YFCS-1/2.2 IMPROVOMG UPIR CJO;D CARE SKILLS
YFCS-1/2.2, New July 2000. Molly
Gregg, Extension 4-H Program Specialist
Improving Your Child Care Skills |
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Protected Under 18 U.S.C.
707 |
How Kid-Safe Are You?
By now, you should have some baby-sitting experience and know
how important it is to take your responsibilities seriously. Parents
feel more confident about sitters who ask questions and show concern
for the proper care of their children. The more you know, the
more likely you will be asked to sit again.
Remember that your primary responsibility is to protect yourself
and the children for whom you will be caring. To ensure everyone's
safety, always follow the guidelines of a baby-sitter checklist.
Below is an example of a baby-sitting checklist. Write it down
in your 4-H or baby-sitting journal so you will always have it.
When you find other important information, add it to your list.
Baby-Sitting Checklist:
- Name, address, and phone number of your employer
- Directions on how to get where you are going to baby-sit
- Arrangements for transportation to the baby-sitting job location
and home again.
- Name and home number of more than one emergency contact to
be reached if the employer cannot be contacted
- Special instructions from the employer (Your employer is
the parents or guardians of the children for whom you are baby-sitting.)
- Location and instructions on use of safety equipment such
as fire extinguishers and first aid supplies
Be sure to do the following:
- Walk through the house (preferably with your employer) to
make sure all doors and windows are locked.
- Turn on outside lights.
- Have emergency numbers by the phone.
- Have paper and a pencil or pen by the phone.
Home Safety
Bathroom Safety
Never leave a baby, toddler, or young child alone in
the bathroom. A child can drown in the tub or the toilet, get
burned by a hot water faucet, or get into medicines, cosmetics,
or razors left on sinks and countertops.
Bedroom Safety
Keep pillows out of a baby's bed until he or she is at least
age one. Never put a baby to bed with its bib still around its
neck. When closing doors and drawers, make sure the fingers of
toddlers and small children are not in the way.
Kitchen Safety
The kitchen can be a dangerous place for a young child. Cleaning
products are often found under the sink, burners on the stove
may be hot, and sharp objects can be found on countertops and
in drawers. The best policy is never to leave a child alone in
the kitchen, especially when he or she is in a high chair. Thousands
of babies are injured each year because parents and caretakers
think that a baby strapped in a high chair is in a safe place.
This is not true. Children need to be watched at all times when
they are in a high chair to make sure they are not in a position
to pull the chair over. Watch little fingers when you are taking
the sliding tray on and off.
Stairway Safety
Be sure all accesses to stairs are blocked. When you are walking
through hallways or down stairs carrying a child, be sure you
have the lights on and you hold on to the safety railing.
Outdoor Safety
Never take a child outside unless it is daylight and you have
permission to do so from the parents or guardian of the children
you are watching. If you go outside, it should be in a protected
place such as a fenced backyard. Watch for dangerous gardening
tools and pesticides. Keep children away from unfamiliar pets
and make sure they do not eat plant life of any kind. Also, make
sure children are properly dressed and protect them from too much
sun.
Playtime
A good baby-sitter likes to play with children and chooses
games that are age appropriate. Below are some things that children
like to do and the dangers to watch for.
- Infants are just discovering what their bodies can and cannot
do. They like to throw, drop, tear, grab, roll, and hold onto
whatever they can get including hair and jewelry. Be careful--they
like to put things in their mouths, are helpless in water, and
can be easily smothered.
- Toddlers like to get into everything so watch them around
cabinets and drawers that they can reach. They like to bang (pots
and pans make great toys), push, pull, put in, take out, jump,
draw, and color, especially on surfaces that they are not supposed
to write on. Be sure that they do not put dangerous things in
their mouths that could cut, poison, or choke them. Toddlers
tend to fall a lot so watch them around coffee tables and fireplaces
that have dangerous edges. You must prevent them from swallowing
things and keep them away from falling objects, matches, lighters,
poisons, heaters, and stoves.
- Young children from age three are on the go all of the time.
They like to play active physical games, make and build things,
and play pretend. They like for people to read to them. Watch
children closely if they are near a street. Never let them cross
a street alone or run into the street to retrieve a ball or toy.
They must also be watched if they are near a stove or heater.
Keep matches, lighters, and poisons out of their reach. When
children can move on their own, accidents happen. You must be
ready to mend many scrapes and boo-boos, both real and imagined.
What to Do
- Learn CPR from your local American Red Cross or take
a first aid course. The Red Cross also offers a baby-sitting
course. In first aid courses, you will learn basic procedures
for attending to minor cuts, what to do if a child swallows something
poisonous, stop-drop-and-roll procedures for putting out clothes
that are on fire, and how to treat minor burns. If you cannot
attend a class, find out more about these emergencies and write
down what to do in your 4-H journal.
- Teach a child to dress himself or herself.
- Teach a child to tie his or her shoes.
- Teach children to enjoy a new food. If they see you
eat and enjoy it, they will probably want some also. Be sure
that whatever you offer is appropriate for them to eat--not too
hot and in small pieces to prevent choking.
- Add five tips to your baby-sitter's Do's and Don'ts
list (from Level 2.1) that should be in your 4-H journal.
- Make business cards using index cards or a computer
to advertise your baby-sitting service.
- Open a checking or savings account for your baby-sitting
money.
- Interview experienced babysitters and write in your
4-H journal any advice they give you.
- Make a sad child smile.
- Be a friend to a lonely child.
- Help a family in need because it is the right thing
to do--not for money.
- Show your journal to your 4-H leader when you have
completed and recorded six items from the Do's list.
Extra Tips
- Never tie up a phone for more than five minutes.
- Don't snoop.
- Report good and bad behavior.
For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and
home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related
acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama
Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn
University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal
opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color,
national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.
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