For 15 years I have been teaching youth Babysitting Safety classes and Adult CPR classes. I love the idea of everyone getting trained! You ARE most likely to give care to someone you love.
I particularly like that the youth Babysitting CPR class (yes, includes CPR) is not only making them safer babysitters but also giving them LIFE skills. They learn to recognize an emergency, feel confident to reach out to Dispatch/911, utilize the choking skill training, and more – and can help their families and friends.
Questions for Kids
A BIG topic in my Babysitting CPR class is to talk about avoiding television and video games. I urge babysitters to give personal attention to the children for two reasons 1) the children benefit from attention and 2) the children will prefer them over other babysitters – which equates to money. I tell my students (age 11+) as I start class, “I am thinking you are here today to take a Babysitting CPR class because you a) like children and b) want to make money“. They squirm and laugh and grimace that I pegged that b) part. I commend them for getting trained – and they head out of class eager to make money with their “new business”.
I tell them, “Good for you! You deserve to make money as a Babysitter because you are two things these parents want – a) you are kind and b) you are trained – by taking this class”.
“Talking” kids – not TV or video game zombies
I urge babysitters – and parents – to get the little children to TALK. It can be pretty shocking how little attention time in the day children get from their parents – and babysitters. Life is going at a crazy pace. Parents drop kids at school or day care – where they are in GROUPS in these environments which equates to reduced personal time. At home in the evening, there is also LOTS going on – parents are preparing dinner, catching up with each other, trying to get the dog some exercise, check mail received, and more.
Questions for Kids from Parent CO
I really like this article from Parent CO written for parents to ask their child after a school day – but these great questions can be used by youthful babysitters, too.
It’s about get the child talking. “How was your day” is a question that will likely garner only this response – “Fine”. A dead end.
Here’s a great one! “Who made you smile today?”
Or, “Did anyone push your buttons today?”
Or, “Which person in your class is your exact opposite?”
Or, “If aliens came to school and beamed up 3 kids, who do you wish they would take? Why?”
Be creative! You can think up a whole bunch more “Questions for Kids”!
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Jean Lesmeister, 15 year CPR and First Aid Instructor
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