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The bad news: your child's life in the hands of an 11-year-old girl. The good news: There's a fairly decent chance your kid's not gonna die tonight.Despite the fact that we weren't left unsupervised at home until the age of 14, it turns out pre-teen gals are actually somewhat capable babysitters -- 98 percent know whom to call if there's an intruder, and 85 percent can remember that time you told them "the number for poison control is on the fridge" right before you left in case your child decides to have a cocktail party under the sink.
Unfortunately, 40 percent of the 727 pre-teens polled admitted to leaving their ward unattended while "watching" them, which would explain how the place got so trashed in a mere four hours.
Of the kids polled, 51 percent had taken a first-aid class, and 47 were trained in CPR -- not bad considering you're only paying them a dollar per hour per kid. That's still the going rate, right?
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Saturday 09 October
By Shadow2451
I was a babysitter from 12 to 16.While the responsibility level of individual girls vary widely (my sister would not be a reliable sitter even though she is technically an adult), most teenage girls understand the trust that is required for parents to leave their children in the charge of someone else, never mind someone who isn't old enough to drive. I am a firm advocate of the free or low-cost babysitting classes that many libraries and community centers offer. I took a class through the local library that taught infant CPR, child CPR, and first aid certifications as well as techniques for calming an angry/panicked child and entertainment ideas for a range of ages. Parents who are concerned about the behavior of a babysitter should take it up with the girl in a professional adult-to-adult conversation. If the problem persists, being fired is a good life lesson.
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Tuesday 14 June
By TaylaaahAnn
I am what they call a 'tween', and am just starting to look for babysitting jobs around town. I understand safety precautions and have my own folder on my computer about 'Babysitting' as i am very interested in getting into it. I love being around toddlers and would really love a job based on doing something that i truly enjoy. I just hope people give me a chance. I have put a lot of hard work, collecting worksheets, like Emergency Contacts, About Me, Special Instructions and ihave researched how to dress, change and bathe a baby correctly to insure that parents trut me to look after their little ones. Can anyone give me advice to succeed a little more? It would be much appreciated, I think I have a real shot. :) Thank you
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