1 by Victoria Cherne CFCS Learning ZoneXpress 2 You Will Learn Experience Counts Advertising Safety amp First Aid Snack Ideas Babysitters Bag What to Charge Learning ZoneXpress ID: 170020
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©Learning ZoneXpress
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by Victoria Cherne, CFCSSlide2
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You Will Learn:
Experience Counts
Advertising
Safety & First Aid
Snack Ideas Babysitter’s BagWhat to ChargeSlide3
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Introduction
What is babysitting?
Caring for a child (or children) while the
primary caregiver is away from home.
Why be a babysitter?Most young people become babysitters because:They enjoy children!It’s a good way to earn money. If you do not enjoy children, you shouldNOT babysit!Slide4
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Qualities of a Sitter
What are parents looking for in a sitter?
Loves interacting and playing with children!
Respects parent’s privacy, the home, and things in it.
ResponsibleKnows safety rules and first aid.Honest & CourteousKnowledgeableKnows about child care
and development. Experienced.Reliable
Shows up on time and doesn’t cancel at the last minute.Healthy body, mind & spirit!Slide5
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Getting Experience
How do you get experience?
Help your parents with younger brothers
and sisters.
Work as a “parent helper”, playing with a child while the parent is at home.“Volunteer” to babysit for a neighbor or friend for a short time. Ask to go along with an experienced
sitter as an unpaid helper.Work with younger children at a nursery, YMCA, or community center to get
experience while being supervised. Slide6
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Learning More
How do you learn more about babysitting?
Take a babysitting class, offered at:
The American Red Cross
YMCAYour local Community CenterRead a book on babysitting.Slide7
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Getting Babysitting Jobs
Once you are prepared to babysit,
advertise your services!
Tell your neighbors and
friends of your parents.Make fliers and hand them out to people you know.List your name and phone number.List your times availableList your ratesExperiencesSlide8
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Before Accepting a Job
Have an interview with the parents
before taking a babysitting job:
On the phone
In person You can meet both the parents and kids.You might want to bring yourparent to the interview, if youhaven’t met the family before.Slide9
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Interview the Parents
Questions for the interview:
How many children
?
Boys or girls?How old are they?What do they enjoy doing?Will there be any responsibilities?Meals, giving baths, putting the children
to bed, or taking care of pets? What time will the job begin and end?
Transportation? Rate of pay?Slide10
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Interview the Parents
More questions to ask:
If you’ll be preparing meals or snacks?
Do the children have and special health
concerns or allergies?What are the rules?TV watchingComputer useHow will you get to and from the job?Slide11
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Accepting a Job
Ask your parents before
you accept the job.
Write down date, times and
address.Slide12
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When You Arrive
Use a Babysitter’s Information Card
Parents’ Names:
Babysitter’s Information Card
Nearby relative or friend
: ______________________________
Phone
number
: ____________________________
Parent’s Cell Numbers _________________________________
Children’s Names and ages ______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
Home address: Home phone:Slide13
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When You Arrive
Arrive on time.
If it is your first time at a house,
arrive 15 minutes early. Greet the
children, have a tour of the house and ask questions of the parents. Ask the parents:What areas of the house are off limits to me and the kids?
What are house rules for children ? What snacks?
Where are any supplies you might need?What other responsibilities do you have?
Do you want me to answer the phone?About what time will
the parents
be home?Slide14
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When You Arrive
Ask the parents:
Are there special health concerns or
allergies.
Where are the house keys and alarms? Are there pets? Is there a neighbor you can call on if
needed?
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Discipline Suggestions
To help you with discipline:
Discuss rules with the parents
and children before they leave.
Plan fun, interactive activities to keep children busy.Make sure to be firm with the children — you are the responsible caregiver. Do not ask yes or no questions.
Give the children choices.Make games or contestsDiscuss the events of the evening
when the parents come home.Slide16
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Safety Concerns
For you and the children's safety:
If the parents want you to answer the phone, make sure not to tell people you are home alone.
Say, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith are unavailable.
May I take a message?” Take the message neatly and show the parents when they return.Don’t use the phone for your personal use.
You may not hear a child, he or she may wander away into trouble.The parents may not be able
to reach you. You are being paid to watch the
children..not talk to your friends.Slide17
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Safety Concerns
More safety tips:
Be sure that the windows and doors are locked.
You might want to close the curtains or shades in the evening, too.Do not open the door, allow the kids to openthe door or allow anyone into the house.Only if the parents told you of a specific
person to allow in.Stay awake while babysitting.Even if the kids are sleeping! It’s a good idea to check on them every 15 to 30 minutes to be sure they’re okay.
Trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right or makes you feel uneasy — call an adult or dial 911
.In case of fire, getting the children out of the house is your first concern. Slide18
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First Aid
Accidents can happen.
Take a basic first aid class so you
know how to handle things like:
cuts, broken bones, and choking. In any emergency:Stay as calm as possible.Reassure the child everything will be okay.Call the child’s parents first and explain the situation.
If the emergency is very serious dial 9-1-1.Sometimes, a sitter will have to call for emergency help first and the child’s parents second. Slide19
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First Aid
Basic procedures to know:
Where are the bandages kept for cuts?
