First Published: 27 May 2019

More Babysitting Tips

Learn the steps needed to start babysitting with no experience. Once you have some experience under your belt, you'll be really marketable as a babysitter.

See out how much you're actually worth as a babysitter by reviewing your skills, experience, the job requirements, and where you live.

Babysitting interview expectations

I'll walk you through the major steps of a babysitting interview process so you'll know how to prepare and what to expect.

Babysitter with good qualities

We look at some of the key qualities that parents look for, and you should have if you want to be a successful babysitter!

Babysitter asking a parent questions

Give yourself the best chance in a babysitting interview by asking parents the right questions that demonstrate your experience and interest in the job.

Learn why babysitting for free is a great choice, particularly as a beginner when you need to gain childcare experience and references.

Babysitting qualification

Learn the most popular babysitting qualifications, what they are, why you need them, and how they can put you ahead of the competition when applying for jobs.

Child loves a good babysitter

See what traits make a good babysitter, and different things you can do to make a good impression on both parents and kids alike.

Learn what a legal guardian is and the rights and responsibilities a legal guardian has, and how this is different to your obligations as a babysitter.

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Create Your Own Beautiful Babysitting Flyers in 2 Minutes! Choose a Template. Customize Your Design. Download a Free Printable PDF!

Be confident in your babysitting job interviews by preparing well. Follow our interview checklist so you never forget anything important!

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Babysitting Age: When Can You Start? (Laws & Maturity)

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If you're tired of not having any money and always relying on your parents financially, then you are probably pretty eager to get a job like babysitting. But how old does a babysitter need to be? Most babysitters start working between the ages of 11 to 14 years old but in most places, there is no legal minimum age required to babysit.

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Violent Video Games

🤔 This is always tricky. Letting them play games always depends on what the content is or what level a parent think voilence is. Once again, this has to do with the maturity and age of the child. If you have child that loves beating up on everyone or everything and likes to fight well obviously, I will not let my my child play violent video games. I let my 9 year old play Mortal Kombat or street fighter. I believe it is the maturity of the child and the decision of the parent that answers this question. I mean, I do let my kids play Call Of Duty and Final Fantasy,  but I would never let my kids play Grand Theft Auto. Just like cartoons, it depends on the level of content and maturity of the game. Some fighting games are really not bad to play fighting game is not a horrible thing. Once again, if you do not teach your child what is fiction and non-fiction or even right from wrong, a child will never understand the development of how to differenceate right from wrong or what good from bad is.

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I do not think letting your child watch fighting in a cartoon is horrible. As long as you teach your child that cartoon is fiction and it is not ok to put your hands on other people. Teaching them what is fiction and non-fiction is a part of learning in every child. The way you teach them will vary according to their age level and maturity of course, although you are not going to leave your child watching fighting cartoons all day but watching cartoons for a little while will not hurt. I mean, I use to watch Ren and Stimpy all the time and Ren use to beat up and insult stimpy all the time, and it never had a negitive action in my child development. It did teach me what is looks like be insulted and never to let anyone speak to me or treat me that way.

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The Ren And Stimpy Show Episode 1/ Beating

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Well as a parent, I would would most definitely spank my child. It is how I was raised and it worked for me the next time I went to a store with my kids. But with the new generation, I believe there are other positive ways that can be used. Working with children has taught me that many times most children cry because they feel uncomfortable with a large group of people around them it could be a phobia they have, and need to be taught psychologically how to deal with a large group of people around them. That can be a social-emotional issue they have developed. They may need leaning social or behavioral skills.

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I believe children should be left alone around at least age 10, and depending on how mature they are. Many children are responsible, with good decision making-choices. Children around age 10 start developing intellectual abilities to comprehend and explore real world skills. Even if left alone for 30 minutes in a day. This is a life lesrbing experience for them to be a more responsible as they grow. My grandma left both me and my brother alone around that age and told us never to open the door to anyone. This is a cognitive learning for them. It changes they way they view responsibility when an adult id not around.

