10 Certifications a Baby Sitter Might Have

Babysitting certification isn’t just your run of the mill class. It is a very serious subject and taught as such. The participants will be taking care of a very valuable commodity and need to receive the proper training. There are also some extra certifications a babysitter may have that go above and beyond. Below you will find ten certifications a babysitter might have.

1. Babysitter Training. Many cities offer a babysitter certification program through community education that trains local teenagers on babysitting. The course teaches everything from what to do in an emergency to how to handle discipline.
2. First Aid. All babysitters should be familiar with first aid, even if not certified. They need to know how to handle anything from a scrape on the knee, to a more traumatizing injury, that requires them to stop a wound from bleeding.
3. CPR. Another requirement you may wish our babysitter to have is training and certification in CPR. They need to know what to do in the event that a child starts to choke or cannot breathe.
4. Infant CPR. Some CPR classes will touch on infants and how they are different, however, by taking training that is specifically for infants, you get the specialization needed. This is a certification you will want to look for, if you have a child under the age of two.
5. Early Childhood Education. You may find a babysitter that is going to school for a degree in education and may already be certified to teach young students. This is more likely when you live in or near a college town and is very helpful if you wish for them to do learning activities with your child.
6. Online Certification. There are courses that are similar to classroom babysitting training that can be taken online. This is a great way for babysitters to get certified if they do not have training available in their area.
7. Safe Sitter. This is a program taught through hospitals that not only teaches the basics of first aid and safety instructions, but they also get more in detail about to keep children safe. Some of the topics include preventing injuries or accidents, feeding infants and recognizing and treating common childhood issues, such as diaper rash, bug stings and the common cold.
8. Lifeguard. Babysitting is not the only job that teenagers start out with. You may come across a babysitter who has been a certified lifeguard at the beach, pool or waterpark. This is a great certification for them to have if they plan on taking your children to the beach or a pool.
9. Self-Defense. This is a great certification to have for babysitters. It’s one of those that you hope is never needed, but glad they have it just in case. This is especially useful if they plan on taking the kids to a park or anywhere out of the house.
10. Music Instructor. If your babysitter is a certified music instructor, you can get some great benefits. Talk to them about a combined rate if they are willing to give music instruction while they watch your children.

Not all babysitters are certified, and while certification is not required to be a babysitter, it is certainly a qualification you may want to require of those who watch your children.

Taken From Nanny Pro