All of the parents out there with 12 yr olds allowing them to start babysitting, don't send them out there unprepared, send them to a class for CPR and First Aid. Or better yet, sponsor a class in the privacy of your own home. Invite your friends and family and all of the neighbor kids who are ready to start watching kids to make a little money for the summer. Check out www.tjinstruction.com and sign up right away. The instructors are knowledgeable and very flexible in scheduling a class for you. The owner of the company is also an instructor trainer, that means if you are interested in becoming an instructor yourself, he can train you to do that as well. Don't hesitate, get educated on the life saving skills necessary in preserving life in the event of an emergency.
I respect what you say, but
I respect what you say, but the Red Cross offers excellent training, and is the ultimate authority on First Aid, CPR, and everything a young teen needs to know about looking after a younger child. They offer training sessions for a fraction of what the for-profit charge, and the instructors will be available by phone if a kid finds him/herself in a bad situation. Any person who has Red Cross certification can't be held liable for any action s/he makes in according with the training s/he has received -- so, if you've gotten the training, you're absolutely free to be a good samaritan. This company is okay in terms of its instruction, but it's a for-profit venture, and it doesn't have a stamp of approval by any goverment agency, first-responder group, or insurance company.
MEDIC FIRST AID programs
MEDIC FIRST AID programs have been reviewed by, and/or satisfy the requirements of, the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health Administration (DOL/OSHA), Department of Homeland Security, and United States Coast Guard (DHS/USCG). MEDIC FIRST AID programs are also recognized, endorsed, accepted or approved by state regulatory agencies, including those licensing Emergency Medical Services, child care, education, public health, labor and others. Additionally, MEDIC FIRST AID programs have been found acceptable for meeting requirements established by a wide variety of professional associations, councils, academies and boards.
MEDIC FIRST AID is a member of the National First Aid Science Advisory Board
MEDIC FIRST AID was a participant in the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) 2005 International Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) Science with Treatment Recommendations
MEDIC FIRST AID is a member of ASTM International, a voluntary standards development organization
All professional-level programs are approved by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS), the national accrediting body for EMS continuing education courses and providers
All MEDIC FIRST AID programs are evidence-based. All programs covering emergency cardiovascular care follow the 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care
Successful completion of a MEDIC FIRST AID program will result in the student's being issued a MEDIC FIRST AID Successful Completion (certification) Card.
Let me shed a little light
Let me shed a little light on your liability issues you spoke of in your reply. First and foremost if the 12 yr old is babysitting she has authority to render first aid in the event of an emergency. He or she's liability in rendering first aid is dependant upon he or she's ability to stay within her scope of training that she received. If she is found to be acting negligently in any way the "good samaritan" law will not help them in a court of law. That is the main reason the AHA and the Red Cross, as well as Medic First Aid will only offer participation cards or successful completion cards. Once you put the word certified on a card it implies a certain level of professionalism. Yes Arizona has adopted the Good Samaritan law to protect the common lay person from being found guilty if they act prudently in the event of an emergency but it will not stop the lawsuit. There are still stipulations to that law.
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I must say you just ruined
I must say you just ruined your chances for any business with your last response. Your initial posting tries to sound so professional and eleoquent, but then you sprout horns and go on the defense very quickly ... I'm not sure I'd want to take any recommendations from someone who goes from Jeckyl to Hyde so quickly .....
So you know for future solicitations ... this isn't a business forum, nor is it craigslist, we're here to discuss things that other mothers, fathers, and families may experience .... not to drum up business!!
FYI...there are babysitting
FYI...there are babysitting courses through the Y and many other school related afterschool programs. My sons got certified by a 5th grade teacher who was certified through the Red Cross. Any of these classes are invaluable to teaching kids the skills they need to be responsible sitters. My sons also role played situations and learned games to play with the kids they babysat for.
I agree with you that Red
I agree with you that Red Cross offers great classes, either being taught by teachers or adminstrators at your local YMCA. I don't think the original post was stating that these classes are sub par but rather suggesting a place for babysitters and families to look for classes to be trained. The first reply seemed to maybe not have all of the facts. The original poster did seem to get defensive rather quickly but they seemed to want to get the correct information out there. Too many times in forums like these, misinformation gets out there and people are steered in the wrong direction. Just my two cents.
For the record, I come by my
For the record, I come by my information about the Red Cross honestly. My late Dad devoted much of his life to working with that organization, and he taught thousands of police officers, firefighters, PRNs, EMTs, lifeguards, coaches, athletic trainers, teachers, and child care workers. When it came time for my big brother, and then me, to get our senior lifeguard certificates, he insisted on testing us himself. We had to dive into the pool fully clothed, strip, and pull out a guy who had spent a couple of tours in the Navy as a boxer. We ended up a little bloody and bruised, but not abused; we knew that, if we could wrangle Dad out of the pool, there would never be a tougher SOB to save.
not_the_mama, I hope that in
not_the_mama,
I hope that in my response you didn't think I was regarding Red Cross' curriculum as being unimportant or not beneficial. If you took it that way I apologize. The teachings of American Heart, Red Cross, and Medic First Aid all follow the procedures recommended by the 2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR. With that being said, I have had babysitters at my house that couldn't tell me the nearest major intersection for my location. My original post was more of an opportunity for this forum to seek out an inexpensive and fun way for families and new babysitters to get the training. I am a firm believer that the more people that know and are capable of performing CPR (no matter where they received their training) the better off we will all be. I have had the unfortunate task of performing CPR on 13 people and none of them survived due to the layperson not knowing or not feeling comfortable in performing life saving techniques. Your father did well in preparing you for the unthinkable and for that he should be commended, but most people are ill prepared to handle such an emergency. Classes by T&J Instruction try to educate and inform students on what to expect so when confronted with an emergency, panic doesn't overcome the situation.