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Trusting one’s child to another, even for a few hours, is an awesome responsibility. It’s important to know that child is with someone who can react properly in all situations. When choosing a babysitter, you must keep this in mind. A babysitter should know how to react to all situations in a calm, reasonable manner. Any panic or overreacting will do nothing to soothe the fears of her charges. In addition, a babysitter should have had some sort of safety training. Many high schools and communities offer programs for teenaged babysitters to learn what to do in situations such as injuries or choking. Even so, you want to be sure your babysitter knows what to do in every situation. This includes knowing when to call for help.
It’s not enough that we leave our cell phone numbers and advise our sitters of our plans. It’s imperative other numbers are left behind as well. This includes numbers of a nearby neighbor or relative, the child’s pediatrician, police, fire, poison control center and ambulance. A sitter should know she should never be afraid to call you, even if it means interrupting your plans. If a child is ill or has had an accident, you should be advised immediately, assess the situation and come home if it’s urgent. There are other occasions in which a babysitter should call for help from either parents or other professionals:
Loss of power: Parents should have already informed the babysitter where items such as candles and flashlights are located, but it’s good to be informed if there is a power outage. This is the sort of thing that might frighten younger children, and the parents might want to return home.
Injuries: Cuts and bruises don’t usually warrant more than a bandage or some ice. If the cut is deep and looks like it may require stitches, if the injury is swelling and the child is in pain, and especially, if the child appears to have broken a limb, the parent must be called immediately. Hopefully, the injury isn’t serious at all, but it’s always best to err on the side of caution. If the injury is more serious, the baby sitter should assess the situation and either call a neighbor or close relative to come over immediately. The neighbor will then decide on whether or not to call a parent or ambulance first. In some cases, emergency services should be notified to get them on the way, and the parents should be notified immediately after.
Poison – If a child has swallowed medication or a poisonous substance call the poison control hotline or 911 immediately. The baby sitter should follow all instructions to the letter. If there is another older child there, that child can use a cell phone or go to the nearest neighbor to call the parents while the baby sitter is receiving instructions. She should be able to tell the person on the other end what was ingested and approximately how much.
Fire – If there is a fire in the house that can’t immediately be extinguished, the babysitter shouldn’t hesitate to collect all children and run to the nearest neighbor to call 911 and then the parents. Parents should have already advised the babysitter of all of available exits, alarm codes and location of fire extinguishers.
If the child is not breathing – If the child stops breathing, immediately call 911. If he appears to be choking, the babysitter should apply her emergency training. An older child should call parents while the babysitter is resuscitating the child or speaking to 911. If there is no other child is available to help, the babysitter should first call 911, resuscitate the child and call parents in that order. The most important thing to remember is not to panic. The baby sitter should stay calm in every situation.
Unsavory characters – If someone is trying to break into the house, or if someone is following or has approached the children, or if someone is making harassing phone calls, the babysitter should first call the police and then call the parents. Even if in doubt, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Something is out of place - If the babysitter has taken the children on an outing and something doesn’t look quite right upon returning home, she shouldn’t go in the house. Instead, she should go to a neighbor’s house to call the police.
Before hiring a babysitter, make sure references have been checked and make sure she has completed a Red Course safety program. These are available in just about any city or town. Additional information on babysitter safety can be found at the Red Cross website.
Your babysitter should always know who to call in case of emergency. She should know never to be afraid to call you, even if she feels it’s a small matter. If she’s unsure of what to do, she should call her own parents and explain the situation. In cases of emergency, however, she shouldn’t hesitate to contact the proper parties. Having someone you can trust in all situations makes all the difference between an enjoyable evening and one spent worrying whether your children are in good hands.
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