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I believe that children should go to bed at 8 because this gives them enough time to go to sleep and wake up comfortable in the morning.

I would start adding different food into the food they already eat this way they can start at their own pace and see that there are other great foods to try

I would make a swear chart so every time you swear you have tp give me something you like most so your games or you lose allowance things of that nature.

I was taught if someone hits you hit them back but I don't encourage it unless it gets too constant.

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I do feel as though children should be able to watch cartoons with fighting in them because it's in our everyday life and they need to know because they will be exposed to it.

I don't encourage violent video games but I wouldn't restrict them because they can be a personal relief to those who play them.

My younger cousin who is 12 babysits my two younger cousins who are 3 and 7 and does a wonderful job but it depends on the maturity level of that child.

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I feel as though children do need some sort of discipline at certain extents. Because I grew up getting spanked and I learned what's right and wrong so I feel as though it does help.
I believe a child should be left alone at age 12-18 they are old enough to cook and clean for themselves responsibly.
If a child has a tantrum in the store I believe in not rewarding ad behavior and showing them that you act up you don't get what you want.

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I have different feelings about this. I believe many kids should be spanked from time to time. It is not beating your child or abusing if your teaching them a lesson in your own way. Some children need old school reprimand some do not. I believe it is how you raise your child as they get older, and the value you teach them.

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Hitting back????
I agree that my children have to defend themselves and if someone hits them and they have to hit back to defend themselves, I am OK with it. It is not that I am in favor of violence but there are always certain moments where they have to hit back.

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If my child starts to curse, I would have a conversation with him and explain that is not appropriate to speak like this, they have ugly meanings and if he does it again he will not have good consequences.

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I will encourage my children to try different types of food, if they don't like it then I would make them mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, or other food that they would eat. As long they eat something I am happy with it.

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😴
In my case, I will put my children to sleep no later than 9:00 pm during the week when they have class the next day. On weekends or when they are on vacation at 12, is the latest they can go to bed.

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Tantrum 🤔
If my child throws a tantrum in a store i would try to calm him down on the spot and if he continues I would go home. Then I would talk to him letting him know that what he did was wrong and that throwing those tantrums he does not win anything and that I hope is the first and last time he makes me feel embarrassed.

Cartoons
Children should not watch cartoons with fight, but nowadays it is inevitable. The responsibilities of us as parents is to be aware of what our children are watching, since today with technology our children are exposed to many things.

Violent video games 👊🎮
Unfortunately nowadays, most videos games are violent, but we as parents must emphasize our children that is only a game and that it should not be taken personally, much less repeat the same behaviors that are used in video games.

Babysitting
Well in the case if siblings can babysit their younger siblings I would say that is fine, but if they are both around the same age. Also, if they have the age and maturity to be alone.

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I do not agree with a child being abuse, but I do acknowledge and agree that there are times and situations when the child deserves his spanking but without marking it.

I think the proper age for a child to be left alone is thirteen, as they are more mature and have the knowledge to take responsibilities.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 10)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 10)

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YES!
You should teach your children how to defend themselves when it is necessary. You are suppose to teach them when, who, and why they should hit back.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 9)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 9)

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CURSING
First of all make sure you are not the cause of the child doing  what you do. You ask the child do you know what that word mean. Nine out of ten they do not, then you pull out the dictionary and have them look it up read and write out the meaning. Then have the conversation with them about that this is not how we talk and it is not becoming of a young man or young lady.  There is life and death in the power of the tongue. We are what we speak.
If they do it again, then you wash their mouth out with soap.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 8)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 8)

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LET THEM, NOT MAKE THEM, ASK THEM
As  long as the child is eating let it be.
Every food has a nutritional value.
Some children deal with textural issues, do not like how the food looks, it does not look appetizing to them. You have to be patient, come up with an agreement with the child to try something new once a month. Have a tasting day were you also try something new with them. While you are encouraging them to try new foods relate them to the foods that they already like and eat.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 7)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 7)

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I believe a child should be in the bed between the hours of 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm, and the time should be based on the age of the child. Sleep helps us to relax, rejuvenate are bodies and minds. It is important that they get enough sleep. This will also insure a well productive day for the child in school.

