Do you have a child aged 11-15 years? If so, you may be thinking about registering them on a Red Cross Babysitting course. To find out what your child will learn and the benefits of babysitting training, please read on.
A personal story
As a young teen, I remember being excited about finally being old enough to babysit. My first job was with a family who lived at the top of our street. The two boys I looked after, Robert and Charles, were 5 and 7 years old. I had no formal babysitting training, and I feel very grateful that I didn’t have to deal with any real emergencies while babysitting. The worst thing I remember happening is my fountain pen leaking blue ink onto the pale green carpet and calling my mom for advice. I was lucky, though. If Robert or Charles had choked on their food and stopped breathing or had a severe injury, I would not have known what to do; those young boys might have died in my care.
Babysitting for young children is an enormous responsibility.
A babysitter needs to understand that when they look after a baby or young child, they have the life of another person in their hands. Babies and young children are vulnerable, unpredictable and accident-prone. A babysitter cannot afford to let their guard down for a moment. Some things are common sense, but others, like first aid skills, must be learned.
Why do parents register children on a Red Cross Babysitting course?
Parents recognize that Babysitting training is an investment in their children’s safety. Some of the reasons why they register their kids on Babysitting courses are listed below.
Red Cross Babysitting Training – Benefits to children and what they learn
The Canadian Red Cross created a Babysitting course specifically for young children aged 11-15. The course is designed to teach children the skills they need to be an excellent babysitter and how to be safer when home alone. Children learn how to care for babies and children of all ages, give first aid and deal with emergencies. The course also offers an overview of the responsibilities that go with being a babysitter. It teaches youth essential child care skills and also how to reduce hazards and prevent accidents.
Red Cross Babysitting Course Topics
Leadership
People who hire babysitters rely on them to be the leader and keep their children safe. On the course, children learn about how to be a responsible leader, different leadership styles, role modelling, respecting diversity, recognizing child abuse and neglect, and how to create a babysitting kit.
Childhood Characteristics and Behaviour
In this section of the course, children learn about the stages of development for babies, toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, babysitting for children with disabilities, assistive devices and service animals.
Creating Safe Environments and Personal Safety
Children learn to be safer when home alone. Topics include; dealing with strangers, answering the door, answering the phone in a way that doesn’t put them at risk, what to do in the event of a fire and how to call EMS/911. Children learn about personal safety and security, online safety and bullying behaviours. Also included, is information about community safety, street safety, bicycle and scooter safety, water safety and rural babysitting.
Caring for Children
A young babysitter needs to understand the importance of supervision, what information they should get from the child’s parent or guardian before they are left alone with the child. Other topics include; home safety, poison prevention and giving medications, suffocation and choking, how to change a diaper, how to feed babies and children of all ages, safe toys and activities for each age group. They will learn about dressing, sleeping, playing, comforting, safe vs. unsafe touching and misbehaviour.
First Aid Skills and Handling Emergencies
Children learn first aid skills, accident prevention, checking for hazards, and how to call EMS/911. Topics in this section of the course include choking, CPR, asthma, anaphylaxis, minor cuts and scrapes, splinters, life-threatening bleeding, nosebleeds, bumps and bruises, burns, head, neck and back injuries, broken bones, seizures, poisons, insect stings, sudden medical conditions or other medical emergencies
When your child has learned these skills, they are less likely to have an accident or suffer any injury, and you never know, they might save your life one day!
The Business of Babysitting
Children will learn how to find babysitting work safely and how to prepare for their first babysitting job. Other topics include how to write a resume, expectations of the family, children’s expectations, self-evaluation after the job, their own family’s expectations. Babysitting is an excellent way for young people to give back to the community, gain valuable training and develop essential leadership skills.
For more information or to register your child for a course in Coquitlam, please follow the link below. If you have any questions, please contact us.