Babysitter Training

 

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Video Transcript

Chuck Denney (UT Institute of Agriculture)
It’s an age-old parental dilemma - who will watch our kids? But modern day babysitting is far more involved than just an older child hanging out with a younger child. Parents want a dependable babysitter - maybe someone trained, even certified. That’s what’s going on here with UT Extension in Wilson County. This is a 12-hour course for youngsters in grades 5 through 8 where they learn to be a reliable babysitter.

Marietta Sanford (UT Extension)
“We want them to also understand that babysitting is just not something to be taken lightly. That it is a big responsibility.”

Shelly Barnes (UT Extension)
“We hope that they learn safety measures. We hope that they learn child development - how to work with children, not necessarily how to just play with them because play doesn’t always necessarily have learning involved.”

Chuck Denney
The graduates earn a magic bag of toys and materials they can use to engage children. That’s one of the toughest things for Katie Campbell when she babysits her younger siblings - keeping them from getting bored, but also making sure they stay out of trouble.       

Katie Campbell (Babysitter)
“It’s hard to entertain them most of the time because they want to do this, but they’re not allowed to most of the time is what they want to do. And mainly the food - getting them to eat it and making sure they don’t throw it at each other.”

Chuck Denney
A question here is the issue of age. How old should a babysitter be? It depends on the maturity level of the young person, but UT Extension recommends that babysitters be at least 12 years old.
     Experts say 12-year-olds can start out as Mom or Dad helpers, and then progress to watching children on their own. Just about all babysitting experiences are routine, but what if something did go wrong? In this class, future sitters learn basic first aid, and who and how to contact authorities in emergency situations.

Marietta Sanford
“Their main priority, their first priority is the children and safety. Anything can happen. We want them to be prepared for anything from a minor scrape to a real emergency.”

Chuck Denney
These young ladies will soon begin to earn money as babysitters, and will have certifications to prove they’ve been trained for the job. It’s what parents want in a babysitter - someone prepared and trustworthy.

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NOTE: Another issue for parents is how much should we pay our babysitter?
Most think minimum wage is appropriate, but you can vary the amount based on the age and experience of the sitter and how many children they’re watching.