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10) I was taght if someone hits you, you hit them back. I taught my son the same things.  I felt that it would stop alot of bullying. If you defend yourself alot of bullying might stop. I toaght him to defend himself.

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9) Honestly I would probably pop him/her in the mouth and tell them don't say those words they are bad. I woulf also tell them that if tit happens again I wolud pop them again or wadh their mouth out with soap.

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8) I would let them eat what they like to eat. Alot of children eat only certain things they like. I wouls slowly incorporate different things to show them there are good food out here.

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7) I think all kids under the age of 18 should have a bedtime on a school night. On the weekends its the parents judgement.
2-7         7-7:30pm
8-10       8-8:30pm
11-12       9-9:30pm
13-15       10-10:30pm
16-18         11:00pm

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6) I think that an older sibling should watch a younger sibling every once in a while. I feel that a lot of parents put pressure on the other siblings to be in charge of their younger brothers and sisters. I feel that it now their responsibilty to babysit al the time. They have their own lives and friends.

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5) Well the majority of the video games these kids are playing today is violent.  Like the games Grand Theft Auto it is so violent they are stealing cars, shooting people, crashing cars, running from the police. The games we used to play were pac man, frogger and they were a little violent. I feel each it depends on each parent, but I feel that some games needs to be monitored.

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4) I think nowadays the cartoons are more violent. When I was growing up I used to watch cartoons like the Jackson 5 and Fat Albert they were funny and they taught you meaningful and life lessons. I think now the parents should monitor some the cartoons their child watch.

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3) In societies eyes I would leave the store with the child when we got home I would ask him what was the tantrum for. I would then I would explain why we left the store and tell him that it will never happen again or there would be consequences. In my world I would have spanked that butt right inside the store. lol

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2) I think a child could be left alone at the age of 14 years old. If you give them house rules to follow they should be ok. If they don't follow the rules then they can be left alone.

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1)Spanking has been going on for many years.  I feel that some children need to be spank to reinforce right from wrong.  I was spanked when I was small and I turned out ok.  Sometimes I think when get use to a little time out, because if they do things they feel oh well she's just going to put me in time out for a few minutes, but if you spank that butt they know you mean business. To spare the rod to spare the rod and spoil the child.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life (Life Lesson 6)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life (Life Lesson 6)

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Sibling Babysitting
This can be very controversial. The decision is really up to the parent. In a lot of cases siblings are considered just that, my peer/equal. They are not considered a person of authority to each other. So this is were the parent has to make them understand who is left in charge if this needs to take place. In making this decision they need to consider the age difference, maturity and respect for each other. In the TV show Good Times they always had that argument on who mom and dad left in charge.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 5)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 5)

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NO VIOLENT VIDEOS!!!
As we have seen in times passed that children playing violent video games have not came out well. These games have influence many children to live them out in reality.

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(CBS) Do violent video games breed violent kids? A new study suggests that young adults who play the games become desensitized to the guts and gore - and more prone to aggressive behavior.

For years, critics have claimed that video games can contribute to violence, but no study had ever shown a direct link between the games and aggression.

Until now.

"Video games are excellent teaching tools because they reward players for engaging in certain types of behavior," study author Dr. Bruce Bartholow, associate professor of psychology at the University of Missouri, said in a written statement. "Unfortunately, in many popular video games, the behavior is violence."

For the study - published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology - researchers at the university had 70 young adults play either a violent or nonviolent video game for 25 minutes. After the game, the subjects looked at neutral pictures - like a man on a bike - or violent pictures - like a man with a gun - as the researchers measured their brain wave activity. It turned out that when shown a violent image, those who had played a violent game showed a smaller brain response than those who had played a tamer game.

