[MudPuppy]

hmmm, my son is almost 16.
When he was 14 & 15 he used to babysit some of the neighbor kids. They loved him & requested him because he played and rough housed with them...didn't just plant them in front of a tv and talk on the phone (like some girls). Now he's into other things and no longer interested in babysitting. (He makes more money cutting grass with less aggravation).

My daughter is older than my son and babysat also. Nothing wrong with kids babysitting to earn some extra money. Gives kids a taste of responsibility.

The kid in the article was a perv - his babysitting just gave him an opportunity and Thank God he was caught. Sad for the kids involved...

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

Thank you for sticking up for us male babysitters.
Although I'm now in my late 40's and happily married, I too, babysat when I was a teen. In particular, for three little hell raisers! All males - triplets!
There wasn't a female babysitter within 50 miles who was willing to babysit these little brats. So I got stuck with the job. And at a lousy 50 cents an hour at that!

[Choose Ye This Day]

I'm glad your son is upstanding. I, however, would never hire your teenaged son and entrust him with the care of my children. Not in this day and age.

Unfortunately, teen boys and parents of teen boys also need to take into account the possibility of FALSE charges of molestation being leveled. It's sad, but in this day and age, no male should ever be alone with any children that are not his own family members; because you never know who is going to say he did what, and the accused will be considered guilty until he can prove his innocence.

Sad, but that's how far we've sunk as a society.