WORTHINGTON — More than 100 youths in grades 5 and above from southwest Minnesota counties, and a few from South Dakota, attended a six-day virtual course on “How to be a Super Sitter.”
The youths attended daily one-hour sessions, led by staff from University of Minnesota Extension. The sessions ranged from babysitting information to making a babysitting kit, baby care, first aid, nutritional snacks, kitchen safety, play, child development and do’s and don’ts.
The babysitting clinic was designed to help participants develop the knowledge and skills to be a super sitter. Youths discussed the job description of a babysitter, developed skills related to caring, entertaining, and managing hard-to-handle situations with children 0-12, received healthy snack recipes, learned about diapering, bathing, quick ideas and practiced handling emergency situations. The future babysitters read the “4-H Babysitting Guide” along with handouts, supplies and watched a variety of videos along with hands-on learning. Participants gained ideas on how to create a babysitting kit with toys, games and activities, a first aid kit and many more items they can take to their first job.
