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When Your Child's in Charge
10 Tips for Parents of Babysitters
By Gina Roberts-Grey, LCSW
Most park districts, local hospitals and American Red Cross locations offer babysitting courses that include basic CPR training. Before your child sets out on her first adventure in babysitting, make sure she successfully completes a babysitting training seminar. Additionally, knowing the location of the first aid kit where she's working will eliminate some panic in case of an unexpected scraped knee or splinter. Remind her about choking hazards such as small toys, earrings and pet food if she's scheduled to watch children under the age of 3.
Protecting your child's safety is also a high priority. Make sure her employers advise her of any pets to prevent an allergic reaction or asthma attack. If your child has environmental allergies, she should inquire whether anyone in the household smokes or if any other triggers may exist.
Have the contact information of where she's going to be babysitting. It is also a good idea to have the complete name and address of the person hiring your child. Consider providing her transportation to a new job until you're familiar with the people and location of where she's babysitting.
Many babysitters have multiple clients and extra-curricular activities. Your child should also be given an approximate length of the job prior to arriving for the assignment to avoid potential schedule conflicts.