As a parent one of the most nerve racking experiences we have to do is find a reliable and trustworthy babysitter. Someone that we can believe will do a good job taking care of our child or children whether it is for a few hours on an as needed basis or someone the is going to care for them daily while we are working.

Here we are going to offer a number of tips for you to help you interview a potential babysitter. I recommend asking these questions whether you are looking at hiring a teenager or an adult.

First, do a prescreening call prior to setting up an interview with the potential babysitter. During this prescreening phone call you want to ask the following questions when interviewing a potential babysitter:

1. Ask their age
You have to decide what age range you are comfortable with. In my experience, you don’t want someone who is to young and inexperienced and you don’t want someone who is to old and unable to meet the demands of your child. You also want to keep in mind the age of your child/children.
   
2. Do they have a car?
This is important if you are planning on having them watch your child in your home.

3. What do they charge?
You want to make sure their fee falls into your budget.

4. What hours are they available?
This is important if you are looking for daily care. If they are only available until 3 and you need someone until 5 there is no point in interviewing them.

5. What references do they have?
We are all concerned about our childs safety. Make sure you ask for some references and call them. Also when talking to the references ask how often they use this individual and if they don't use her anymore, why.  There are also services to help you find a babysitter that does free background checks such are care.com.

Now we are going to look at the interview. Set up a time that is convenient for everyone, I recommend having your kids at the interview. The reason for this is that kids are really a good judge of character. While most children need to warm up a little to a new person, if they aren’t comfortable through the entire interview process this is not the right person for you. Plus you really want to see how the babysitter is going to interact with your child/children.

Prior to the interview come up with a list of questions that are important to you. You might want to know the type of experience they have babysitting. Whether or not they know First Aid and CPR. Have they ever been convicted or charged of/with a felony. If you are looking at hiring an adult, I recommend doing a background check. There are services on the internet that will run a check for about $40. It may seem pricey, but these are your kids and while I like to see the good in people, I am also realistic. People lie, either because they don’t want you to know and judge them on past behavior or they are up to no good.

Ask for references of past “employers” you want both good and bad. No one is perfect and it is a true show of character if they are willing to share the contact information of someone that they didn’t have a good interaction with and you can talk to them both.

Make sure that you get all of their contact information. Name, phone number for both home and cell, home address and I would even ask for a recent photo. It is better to be safe then sorry.

During that interview you are also going to need to go over your expectations of the babysitter and make sure that they can meet those expectations.

There are really wonderful people out there that will do an exceptional job taking care of your precious little ones, take the time to find them.

The alarm clock on the left is an example of a hidden Nanny Cam.

It is every parents nightmare. Police in Cherokee Country, GA say parents caught Nanny abusing their 13th month old child. In recent news, a woman who was hired through a national childcare service from the internet was discovered to be abusive towards a child of just a little over one year old that she was caring for. The family that employed this woman installed nanny cams once they began to notice behavioral changes in their child. The first day, in which the woman cared for the child under the supervision of the nanny cams, she was caught being abusive. The evidence portrays this individual slapping the young child in the face, pushing the child, and even pinching! Should you get a nanny cam? Stories like this seem to suggest “yes”.

You can read more of this story by visiting the following link: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/14938393/detail.html . Reading this story sent mixed emotions through me. I felt anger, sadness, and shock all at the same time. Having small kids myself made this story really touch home. The rest of this report will discuss signs of child abuse and questions you should ask your Nanny or babysitter before you hire them.

It has been estimated that thousands and thousands are children become the victims of some type of abuse each year. This is a very unsettling statistic for parents that require childcare services. If you are required to seek the assistance of a nanny or other type of babysitter for your children, it is important to be cautious when it comes to the selection process. A detailed interview should always be conducted prior to making an official hiring decision when it comes to child care. First, you should establish the educational and professional background experience of the individual you are electing to hire. Next, you should gain an understanding on any special skills and training that the individual has. Listed below are some examples of basis interview questions aimed at potential child care providers:

• You should ask questions that relate to “why” an individual has chosen child care as their career. Information about what makes the profession appealing to them, some of the fondest experiences that they have had in child care, and information related to the things that they expect from the position are important.
• You should inquire about the criminal history of the applicant. Many parents elect to have the individual agree to a criminal background check.
• Questions regarding relevant knowledge and experience in the area of first aid, CPR, and similar types of safety training are appropriate.
• Questions that display a person’s character should be asked. You may ask about how a particular “crisis” situation should be handled, methods of dealing with common childhood complications like temper tantrums and sleep difficulties, and even methods of discipline.
• If you are a parent that must seek the assistance of another individual to care for your child, it is especially important that you become familiar with the common signs of a child who is being abused. It is important to understand that the term “abuse” is a rather broad term; however, the specifications that contribute to abuse are rather specific. A child may be abused in the form of neglect, they may experience abuse that is sexual in nature, abuse that is physical is also common, and a child may experience emotional abuse. The following represents signs of abuse in children:
  • Children may appear to be unclean, and wearing inappropriate clothing
  • Uncharacteristic behavior
  • Withdrawing from social activities and situations
  • A decline in academic success
  • Not participating in play and/or events that were once exciting for the child
  • Markings on a child that have no explanation

