YFCS-1/2.2, New July 2000. Molly Gregg, Extension 4-H Program Specialist

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Improving Your Child Care Skills

	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.