For minor cuts and scrapes:
Wash your hands before treating.
Gently wash cut with soap and water.Pat dry, and cover with a bandage. Wash your hands after treating. Use ice cubes or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped
in a cloth for bumps and bruises. Slide20
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Babysitter’s Bag
Great babysitters come prepared
to play with the kids.
Projects
Crayons, colored paper, markers,
and play dough.Books
Bring lots of age-appropriate books! GamesBring cards, a board game or a puzzle
that a child might enjoy playing. Puppets & Dress-Up ClothesPack a few puppets and create a puppet show!
Bring some dress-up clothes and create a play!Slide21
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Babysitter’s Bag
Last option:
Videos/DVD/Computer Games
Kids enjoy watching a movie or playing
a computer game, but be sure it’s okay with the parents first.Some things for you:Flashlight (in case the power goes out).Important phone numbers.First Aid Kit.A book or magazine to read after the kids go to bed. Slide22
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When the Kids Go to Bed
Make the house looks as neat
as it did when you arrived.
Before the children go to bed, ask them to
help you pick up toys and put them away.
Wash the dishes after snacks or meals.You may now watch TV, read or work on homework . No earphones!
Be sure to let the parents know how the job went.Tell them what you did, what time the children went to bed and how their behavior was.
Thank the parents for hiring you!Slide23
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What Should You Charge?
When setting your rate, think about:
The going rate in your area (ask around!)
Your experience - you can usually charge more as you have more experience, especially with infants or toddlers.
The number of children. The responsibility of the job. Serving meals and doing light
housecleaning are part of the job.Number of hours worked.
How much money you make should not be the
only
reason you babysit! However, earning money is certainly a benefit of caring for children!Slide24
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What Should You Charge?
Tips on talking about fees:
Don’t be afraid to tell people what you charge.
Sometimes even the parents can feel uncomfortable talking about money.
Say, “When Mrs. Johnson suggested me, she may have told you my hourly rate is $___ per hour.”Don’t be afraid to say “no” to jobs where you have not been paid properly.Slide25
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A Final Note…
When parents leave you with their
children, they are leaving you their
most precious possessions. A
responsible sitter knows this, and is:PoliteProfessionaland… CaringGood Luck and have FUN babysitting!Slide26
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Test Your Skills!
1. Why is babysitting such a big responsibility?
2. What are two important things to remember when babysitting?
3. If someone calls you to babysit for the first time, what are information points you need to discuss?
4. Before the parents leave the house, what information must you have?
Write down your answers to the following questions:Slide27
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Test Your Skills!
5. You have been asked to watch a four-year old girl named Madeline. You haven’t met her or her parents.
What would you do?
a.
Ask questions of the a parent/guardian on the phone and then say “yes.”b. Indicate that you might be interested in the job, but you would like to meet Madeline first. Ask to meet her and her parents and tour their home, along with your parent.
c. Say yes, and hope that they are nice people.
Correct Answer: B
It’s important to feel comfortable with a family and surroundings. Have your parents check out a possible employer with you to make sure you’ll be safe. However, “A” might be appropriate if your parents know who the family is, where they live, and the friend who referred you is close to your family and trustworthy.Slide28
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Test Your Skills!
6. You are outside playing with five-year-old David and eight- year-old Megan. David trips and falls on the ground, skinning his knee. What should you do?
a.
Leave Megan outside playing and then quickly run in the house to wash David’s skinned knee.
b. Don’t worry about the knee; just keep playing until the kids are ready to go inside.
c. Have both David and Megan come into the house with you. Gently wash the skinned knee with soap and water and pat dry. Cover scrape carefully with a bandage.
Correct Answer: C
Never leave a child outside alone — not even for a moment! It is important to wash a scrape or cut promptly to avoid infection. And, when the parents come home, be sure to let them know what happened.Slide29
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References - Online
www.redcross.org/hss
American Red Cross web site provides descriptions of
the educational courses offered and links to the web
sites of the local Red Cross chapters.www.safesitter.org
Gives locations of Safe Sitter courses, lists current childcare articles, and links to children’s health and
safety web sites.www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/babysitting
University of Illinois Extension Service web site provides basic babysitting information. Designed for people ages 14-19. Site is available in Spanish and English. Includes a flier kids can print.
www.wcdd.org/babysit.html
Wisconsin Council of Developmental Disabilities Babysitting Guide. Gives brief overview on caring for a child with special needs such as autism, mental retardations, brain injury, etc.
Please note that web sites are constantly changing and being updated.
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References - Books
American Red Cross.
Babysitter’s Handbook
. The American National Red Cross, Boston: Satywell, 1998.
Dayee, Frances S. Babysitting Revised Edition. New York: Franklin Watts 2000.Kuch, K.D., The Babysitte’s Handbook. New York: Random House, 1997.Litvin, Jay and Dr. Lee Salk.
How to be a Super Sitter. Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career Horizons, 1991.Zakarin, Debra Mostow.
The Ultimate Babysitters Handbook: So You Wanna Make Tons of Money. Los Angeles, CA: Price, Stern, Sloan, Inc., 1997.