Installing a Nanny Cam is an individual choice, and unfortunately a choice many parents should seriously consider if you need to hire a nanny or baby sitter. I am not advocating we all go out and get Nanny Cams, but until you really get to know your Nanny or babbysitter, it may be something a parent should think about.

These cams should be hidden in obscure places so that you can catch a “true” glimpse into the realities that your child faces when you are not present. You should make the time to review these recordings on a daily basis. There are many cases in which a child receives help a little too late.

What do you think? As a parent these type of stories send a lot of emotions through me. I don't know if I will go out and buy a Nanny Cam, but I will take more care and scrutinize the people who care for my kids when my wife and I are not around in more detail.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page to share your thoughts.

No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © 2007 All Rights Reserved

This is one of the craziest recalls I have seen and wanted to alert parents very quickly. CNN has just published news that Aqua Dots is being recalled. According to the CNN article, about "4.2 million Chinese-made Aqua Dots toys contaminated with a powerful "date rape" drug that has caused some children to vomit and lose consciousness upon ingesting the contents"

Plus I just noticed information on the recall is at http://www.aquadotsrecall.com/. The Aqua Dot recall page was put up just yesterday.

If you have any of these products go to the above recall page and make sure you throw the Aqua dots away or get them out of the reach of your children immediately.

Where is all this going to end? Toys with lead paint and now toys that when swallowed can metabolize into a chemical compound known as gamma hydroxy butyratecontaminated toys, a powerful "date rape" drug? As a parent I am really concerned and will need to be extra cautious this holiday season. The hard thing is that it is very difficult to find any toys that are not made overseas anymore and that is very upsetting.

So where is the quality control with products coming in from overseas? Where are the quality standards? I would think at the very least a random sample of each new batch of toys should be checked by the companies who make them? Maybe they are, if so how can such things get out to the consumers? As a parent and owner of More4kids this hits at home and has me very concerned and outraged. There is nothing more precious then our kids and we should do everything possible to help protect them.

I don't want to get political, but I will anyway, something needs to be done right now to ensure the safety of our kids and help bring back manufacturing to the U.S.

Here again is the page on the Aqua Dots recall to visit:

Whats a parent to do? The Christmas season is upon us and Santa may not make very many children happy this year. If there is a particular toy that your child wants and it is on the recall list, he or she is going to be very disappointed Christmas morning. Some toys are on hold and haven’t been shipped to the U. S. yet and some are sitting in ports waiting to see what is going to happen with them.

Not only are these children not going to get the toy they want, they may be getting rid of some of their favorites too. Recalls on Fisher Price, who is a subsidiary of Mattel are rapidly climbing as more problems are found with either lead based paint being used or small magnets that can be swallowed.

Dora, a favorite for every little girl is being recalled due to lead based paint being used. Sesame Street is on the recall list as is Polly Pocket, Barbie, and Easy Bake Oven. If you have purchased any of the toys that are on the recall list, these toys should either be returned for a refund of your purchase price. If you do not want to do this at least
throw them away to keep your little ones safe.

Although China was where the recalled toys were manufactured, the problems may have started with toy manufacturers wanting their toys made as cheaply as possible. Since their main goal is to make money, shortcuts were taken and now it may be children who pay the price. Toy makers are understandably concerned. However, is it the profits that they may not realize that they are concerned about?

Mattel has recalled the highest number of toys. August 1, 2007 they recalled 1.5 million preschool toys due to dangerous levels of lead. Again, on August 14, 2007, another recall of 18 million toys for magnets and lead levels that were dangerous. Now, just this past Tuesday, another 844,000 toys were recalled due to lead levels above the recommended amount.

Toy "R" Us has recalled about 16,000 Elite Operations toys due to high levels of lead. These toys were made in China. The toys are military style and their surface paint has levels of lead beyond what is considered acceptable. Four Elite Operations toy sets were included in this recall. On October 4, 2007, Toys R Us recalled 15,000 Totally Me! Funky Room Décor Sets. These toys had high levels of lead on the back of the decorating kits’ mirrors.

Over 700 factories in China that manufacture toys for distribution to other countries have had their licenses either revoked or suspended due to the recent recall. Guandong Province, which exports the largest number of toys, is under fire to improve their facilities and the quality of the product they export. 1,726 toy factories were inspected and 1,454 were not up to par. That’s 85 percent of the factories. They were inspected by 200,000 quality supervision administrators for all the products they make for exporting. Not only were theinspections for toys but foods and medicines as well.

