Babysitting has become some kind of rite of passage for some teenagers, with young people looking at it as their first foray at shouldering responsibilities while earning their keep. Realistically speaking, babysitters do have a lot of responsibility when caring for a young child. Add to that the expectations that parents place on the babysitter, confident that he or she would know what to do in emergencies. And that’s the reality, there might be instances when a situation calls for the babysitter’s quick action while waiting for medical help to arrive.
First Aid Tips for Babysitters
- Be Prepared.
Teenagers who’re serious about babysitting should arm themselves with the knowledge and skills that they’ll need to be a good sitter. A babysitter course or first aid and CPR courses will teach one important first aid steps like what to do when a baby is choking.
- Know all the emergency numbers one might need.
Both parents and the babysitter should come into an agreement on who to call in the event of emergencies. Parents in particular should leave behind pertinent information that would help the babysitter. And before the parents leave, the babysitter should have the following information –
Address and phone number of the employer’s home
Name and phone number of an available adult (family member or friends)
Numbers of emergency services (police, fire department, hospital, family doctor)
- Know and practice safe habits.
Babysitters and families in general can protect themselves and their children by being aware of and incorporating safe habits. Some habits that are very simple but effective are locking all doors and windows, being careful when answering phone calls and never opening the door to strangers.
- Make the right decision quickly.
Several St Mark James courses teach students an effective decision making process that can be a big help to babysitters. The method is known as the FIND method and breaks down how one should think during a crisis in order to come up with the right decision. To break it down –
F – “figuring” out the problem
I – “identifying” possible solutions
N – “naming” the advantages and disadvantages of potential solutions
D – “decision” about the problem on which plan you will implement.
Breaking down the problem through an organized process can help a babysitter come to the right course of action.
- Prevent accidents from even happening.
It’s always better to be safe than sorry, especially when you and a young child’s welfare are at stake. Babysitters should be mindful of what steps they should take to lessen the chances of an accident happening. Some suggestions are –
– Keep sharp objects away from the children.
– Discourage or prevent any sudden noise that can startle or frighten children. For instance, when one child is playing with a toy gun that makes a loud sound that scares the younger children, take the toy away.
– Minimize running through the house and make sure that children don’t walk around or run carrying eating utensils, cups or plates.
– Stop children from throwing things at each other.
Babysitting is an enjoyable job that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Parents with teenagers who’re interested in babysitting should encourage them to have first aid training. Now only will they be more prepared to take care of younger children, but they would have also learned an important skill.