Babysitting Class Online
Dateline: 5/15/03
By Karen Willson, Babysitting
Class
Shopping. Graduation. Vacation. Beach parties.
The magic of summer is upon us. So is the stress and the
need to find someone smart and safety-savvy enough to look after
the little ones when parents must rush out. But is your home
as safe as it can be for your child and your sitter? Everyone
knows that emergencies can happen at any time or any place -
especially with babies and toddlers. But by being alert
and aware, you can prevent accidents from happening. With
graduation gift wrapping and beach toys all around, BabysittingClass.com
would like to ask parents to take a few seconds to do the following
safety check before leaving the sitter alone with your child.
1. Getting ready for a big congratulations meal? Fridge
overstuffed with goodies? This is a recipe for disaster.
Glass containers on the outside edge of a bulging fridge can
fall and break when the sitter is looking for a snack to feed
your child. Please buy plastic whenever possible to prevent
cuts and breakage.
2. About to hand the sitter a tub of popcorn and a video?
Forget the popcorn if you have a child under the age of three
years old. Popcorn is a major choking hazard at this age.
3. Just finished wrapping those food packages for a beach
picnic? Kitchen filled with plastic wrap and baggies and rubber
bands? Please put these away before the sitter comes.
All are suffocation hazards for kids under three.
4. Just picked up the dry cleaning? Those dry cleaning
bags are also suffocation hazards. Please throw these away
before stepping out for Graduation.
5. Just pulled out last year's Beach Toys from your
favorite old trunk? Close the trunk and put it away. Ask
your sitter to be on the look out for any tight space your child
could close or squeeze into.
6. Other hazards for young children are knives, letter openers,
safety pins and needles and adult scissors. All can usually
be found out during graduation and summer as cakes are cut, cards
are exchanged, clothing is mended and wrapping paper is cut.
Please put these away in places your young children cannot find
them.
7. Cookie dough waiting in the fridge? Cook it or freeze
it when the sitter comes. Uncooked food like cookie dough
which contains uncooked eggs can cause illness within just a
few hours.
8. Teach your sitter our #1 Safety Rule: If someone knocks
on the door while you are sitting, don't answer it. Keep
all doors and windows locked. Never, ever talk to strangers.
Never, ever open the door to a stranger for any reason.
9. Tell your sitter to let the answering machine get
the phone. Don't answer unless the parents are leaving a message.
10. And last but not least, please take the time to get your
babysitter certified. Safety education is very important.
If your teenage sitter is too busy to get to a class, send them
to an online course, like Babysitting
Class. Our course is reasonably priced, only
17.50 for six classes and a personalized Certificate, wallet
card and business kit mailed to the student when the mastery
test is passed.
By Karen Willson
#8 touched off a memory of a smart babysitter who prevented
a nightmare.
It was around Christmas, 1971, and my daughter was a newborn,
about 3 weeks old. I was going out briefly between nursings to
a neighbors' home for a party, so we hired a young babysitter
for the 2 hours. When we returned she said, "I hope you
aren't mad at me, but a man came to the door and asked me to
take delivery of some dry cleaning. I didn't unlock the door,
but just talked to him through the peek hole. I asked him to
leave it there by the door, and that you'd pick it up when you
came home soon. He kept insisting I sign for the delivery. I
told him to then come back tomorrow. He told me I was a smart
girl and left with the laundry. I hope you didn't really need
the clothes."
Well, you can guess our relief! Who has dry cleaning delivered
ever? Well, back in the 70s no one did! We complimented her on
her smarts and I believe paid her double what we had promised,
and told her parents what a good job they had done raising her.
I wish we could have told all her potential clients!
Girl
Scouts Information
30% Discount for all Girl Scouts at BabysittingClass.com.
Doing the badge as a troop? Get a free leader's membership
for each group signup. Troop Class cost: $12.50 per girl.
[Note: A to Z does not get a commission on sales of babysitting
classes to Girl Scouts, but, as an old Girl Scout myself, I felt
that I needed to pass this information along.]
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