YFCS-1/3.2, New Sept 2000. Molly Gregg, Extension 4-H Program Specialist

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Keeping Kids Safe

	Protected Under 18 U.S.C. 707

If you have been participating in Alabama's 4-H Child Care/Child Development Project, you should understand the challenge of caring for children. You should also know that it requires you to be caring, capable, and responsible. Remember, keeping the child(ren) safe is your NUMBER ONE responsibility. Let's review what you should already know.

• Take precautions with strangers. When you answer the phone, don't volunteer information. Just take a message and get a phone number. Always keep doors locked and turn on outside lights at night. Do not let anyone you do not know into the house. If possible, look out the dow or ask who is there without opening the door. If you do not know the person, tell him or her to come back another time. If anyone gives you trouble or does not go away, call the police.
• In case of fire, seconds count. Have an emergency plan.
• Review the principles of home safety. Keep sharp objects, small objects, matches, cigarettes, dishes, glassware, medicine, and hot liquids out of children's reach. Keep children away from plugs, electrical cords, fireplaces, cooking appliances, venetian blinds, weapons of any kind, and tablecloths. Remember, there are also dangers outside: ladders, stairs, trees to climb, rope swings, rakes, other outdoor tools, stray animals, railroad tracks, and cars, to name a few.

Accidents happen and a good caregiver is prepared to attend to minor emergencies. Know first aid procedures. Take a course in first aid at your local American Red Cross chapter or take a certified baby-sitting course.

First Aid Tips

• Minor Cuts: Do not apply antiseptic since you do not know if the child in your care is allergic to it. Wash the cut with soap and water, dry with a clean towel, and apply a bandage.
• Cuts: Apply pressure directly over the cut with a clean cloth. When the bleeding has stopped, clean the cut with soap and water and apply a dressing.
• Major Bleeding: Immediately apply pressure directly over the wound. Call 911 and the child's parents.
• Bumps and Bruises: Wrap a few ice cubes in a washcloth and apply to the bruised area. Another option is to take a package of frozen vegetables from the freezer and apply to the bump or bruise. If a child bumps his or her head, you must watch for signs of dizziness, vomiting, or unconsciousness. If any of these symptoms appear, do not move the child. Keep him or her warm and call 911 and the parents.
• Burns: Slight burns should be held under cold, running water. Do not apply ointments. If the burn is serious, call 911 and the child's parents.
• Nosebleeds: Have the child sit up straight with his or her head bent slightly forward. Apply pressure by pinching the nostrils for 15 to 20 minutes. If the bleeding does not appear to be stopping after 10 or 15 minutes, phone the child's parents for help.
• Insect Bites and Stings: Apply ice to soothe the injury and slow an allergic reaction. Call for help if the child develops a rash, an itch, or hives. Also call for help if the child faints or has difficulty breathing. If the child is struggling to breathe, call 911 immediately.
• Animal Bites: Immediately wash the wound with soap several times. Notify the child's parents.
• Something in the Ear or Nose: There is no immediate danger, but do not attempt to remove it. Call for help.
• Something in the Eye: Do not let the child rub his or her eye. If it is a dangerous substance such as bleach or detergent, flush out the eye with cold water then call 911 and the child's parents.
• Vomiting: Sometimes a child will vomit after crying hard for a long time. If this happens, clean up the child and do not offer anything to eat or drink for an hour. Try to determine if he or she has any stomach pain. If the child does have stomach pain and continues to vomit, notify the parents.
• Diarrhea: Clean and dry the child. If it appears the child is having abdominal pain and he or she continues to have diarrhea, notify the parents. For your own safety, wash your hands several times.
• Choking: More children die from choking than from any childhood communicable disease. Common objects that are often the cause of choking are nuts, seeds, hard candy, hot dogs, popcorn, grapes, peanut butter, shells, screws, bolts, pins, needles, buttons, jewelry, coins, toys, marbles, balloons, and bones. If a child is choking, find out if he or she can breathe, cry, or speak. If the child can do any of these three things or if he or she is coughing, leave the child alone and watch. The ability to still speak, cough, or cry indicates the presence of only a partial blockage. Whatever is causing the child to choke should dislodge. If the child cannot breathe at all and if there is only a weak cough and loss of facial color, call 911.
• Poisons: If you suspect poisoning, look quickly for the bottle or other clues to identify the cause. Call 911.

Your number one responsibility is to keep children safe. If you feel an injury is too difficult for you to handle, contact the child's parents or call 911.

School-Age Children

Until now, the 4-H Child Care and Child Development project has focused on the developmental needs of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. Now, let's talk about school-age children. They can be the most challenging children to care for. The following list contains common characteristics of children this age that will help you prepare to meet their special needs and demands. School-age children

• Are developing many interests
• Are often going through a stage when they feel things are "not fair"
• Like to assume responsibility
• Enjoy games, making things, and engaging in physical play
• Like to talk about things they like to do
• May not want a baby-sitter
• May be jealous of time and attention given to younger children
• Need definite plans for amusement

Despite the challenges of school-age children, they can be fun to keep and watch grow. Show children of all ages love and acceptance, make them feel useful and important, understand things from their perspective, and let them know you care. When you do these things, you are on your way to having meaningful relationships that will enrich your life and the life of those you touch through baby-sitting.

What To Do!

One thing that you may not realize is how your child care experiences are helping you to develop important work habits. These can help you do a better job baby-sitting now and in the future. These work habits will also help you at school and with family and community relationships. A habit is an activity that is done without thinking or it is an activity that you take for granted. Some of the work habits you are developing are the following:

• Demonstrating dependability
• Being punctual
• Recognizing consequences for actions
• Following rules and regulations
• Controlling emotions
• Exhibiting pride and loyalty
• Handling stress
• Begin keeping a record in your 4-H journal of examples of times you exhibit the work habits listed above when you take care of children. As you record these work habits, see if some of the habits are easier for you than others are. Identify your areas of weakness and start to work on them.
• Are you beginning to develop work habits not in the list above? If so, write them in your 4-H journal. Ask your family and the families of the children you keep if they have noticed particular habits of yours that they like and respect. Ask them if you have developed habits that they do not like. If you have, work to change them.
• Ask the children that you keep what they like about you as their sitter. Write what they say in your 4-H journal. Ask the children to identify things that you do that they do not like. They may complain about things that you do that are necessary to be a responsible sitter. Do not change behaviors that protect the children you keep from harm. However, the children may have some reasonable complaints that will require you to rethink why you do some of the things that you do. When you care for someone's child, you are providing a service--you are working and you want to keep your customers and clients, the parents and children, happy.
• Begin making a list in your 4-H journal of activities to do with older children. Use the list as a reference guide when you keep older children that you have not kept before.
• If you have an opportunity to baby-sit a child of a different race or culture, take it. Talk to the child and the child's parents to see if the child and parents have different expectations, needs, and desires. Having baby-sitting experiences with families from different cultures and races is very important if you are interested in a child-related career.