Maybe you've been babysitting for a very long time and have lots of neighborhood families on your list. Maybe you just got your first job babysitting for your cousin or neighbor. Whether you're an old pro or just starting out, babysitting is a fun way to spend some time with kids while making some extra money. But can you really babysit, or do you just want to try it out? Either way, this article is going to be full of tips on just how to get the job done.
To Babysit Or Not To Babysit
Here are a few things that will help you determine if babysitting is right for you.
* Do you like kids? Of ALL ages?
* Are you ready to carry the responsibility of caring for another child?
* Will you be able to give up things for the child? Such as a last popsicle or icecream?
* Do you know what to do incase of an emergancy?
If you answered "yes" to all the questions, then you're ready to get going.
Rule Number 1: Be Prepared
It's a rule for anyone and everyone who wants and needs to know what to do in an emergancy. A lot of babysitting sessions are extremely easy and nothing goes wrong - apart from an occasional fight over the last orange popsicle. But for those rare and frightening times when an emergancy DOES occur, you need to be ready to get the child (and possibly yourself) away from danger, and handle the situation calmly.
Be sure you know the following:
-Emergency Numbers
*The local Emergancy Number (in most areas it's 911, but check just to be sure).
* The fire department's number that covers the section of town you're babysitting in iIf it's different form the local emergancy number).
* The police department's number that covers the section of town you're babysitting in (if it's different form the local emergancy number).
* The number of the local Poison Control Center.
Most people have these important and life saving numbers posted on their fridge or by the phone, if not, ASK THEM.
Other Important Numbers
* The child's parents' cell phone or beeper number (If they own one), if they don't have one, then the number for the place at which they will be during the babysitting session.
* A few trusted neighbors' phone numbers.
* The phone numbers of any realatives who live in the area.
* The phone number of the pediatrician (children's doctor) that the child goes to.
Be sure to ask the parent which numbers to call first. Is there is a serious event, it's best to call 911 first, but if there is a cut or scrape, it's a good idea to call the parent before calling a doctor, if it is serious.
Medical Information
Have the parents of the child tell you the following:
*Is there a specific medicine the child is taking?
* Does the child have asthma?
* Any allergies?
For instance, if the child is allergic to bee stings or wasp stings, have the parent tell you where they keep the child's epinephrine shot (a device resembling a pen that injects the child with fast acting medication that can save the child's life if the allergies are severe). The parent also needs to show you how to give the shot. If you feel that you may not be able to help them with this kind of thing, try another job, you don't want to risk the child's life.
A few extra tips are:
* Know the exact location and adress of where you are watching the child.
* Practice fire escape plans.
* Teach kids stop, drop, and roll.
* Don't let the kids hide without you knowing.
* It's a good idea to know things such as the heimlich maneuver, or cpr.
Well, that's it for this week, next week is "Rule Number 2: Know What to Expect".
This is pupdog10, off to practice fire escape plans.
*Click*