In other words, the violent games desensitized players to violent imagery - and subsequent testing showed that gamers who played violent games like "Killzone" and "Grand Theft Auto" behaved more aggressively against their gaming opponents.

But does gaming behavior turn kids violent?

"A single exposure to a violent video game won't turn someone into a mass murderer," Dr. Bartholow told CBS News. "But if someone has repeatedly exposed themselves, these kinds of effects in the short term can turn into long-term changes."

The American Psychological Association points to several studies linking video game violence to fighting at school and even to violent criminal behavior, such as assault or robbery. But not everyone is convinced that the links really exist.

Dr. Henry Jenkins, director of the comparative media studies program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told PBS that playing video games is just that - play - and that children are well aware that the rules of the game differ from those that apply in real life. "A child who responds to a video game the same way he or she responds to a real-world tragedy could be showing symptoms of being severely emotionally disturbed," he said.

Still, the new study may have parents wondering: Is it time to pry the controller from junior's hands?

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Violent video games make kids aggressive, study suggests

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(CBS) Do violent video games breed violent kids? A new study suggests that young adults who play the games become desensitized to the guts and gore - and more prone to aggressive behavior. For years, critics have claimed that video games can contribute to violence, but no study had ever shown a direct link between the games and aggression.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 4)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 4)

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Cartoons are suppose to be a  animated show to make children/people laugh. There are different ways in which we use the word fighting; playing, rough housing, sports and fighting to the death. There should not be any type of cartoons for children that promotes physical and harmful fighting. What kind of fun and laughter is in that. I do not think children should be watching cartoons that have fighting in them. We have to remember that children are young and impressionable, they learn best by what they hear and see.
Growing up I watched happy family cartoons.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life"        (Life Lesson 3)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life"        (Life Lesson 3)

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A tantrum: an uncontrolled outburst of anger and frustration, typically in a young child.
A child has a tantrum to get what they want. I think of it as child like manipulation. So here is what you
have to do; You have to train your child on what is expected when you are in public. Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6.KJV You also have to let them know what the outcome will be if they do not live up to these expectations. When they don't you have to "get with them".
My mother use to tell us when we were growing up "where ever you show out at is where I will show out at on you". People always complemented my mother on how respectful and well behaved we were.
I told some children one time "if you flip, I will flip".
This is a video that shows how a parent demonstrates how her child looks when he throws a tantrum in the store. It was lesson well learned.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 2)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 2)

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To be alone what does that  mean to a child? That is the question you must ask yourself when you are getting ready to make this choice for your child.
I think a child should be at least 14 years of age before they should be left alone. I believe at this age a child is more mature, responsible and understands the instruction to the letter.

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 1)

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Carmen M. Spencer      Train Your Child for "Life" (Life Lesson 1)

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Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24 NLT
Sometimes you have to use the rod of correction for a child to understand the severity of what they have done.  I have talked to  children to help them understand why a spanking is necessary. I say "what do we do with things that  are spoiled?" The reply I usually gets is "I throw it out". I say to them in that response "I don't want to throw you out". Because  we love our children we some times have to show them how much we love them, by letting them know everything is just not acceptable to do in this life.

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I usually have a discussion with children who choose to continuously curse. I have them research the meaning of the swear word and substitute it with an appropriate word that has a similar meaning. Then, we'll have a conversation using the new word. My approach turns out to be a great vocabulary lesson.
Lastly, should I teach my children to fight/hit back? Yes, I teach them how to fight both physically and mentally to protect themselves from danger. Moreover, I encourage them to walk away, get calm, and return to resolve any problem in a peaceful way.

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If my children ate the same food day in and day out, I will continuously present options for them to try. Additionally, I will model eating the new foods and encourage them to touch and/or eventually put it in their mouths. I will do this without any pressure. Furthermore, I will approach a teenage child by appealing to a sense of social justice to make him/her take notice of their diet. For example, I will inform them of the manipulative nature of the food industry, in order to reduce their preference for sugary drinks and snacks.

