BABY-SITTING COURSE TEACHES JOB IS LIFE-DEATH RESPONSIBILITY

For more information about classes and locations, call (317) 355-4888 or write to 1500 North Ritter Avenue, Indianapolis, Ind. 46219.

The Safe Sitter program, founded after a needless death, provides training in first aid, rescue breathing and children's behavior at various ages.

A child needlessly dies because an adult baby sitter didn't recognize that the child was choking.

The baby sitter tried such things as putting the little girl's hands in the air and taking her outside. When the baby sitter realized the trouble, she called the fire department.

Dr. Patricia Keener, associate chairman of the department of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, was in the hospital emergency room where the child had been brought to see if anything could be done. But the child was dead.

"That was such a sad thing at the time for me, . . . and for everybody in the room," Keener said. "All I could think of was we need to do something so baby sitters would recognize earlier when there was a problem of life or death and get help in time to save somebody."

Two weeks later in 1980, Keener founded the Safe Sitter program, which trains baby sitters in first aid and rescue breathing, as well as children's behavior at different ages. "What we want to do is to impress upon people that baby-sitting is a life and death responsibility, and your very first concern has to be the safety of the child," Keener said.

The program has flourished nationwide, with classes in more than 250 sites in 39 states and Washington, D.C. About 10,000 children were trained last year.

Sixty percent of the funds for the program come from student fees; the balance comes from the Gerber Companies Foundation and Lilly Endowment. In Indianapolis, most of the instructors for the course are volunteers.

Safe Sitter teaches only children ages 11 to 13. The program's founder believes that older children are already baby-sitting and it would be difficult to change their methods.

Keener's three children have taken the course, including her youngest, who enrolled this past summer. "My son was so excited about taking this course, he wanted to do so well. . . . It's almost a rite of passage," Keener said.

Not only is Safe Sitter a program to save lives, it is also a program to teach children the business aspect of baby-sitting.

The two-day, 13-hour course teaches children how to get a job, accept or refuse a job and what information is needed from parents before they leave.

Eleven-year-old Sarah Germann feels that interviewing potential clients is an important first step. "I need to know what (the kids) are allowed to do for entertainment; do I remind them to go to the bathroom or when it is their bed time or what are the procedures for things."

For Geoff Klimaszewski, 12, who baby-sits after school, "It's a good way to make money, and I like to baby-sit. . . . I thought if I'm going to baby-sit I should be prepared in case an emergency happens while I am baby-sitting.

"I think it's an excellent program, and that if somebody likes to baby-sit, and they're really serious about it, they should take it." Geoff added: "I think my favorite part of the program was probably when we got to meet everybody. And talking about safety techniques as choking and artificial respiration."

Aaron Atlas, 13, found out about the program from a friend. "(My favorite part) was learning about the different age groups," Aaron said. "It was a good experience, and it taught me how to work with children so they like you. I learned that (baby- sitting's) not that easy."

Sarah said she would recommend the class to her friends because they "would learn a lot more than they already know," and their parents wouldn't have to worry about them baby-sitting.

Most of the children who take the course don't have to deal with life or death situations. The common problems are scrapes, bruises and nose bleeds.

Another problem baby-sitters must confront almost every time is how to keep the children occupied.

"Sometimes we watch movies, play hide and go seek, or play board games," Geoff said. "I do bring some toys (like) G.I. Joes for boys. (At my last baby-sitting job) there was a girl there, and I brought some of my little sister's My Little Ponies."

Keener said: "I think what Safe Sitter offers is information that is basic to child care and not just first aid. . . . But I also think that if you're going to take the responsibility of taking care of children that you need to know about taking care of children at different ages, how to be in control and keep them safe.

"You certainly need to know some basic rules of safety, and some of them are not common knowledge. Everything from locking the door after the parents leave, to drawing the drapes at night, to what to do if there is an electrical storm and you have a power outage. What if there is a prowler? How do you answer the phone? What happens if there is someone at the door? All those things about safety are very important," she said.

When children sign up for the course, they pay $10 and receive the Safe Sitter manual. If they pay $20 they receive the manual, a tote bag, introduction cards, a sheet of important phone numbers, dispensers for bandages and a flashlight in case the lights go out.

A recommendation of the program is to take the manual to every job so baby-sitters can have all the important information at their fingertips.

"(The first aid chart) helps them decide whether or not they need to call a parent or whether they need to call emergency medical services," Keener said.

At the end of the course, sitters must take a written test and an oral exam in which they show they know how to react to an emergency situation. They also must demonstrate rescue breathing. If children don't pass, they can take the course again for free.

After the course there is a ceremony where they are able to have their parents hear what they've learned. The graduates also receive a card that states that they are a Safe Sitter.

Keener feels that children who graduate from the program are not only better baby-sitters but they feel good about themselves, too. "They have a sense of pride that they have looked at how important the responsibility is. . . . They have a sense that they are prepared. . . . They are proud of baby-sitting because they recognize that it is a valued activity."