LAGUNA HILLS : Class Teaches Youths Baby-Sitting Skills

Every month about 30 youths register for a baby-sitting class at a local hospital to improve their understanding of child safety and development.

“It makes kids feel very equipped,� said instructor Anne Faust, a childbirth educator at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills.

“Parents feel good because they know when they send their kids off to baby-sit, their children are responsible and prepared.�

Faust, 29, teaches the class once a month. Registration costs $15.

Kellianne Heckathorn, a 13-year-old from Lake Forest, said she took the class because she thought it would help in her search for baby-sitting jobs.

“Most people wanted people who knew stuff about baby-sitting,� she said.

Heckathorn said class instructors taught her to change diapers and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the class.

Another student, 12-year-old Stephanie Martin, also of Lake Forest, agrees that completing the class should help her find work. “I thought it would be better if I had a certificate to show people,� she said.

She has learned how to negotiate the price for her services with parents and to care for children of different ages.

Most of the students in the baby-sitting class are between the ages of 11 and 14.

They learn first aid, as well as lifting, holding, burping and putting diapers on infants.

They are also given safety advice such as not opening the door to strangers.

Faust said she strongly encourages students to take a more assertive approach when negotiating their fee.

“The kids kind of get shortchanged sometimes,� she said.

The going rates for baby-sitting run between $2 and $3 per hour, Faust said. However, some students command between $5 and $10 per hour.

“We’re in an area that is a little more affluent than others, and parents are willing to pay that for good care,� Faust said.