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My 1-Year-Old and Restaurants - Before The Food Arrives

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The answer to both questions #4 & #5 will be meshed together. Cartoons and video games that promote violence are not good for children to watch. They could potentially produce aggressive and violent behavior to be acted out on others. Since both influence a child's perception of the world, formation of their values, and upbringing; It would be wise for parents to monitor the kind of cartoons/video games that their child watch.
Next, I recommend that children go to bed at 7;30 p.m. because it will ensure that they receive proper rest. Furthermore, I use to wonder why my parent would put my siblings and I to bed by 7 p.m. I later realized that they needed to rest and desired to have their own bonding time.

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If I had thought about having a tantrum in a store with my mother (as a child) I probably wouldn't be typing this post. She would have snatched me up in the store. However, with today's child abuse legislation, I would suggest that parents remain as calm as possible and escort their child out of the store. Key point to reminder is to be consistent, don't give in to the child's behavior, and devise a plan to ensure that the child's behavior isn't repeated.

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The Tantrum Phantom (Children's story about controlling anger and managing emotions) kids podcast

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New York State does not have any guidelines for leaving a child home alone. They leave it to the discretion of the parents/guardians. In my opinion, children between the ages of 13-17 could be left alone. However, I would base my decision on the length of time I'm away from home (up to 3 hrs.) and the maturity of the children.

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KEVAN!!!! (Home Alone: Lost in New York City Clip)

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"If one does not discipline a child, he or she will never learn obedience and good manners." -Proverbs 13:24
Discipline means to teach, correct, and re-direct. Therefore, I think a child should be disciplined out of correction and not out of anger. My parents told my siblings and I that a delayed obedience is disobedience. Hence, if they had to ask us to do something more than once there would be consequences (spanking). I learned through my own children that not all children learn discipline from spanking. Some children learn from other methods like 'love tap', time-out, grounding, or just sitting them down to talk. Furthermore, I think it's best to figure out a child first before a method is decided on.

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God has delegated the education of children to their parents. Therefore, they must never neglect to monitor what their children are taught. Educating children becomes more vital when parents realize that they're being groomed to build and deliver nations. Additionally, parents along with teachers must carefully train children to curb and control their self-will. Shaping a child's will must begin early or else we'll later endure much suffering as we watch our children break laws and experience inevitable consequences.
Moreover, I would like to promote their survival through a prayer:

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A Prayer for Children | Every Parent must Pray for their Children

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I grew up watching Tom and Jerry at a young age it never made me want to go out and hit anyone. We are also had the road runner blowing up the streets to get away. We as parents need to make it clear what they see on t.v is not real and no one should be hitting anyone no matter what happens hands and feet to yourself. No, children should not be play violent video games such as Grand Theft Auto or the game most children are playing now Fortnite this games has guns and all the things children should not know about. This new game also has a lot of curse words in it, so when my ten year old grandson repeats what he hears he loses his game for two days, it happened once and never again.

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NYS now believes a child at the age of 11 can be home alone for up to 6 hours before someone can make a call to the police. NYS also says yes a older sibling can watch two younger siblings over the age four. I believe this is not right because, a 11 year old can make two younger sibling do anything. They all should be in bed by eight p.m. every night so they can have their eight hours of sleep. If no one is home with them do the parents really believe they are going to bed on time.

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Early To Bed, Early To Rise - Nursery Rhymes For Kids And Children | Happy Kids

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I believe a child should be spank when needed, one such time would be if the had a tantrum in a store the old saying is do not wait until you get home they might not remember what they did at the store. when you get home.  A light tap on the bottom never killed me and I never did that again. When a child only eats certain things you buy other food like apples, mash potatoes and sausages and tell your child if you try this today tomorrow you can choose what's for dinner.  Children today have it made when I was younger and did not eat what was cook I better not ask for anything different what you see is what you eat.