Following the inspections of the toy factories, 764 had their export licenses suspended or revoked. 690 were put on warning to improve the product quality of the items they manufacture. The latest industry figures show that Guandong Province exported 11.9 billion dollars in toys in 2005. Despite these figures, administrative officials in China insist that only 1 percent of the toys exported have any problems. The reputation of China’s toy manufacturer’s is suffering as more and more people start to watch labels and take a second look at anything that says ‘made in China.’

Due to the volume of recalls recently, some store owners are worried about the impact this will likely have on Christmas sales. Not only will the recalls affect the number of toys that will be exported. The number of exporters having had their licenses suspended or revoked will drastically limit the number of toys available for the Christmas season. Some manufacturers have told the companies they ship to that they either will not get any more toys or the ones that they get will not arrive until December 15th. This could have a dramatic affect on what is available for the Christmas season.

How can you keep up with the recalls, especially since the year is not over yet? The best place is the US Consumer Product Safety Commision  They have also setup a page setup for just toys and another for all other non toy child products .

No part of this article may be copied or reproduced in any form without the express permission of More4Kids Inc © 2007 All Rights Reserved

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Presented by Kent Estes

Parents you need to train your children in child safety, and you need to know what to do in case a Stranger approaches them. I have taught hundreds of children on how to protect themselves from danger. We learn by doing, this is why parents need to go over these 3 simple rules that will protect their kids. You do not want this to happen to your child.

Rule #1 

Rule #1, your feet, which means run away, when there is danger a child should run away. Running away is a child's best defense against danger. Teach your children to think of their feet, it will be easy for them to remember because they will always have their feet with them. Hollywood makes it look like children can beat up an adult but in reality an adult will always win. The key here is to run away from danger and this keeps you safe.

Rule #2 

Keep away from me—-Distance

Rule #2, your hands , which means keep distance from strangers. Teach your children when they are away from you they need to keep distance away from strangers. A person may look OK on the outside but he is sick on the inside. We never know who is sick and who is OK. We need to keep away from strangers to be safe. Hold your hands up and this is how you remember rule #2, you do not want anyone to get close enough to grab you, if someone tries to get close to you, go back to rule #1 and run away.

 

 

 

Rule #3 

No Talking

Rule #3, your mouth, which means no talking. People who kidnap children try to trick them. They ask kids to help them look for a dog or a cat or things like this. The best thing you can do is, not to talk to strangers or anyone else when you are away from your parents. You remember rule #3 because you will always have your mouth with you. Kids this is the time when it is OK to be rude to other adults. We do not want you talking to strangers. If a stranger tries to talk to you, say, "go ask an adult"? or "I do not know I am only a kid". The least you say the better. Then remember rule #2 keep away by holding up your hands and rule #1 run away if there is danger near. Parents need to teach their children where to run to if there is danger. Run to your house, a trusted neighbors house, a relatives house, a Police Station or Fire Station or somewhere you want your children to run to, if there is danger near.

 

Credits

Kent Estes is retired from Law Enforcement after spending 24.5 years. He waswith the Broward Sheriff's Office for 16 years and prior to that I was with the City of Deerfield Beach Police Department for 8.5 years. He was the Sexual Predator Coordinator for Broward County for over 5 years.
To learn more about Kent visit his full profile on Squidoo at http://www.squidoo.com/lensmasters/Retired-Cop and learn how you can receive a free Child Safety Kit at http://www.squidoo.com/pollyklaas..yourchildsafetykits/ 

Good parenting is not only about when you are physically with your children, but it is also making sure they are in a safe environment when you are not there. If you are a working mom and don't have the benefit of family or friends to watch your child, it often becomes a necessity that you enroll your child in a daycare center. While you may be understandably leery, here are some tips for choosing a daycare provider which will help in alleviating some of the fears you may have. 

• Check out the daycare centers in your area, either on line or by calling.
• Find out if there are any vacant spots so you can enroll your child.
• Ask where they are located and their hours of operation.
• What is the cost?
• Ensure the daycare provider is licensed. 
• Ask how many children are currently enrolled in the center, and their ages. 
• Ask if they supply meals to the children.

The next series of steps you take are very important. Visit the daycare center and check on the following:

• Is it clean and safe? Is the ratio of caregiver to child appropriate?
• Are the children actively engaged in activities? 
• Do the children seem happy and are being taken care of individually. 
• Are there enough toys and materials with which the caregiver is able to engage the children in activities?
• How do the caregivers talk to the children? Are they warm and friendly?
• Ask the administrator to give you background information on the staff. Are they licensed in this particular area?
• Ensure these caregivers have been trained and have the proper credentials.
• Does the center have exits which are readily available to use in case of emergency egress.

