Wife and I had dinner at a family restaurant.

Just as food arrived, youngish couple with toddler sat behind me.

Kid was directly behind me and started SCREAMING.

Mom wisely took kid out and returned after kid settled down.

Just wondering, do teenagers today do babysitting or is Baby Sitting a thing of the past?

Just asking.

Grandma.

We used neighbors or relatives.

.

Wife and I had dinner at a family restaurant.

Just as food arrived, youngish couple with toddler sat behind me.

Kid was directly behind me and started SCREAMING.

Mom wisely took kid out and returned after kid settled down.

Just wondering, do teenagers today do babysitting or is Baby Sitting a thing of the past?

Just asking.

i've been trying to convince lifer that "the hdf uncles" will babysit for him so he and his wife can go out
he keeps on telling me "you guys won't survive"
 

i've been trying to convince lifer that "the hdf uncles" will babysit for him so he and his wife can go out
he keeps on telling me "you guys won't survive"
 

lol.

I use my parents whenever possible.  Other than that, I have not used anyone else.

Just wondering, do teenagers today do babysitting or is Baby Sitting a thing of the past?

I suspect lawyers have destroyed yet another American tradition.

For the same reason people do not do the Good Samaritan thing many times, fear of being sued.  What HS kid wants to risk all that crap, assuming they are aware of it, and they should be in today's shitty environment with lawsuitslurking everywhere......Heck, a kid falls off a bike, you go help him and you might get arrested as a child molester these days.

Yet another reason to be glad I do not have kids, I suppose.

American pop culture has become too over-sexualized.  Many are addicted to porn.  Too many sexual predators or perverts around.

Both of my daughters baby sat for family friends.  Both girls was trained in first aid and CPR, took baby sitting classes, and were very responsible and mature for their ages.

The training was provided by their Girl Scout Troops for those scouts interested in learning.  The girls never had problems with the kids they watched.  Often they would do homework after putting the kids to bed, and there were never any complaints from the parents.  In fact, the parents routinely tipped well to ensure the girls were willing to continue making themselves available.

One thing that cuts into the teenager "baby sitter supply" are all the free lancing day care workers.  The people who watch kids during the day offer to do nighttime and weekend baby sitting for the customers -- employee trying to supplement their income.  Since the parents know and trust the workers, they are more likely to feel comfortable leaving their kids with them after normal day care hours.