Parents Sentence Texas Teen to -- Babysitting!

(CBS)  Kirstin Rausch, 16, of Dallas, knew having friends in her home past 11 p.m. was against the rules. But she did it anyway. And she got caught.

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Kirstin told CBS News, "My friend was over one night and we said, 'What should we do"' And we said we should invite people over after 11 -- not my smartest idea."

But what she didn't know was how her father would handle her punishment once he found out.

Instead of taking away her car or cell phone, Kirstin's father Robert took out an ad in the local paper.

Under his daughter's picture it said, "I'm in big trouble for missing my curfew and my parents are making me provide 30 hours of free babysitting as punishment. My pain is your gain, so call."

Robert Rausch said, "We wanted to get her attention and give her something to think about, and I think we accomplished that"

So far, Kirstin is about halfway through her 30-hour sentence.

On "The Early Show" Monday, Kirstin told co-anchor Harry Smith she had around six people over to her parents' house after 11:00 p.m. -- her bedtime.

Robert Rausch interjected, "Sounded like two dozen, Harry."

Kirstin said her parents awoke around 2:30 a.m.

Kirstin said she thought she was going to get away with having her friends over, adding, "Obviously, I didn't."

Robert said his first thought when he learned invited people were over was, "I'm going to kill her."

He said he thought someone was in the house.

"Turns out there were several someones in the house," he said. "We were really upset about it. She certainly knows the rules. And she certainly knows better than that."

Robert conceded that his daughter is a great daughter, earning exemplary grades and involved in a variety of activities, including National Honor Society and chess.

Robert said, "I'm not sure what the model kid looks like, but, yeah, if I had to sketch out what I wanted the perfect daughter to be, Kirstin would be the one."

As for the advertisement in the newspaper, Kirsten said when she saw it for the first time, she wasn't humiliated, but rather "really mad."

Since the ad went out, Robert said the family has received many calls from people looking for help with their kids.

"We actually feel like we're helping some folks out," he said. "One of the first ladies that called was sitting for her nursing test and needed a babysitter to watch her kid. Another family, the kid with Down syndrome called, a single mom that was worried about missing a meeting called. So, the response has been really, really positive."

As for Kirsten, she says she's learned her lesson.

"I learned that if you break curfew you're going to get in trouble. And everything -- every mistake has a consequence," she said. "Mine, I obviously got in trouble for this one."

Robert added, "There was certainly no intent to publicly humiliate her. We initially planned this just to be a local thing, but obviously it caught a lot of folks' attention."

Smith said, "I think you might have given a lot of parents an idea here, Robert."

[OmegaWolf747]

Her father is an ageist bigot. What teenager actually has a bedtime?

[teh_maxh]

"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

[FeelMikeHawke]

That's just great Dad. Publish your 16 year-old daughter's picture and phone number for all the pedos in the area.

[sophiewack]

When my daughter broke the rules as a teen, (she's now 27) she was not only cut off from phone calls, going out, etc - but also had to pick up all the litter on our roadside and had the pleasure of moving a pile of rocks (a huge pile) from one location to another. At the time, she thought it a fate worse than death but now she not only laughs about it, but has shared the story with all of her friends! Just as my brother and I were raised, it wasn't the police we feared as much as what we knew would happen at home! Worked great!

[abby_del_abbey]

Although this sounds like a good idea -- it's actually a bad idea -- I would not entrust my child to someone who is irresponsible. Also, just putting an ad in the paper represents a potential risk. I think that the previous posting of community service is a better notion.

[jsf14]

Exactly what I thought about letting someone who'd demonstrated irresponsibility sit for my kids. And I, too, though that, especially after posting the girl's picture, her parents need to background check anyone who calls asking for her services! Having the friends over wasn't the brightest idea. Neither is publishing her photo and saying her services are available.

[differnet]

Maybe the father actually checked out these people BEFORE he let her babysit for them. Crazy idea to actually gather all the facts before jumping to conclusions

[rwsmith29456]

Constructive idea.

[tsigili]

Why would anyone want to entrust their kids to an irresponsible teen?????

[makemyday2day]

I'm a skeptic! Although it seems to have worked out well in this case, the last thing I'd want is to have a teen babysit my kids as part of a 'punishment'. Some might not take this as serious as others and when you're to be held responsible for precious young lives, I'd rather have someone who WANTS to be there - not as a form of punishment.

[Ardia70]

Bull....real punishment would be 30 hours of community service doing some real work like at a retirement home or trash pick up off the road, or volunteer work at a shelter, not playing video games and romping with kids.The best thing? lol she got to be on TV and made the news! Some punishment...she is all smiles for the pictures and air time.

[tmsaurman]

apparently you have never babysat. Not all kids are video games and romping around. I babysat kids once that were so violent with each other I had to call the cops and the ambulance. Usually you screen people you babysit for, to me this was dangerous. Some looney pretending to be in need of a babysitter could have gotten her services, and seriously hurt her.

[pragmatist1]

This is a win-win story for the dad and his daughter and those she's helping out with babysitting. I appreciate how she's learned her lesson and realized she made a mistake and didn't try blaming others, like so many other kids or parents would do. Good parents end up with good kids.