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Cursing isn’t allowed in our household, so we would be given the dirty looks by our parents. The looks were scary enough that we wouldn’t repeat it. If the cursing is bad enough then we would be spanked. If the child is well discipline in an early age, then they wouldn’t curse. Hitting back isn't always the solution but I would teach them self-defense in case of an emergency. If my child is being bullied, the first thing for him/her to do is to tell the teacher about it. From there on, the bullying might stop.

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Growing up in the region of Southeast Asia, it is totally normal to spank your kids to discipline them, but not to the point where it becomes physically abusive, since it could traumatize them. Some kids like to stay home so by the age of 10, if they're reliable then it's okay. At that age majority of them are partially independent by themselves and they’re used to knowing the household rules. No parents like the unwanted attention in the store; therefore, if the child throws a tantrum then ask them what the problem is. If that doesn't work, then just take the child out of the store to calm them down. In my case, my mom would just stare at us and we would have stop. I grew up watching people fight in cartoons, so it is okay as long as it isn't too violent. At a very early age my parents would always tell us just because you saw this on a TV doesn’t mean you have to act them out. Which I totally agreed because children tend to act out scene from their favorite TV show and somehow think it’s totally okay when there isn’t any adult supervision. Children shouldn't be playing violent video games since there are made to be brutal and are for older people. They could take video games too seriously and get addicted to it. They also can pick up lot of negative things from video games and apply it to real life and cause problems in the reality world. As the eldest child myself, my parents left me to babysit my younger siblings most of the time. They trust me more than strangers because we’re family. If the older sibling is in their teens and are reliable then it's totally okay to babysit the younger siblings. Children should be in bed by 8 so they would be an early raiser and have more energy in the morning. That way they would have time to get themselves ready and they wouldn’t be late. Eating fast food all the time isn’t healthy and it might lead to health problems later on in life; therefore, pick a day in a week where they can have their favorite food. As for other days, they have to eat well balanced meals and get lots of nutrients and proteins to the body so they can grow and be healthy. Teach them the importance of eating right so they don’t grow up being picky and jeopardizing their health.

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If you dont curse in front of your children they will have no one to repeat it from. If one more student tells me my mom says that if someone hits me i should hit them back im gonna shave my head bald. lol

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Children need to be able to handle all situations some cartoons help with their social emotional IQ, you just have to watch with them and explain the rights and wrongs.No violent video games or music or movies until they are mature enough to handle it. Their my children not their brother or sisters they should not have to babysit them.Keep an eye on them sometimes yes, but they are kids and need to be kids as long as they can,  Bedtime starts at 7:30 and gets later as they get older. By being creative kids will eat just about anything once. limited choices help.

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as for spanking  yes but more like love pats up to about 4 years old after then it doesnt really work.Depending on the kid you would  decide how old to  be left alone, but not before they are 12. A temper tantrum in a store  hmm just scoop up the child and remove them from the audience, they learn early how to manipulate the situation.

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I think spanking a child should be the last option. No child should be left alone, until they are teenagers. If a child has a tantrum in the store the parents should talk to them and if that does not work; ( in my culture, they will spank the kid), If the child is not stopping with the tantrum they should remove her/him from the store. Is not ok for a child to watch cartoons in which people fight. Is not ok for a child to play violent video games. If the siblings are old-enough(adolescents), I think they can babysit their younger siblings. Children should go to bed from 8:30 to 9pm. If my child only wants to eat mac and cheese, hot dogs, grapes, and chicken nuggets, I will find a creative way to add more foods little by little. S/he can eat what they like and at the same time try new things (but when they are growing up, they need to learn to eat what the mother cook for them ). If my child begins to curse, I will have a very serious talk and if that does not work I would slap her/ his mouth (in my culture is so normal to do so). If someone is bothering my children I will encourage them to express himself or herself verbally and seek an adult instead of hitting back but if that does not work I will teach them to defend her/himself.

These were very good questions that put me to think a lot because culture is a BIG influence.
https://me.me/i/la-chancleta-disciplining-hispanics-since-1760-3461533

Here is another video that reminds me growing up:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EKC7J9jKhk&feature=emb_rel_end

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