Babysitting in any Situation

            Wednesday night's hostage situation has moms and dads worried about the next time they leave their kids at home.

“We don't know what the motivation is going into the home invasion,” said Rachel Dodge, who teaches babysitting courses at Red Cross.  “If it’s to hurt someone, to steal something, something like that.”

            But no matter what kind of situation it is... keeping the kids safe is the primary concern.  And babysitters everywhere should heed this warning: be prepared.

“Babysitters as employees and parents as employers should have a plan of action,” said Dodge.

12-year-old Arin Saless has been babysitting for almost two years now.  But don’t put her years before her ability.

            “I took a bunch of classes, so I'm pretty much well prepared for anything that could happen,” said Arin.

            Arin is one of many young adults who have taken a course on proper babysitting.  And now she takes care of little Jacob and Zach on a regular basis. 12-years-old might sound like a little young to be in charge.  But for Arin... it's all about proper training.

“If a child I'm babysitting is choking or anything like that, then I could give them CPR or whatever,” said Arin.  “CPR, first aid, I know pretty much anything that could happen, it's pretty much taken care of.”

            Knowing what to do in any situation can make all the difference when it comes to child care.  And as a parent, it’s up to you to communicate your safety plan.

“Always consider, what they would do themselves in an emergency,” said Dodge.  “They want their babysitter to be informed of what their own expectations are.”