| |  
Safety Concerns for Sitters
by Susan E. Davis
reviewed by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P.
As the parents of a budding babysitter, you probably have two pressing concerns. First, will your child be safe on the job? And second, will the child's charges be safe?
These are normal worries, but you needn't sit around biting your fingernails as you contemplate every horrible thing that could possibly befall your child. Instead, talk to him about simple precautions that he can take to keep everyone safe and sound:- Be sure that he discusses each new potential job with you. Don't let him take on too much--such as a house with a baby, a toddler, and twin-terror preschoolers; a job that will last until one o'clock in the morning on a school night; or a situation in which he feels uneasy for any reason (e.g., a remote, isolated location or parents who make him uncomfortable).
- Always get the address and phone number of where he'll be sitting and find out what time the parents are expected home. Have him call you if the parents aren't home at the appointed hour or call with a change in plans.
- Encourage your child to find jobs with families whom you know or at least have been recommended by friends (yours or your child's). Forbid your child from posting fliers to advertise babysitting services or from taking out a newspaper advertisement-you never know whom such ads might attract.
- Restrict a younger babysitter's jobs to your neighborhood so that you'll be nearby and have a better chance of knowing the parents. Even better, have the parents drop off the children at your house at first, so you can help your child gain more experience and confidence.
- Be sure that your child knows basic safety precautions about not opening doors to strangers, unexpected delivery people, or even their own friends, especially if they suspect might be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Make a plan, too, for what your child will do if the parents appear to have been drinking alcohol and he doesn't feel safe accepting a ride home with them.
- Reiterate rules about never letting another adult take the children-even if the adult claims to be a friend or relative. Talk to your child about how to handle that situation (e.g., he can call the parents, you, or, if the adult in question seems particularly insistent or scary, even 911.)
- Enroll your child in a babysitting class, such as the ones offered by Safe Sitter or the American Red Cross.
- Be sure that your child always has the phone numbers he needs, including those for Poison Control, the children's doctor, the parents' whereabouts, and how to reach you, if you're out (this is one time to thank heaven for cell phones!).
Most sitters, of course, never encounter anything worse than a cut finger, a temper tantrum, or an electrical blackout during a summer thunderstorm. But giving your child clear instructions on dealing with all types of emergencies will give both of you an extra boost of confidence.
|
Created May 04, 2001
Reviewed August 15, 2004
| |
| | 
|
