Siblings/Other children walking around with infants?

So when my 9 year old niece came to visit the twins when they were first born she of course wanted to hold them. Then a few times she got up and walked around with them. She made me really nervous. She is the baby in her family and hasn't been around babies very much. When my 2 year old DS was born, we didn't even let our (at the time) 10yr old DS carry him around the house. Now that my DS is 12 we let him walk around with the babies. Even in those two years he matured alot. So, I was wondering who do you let carry your infants/babies around? Is 9 too young? Does it depend on the child? I talked to my DH and he is going to talk to his sister and ask that our niece not carry them around. (Oh they are coming here this weekend for a visit.) At least we can say we didn't even let our DS carry an infant at that age.

 

When Luke & Lila were born, the big kids (age 10, 9, 7 at the time) wanted to carry them around so much, but it made me way too nervous. We let them hold them, sitting down and occasionally Olivia would get to carry one of them very short distances but I always worried she might drop him/her & then not only could the baby be hurt but imagine how bad Olivia would have felt for dropping one of them. So for the sake of the babies and the big kids I didn't let them carry them until the babies were a bit older & able to hold themselves up a bit. Now the kids carry them around all the time, but they are big sturdy toddlers now!

 

My 10 and 11 year olds walk around with the girls - even carry them upstairs with me at nap time, etc...
My next one down is just 6 and I don't let him carry the girls....

 

I have a 9 year old niece and when the girls were small the rule was you sit and hold the baby. If I saw her getting up, I told her to sit down. Thankfully my SIL (her mom) was on the same page as me! I totally understand your nervousness especially if she isn't used to babies. My niece S is used to babies, but we all felt more comfortable with her sitting and holding the squirmy baby.

 

My oldest just turned 10 today, and we let her carry the babies, but only with permission. Our 7 year-old might take one out of the bouncy and move right to the couch b/c they are next to each other.

 

I think it depends on the child. My twin neices are 7 and they are very careful with my girls. I have no problem with them carrying them. But their sister is only 5 and the babies are simply too heavy for her to carry, so she only holds them while she is sitting down.

I think it's just what you are comfortable with.

 

Sitting down and holding a baby is definitely a good way to go :good: .

 

I would consider 9 too young to walk around with a baby. When she asks if she can hold them, I would just tell her Yes, but you need to remain seated. Let me know when you want to get up and I will come get the baby from you. That is what I do when we are around cousins, friends etc, that want to hold the babies.

 

I have a 10 YO niece and actually a couple of nights ago was the first time we let her carry them around on the carpet before that she always had to be sitting on the couch or chair.

 

Thanks girls! I agree with all of you. I feel so much better about addressing this now and not letting it go a little further. I'm usually a very outspoken person, but when you are tired and recovering you don't always feel like yourself. Or deal with things the way they should be done. Now that they are 8 weeks old, and I've had some sleep I feel more able to deal with things.

 

I have the same problem on the opposite end. I worry about DH's 83-year-old aunt walking around with the babies. She's still very mentally "with it" so it's hard to tell her not to. I really think it depends on the kid. I am a teacher (grades K-6) and there are some 3rd graders I would trust to carry a baby around and there are some 6th graders I wouldn't trust. We have friends with a 10-year-old and I trust him to carry one of the babies a short distance.