Published: June 23, 2008 12:31 pm            

Baby sitting classes offered

Instructors at Cullman Regional Medical Center are trying to prepare young baby-sitters for whatever situations they may confront in the line of duty.

The hospital hosted a Safe Sitter course recently in an effort to prepare potential-baby-sitters between the ages of 10 and 13 years of age for tough situations they could face when alone with a young child.

“They learn what to do in any given situation that can arise,” instructor Ryan Mann said. “They’re basically here to learn how to baby-sit safely.”

Mann said she hopes that through this course the 16 young students involved will come to realize just how much responsibility is involved with baby-sitting a child.

“When they accept a baby-sitting job, they accept the life of that child,” she said.

Throughout the two-day course the students learn CPR techniques best suited for children, how to prevent injuries, basic first aid, child rescue breathing, choking child rescue and infant rescue breathing, among other things.

Fellow Safe Sitter instructor Lorie Strane said that by going through the course, budding baby-sitters will have an edge over other baby-sitters who have not taken the class.

“I know a lot of parents are learning about this and starting to check, and hire baby-sitters that have gone through the Safe Sitters program,” she said.

Baby-sitter-in-training Shannon Dutton said she enjoyed the class and learned quite a few useful skills by attending.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “I like the rescue breathing, it’s pretty neat.”

CRMC representative Maria Stanford said she believes the course helps instill responsibility within the children involved.

“The course encourages children to become responsible sitters while going through intense training,” she said.

An upcoming CRMC Safe Sitter class is scheduled for July 31 and August 1.

Stanford said if parents are interested in enrolling their children in the class, they should register in advance.

“It is important that students register now for the July 31 & Aug. 1 class, since limited spots are available,” she said.

The class costs $40 for WomenFirst members and $50 for members of the community that are not members of the WomenFirst program.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.