The final step is first hand inspections. Visit several daycare providers during the early morning hours. Determine which center provides the best care and treatment of your child, and has plenty of activities and materials to keep your child active and focused. Then choose accordingly.

The other alternative is to choose a daycare provider to come to your home. This may produce another set of problems, especially should you decide to use a family member to help out. Make sure that you weigh your options carefully, and decide which is more affordable and better choice for you and your child. Research, talk to other moms, and network.

Life happens and sometimes life events are out of our control. One of the first things you think about when you are a single parent by choice (divorce, unmarried) or natural circumstances (death of a spouse), is who will care for my child or children?

There are a number of options and each has its pros and cons. Do your homework and based on your work routine, budget and the temperament of your child, choose a child care option that works with single parenting, not against it.

In-Home Nanny

Pros: You do not need to bundle up your kid at 6AM and leave him at day care. He does not need to catch the viral flu from other kids at day care and he can play in familiar surroundings and not have his bath or nap time disturbed.

Cons: If the nanny is a rotten apple in the basket of loving child care providers, as a single parent, you don’t have any one keeping an eye on her. Unless your child is old enough to express any signs of abuse or neglect, you may want to thoroughly check references or invest in a spy cam or web cam whereby you can monitor the person monitoring your child.

Day Care Center
Yes, day cares can be plagued with ill, cranky children, but many have strict rules of keeping sick children home. Regardless of whether you are a single parent or not, you have to be thorough about checking cleanliness, safety precautions and the atmosphere of day care centers because older premises can have problems of their own.

The advantages are that there is more than one caregiver, so there is a sense of security as compared to one nanny at home who could neglect a child. Yet, high turnover at day care centers may make it difficult for your child to adjust to a new person ever so often.

Home Day Care

On single parenting websites, one sees a lot swap child care with one another and work around their schedules so as to reduce or eliminate child care costs. Of course there are advantages with leaving your child with a familiar fiend or neighbor, but if she is running a home day care, and there are other kids in the picture, it is important she be licensed in your state, meet safety standards and have CPR certification.

Relatives

If you are so lucky as to have grandma or some other close relative care for your child – that can be an ideal situation provided the caregiver is in good health and again knows some emergency protocol.

References, References, References, and final thoughts

No matter what your child care choice may be ALWAYS check out references. If a person or day care center is unwilling to provide references then move on to the next. There is nothing more important than your child's health and safety. Remember most day care centers are licensed by the State they reside in and you can find out about many of them through the Internet. Even after you picked out a day care solution make friends with other parents and question how they like it. Its always possible a day care may hire a bad apple and you would want to find out about that as soon as possible. Also question your child if they are old enough and talk to them about their daycare experience. Get to know the staff and talk to them about how your child was and what our child did during the day. Become an involved parent and let your day care givers know you are interested in your childs activities. This will send a subtle message to let them know you are watching. These are just a few ideas. While we do not want to become paranoid, we want to be concerned and active in our childs health, safety and development when they are not around us.

I just read an intersting fact that the US Consumer Product Safety commission estimates that about 165 thousand kids 14 and under will be injured or trearted this year for toy related injuries. As a parent of two young boys, one 4 1/2 and the other 5 months it made me think about the toys we have and are planning on getting our kids this holiday season . Toy safety will definitely be on my mind this year. In doing a little research here are some quick tips to remember:

• Avoid Latex Balloons – When a balloon pops the fagments can pose a choking hazard and is almost impossible to remove from the airway .
• Read All Labels – Make sure when you buy toys you read and pay attention to any warning labels and guidelines. This is still important to do even though your child is older than the guidelines or is advanced for his or her age. You can never be too safe.
• Don't Forget The Helmet – Should there be a bike, skate or skateboard on your childs holiday list, don't forget to buy the proper safety equipment.
• Avoid Small Toys Or Parts – Choking is one of the main safety hazards for kids 3 and under, avoid buying small toys or toys with small parts that can be easily boke off.

This list is not include everything. Each parent has the responsibility for their child's safety and to be aware of their child's surroundings. Our children are our most precious gift, don't forget to use common sense this holiday season and be aware of not only the gifts you buy but the gifts family and relatives may buy for your children. More information can be obtained on Toy Safety by visiting the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Yoga for kids? Absolutely! The slow, flowing motions not only builds flexibility but takes a lot of concentation and can help slow a young mind down. It can help you child acheive balance in their young lives. Almost every children experiences stress with homework; pressure to compete with other children as well as non-stop after-school activities and over scheduling. All this can make for a very hectic lifestyle. Kids today, like their parents, are turning to yoga for both health and relaxation. Yoga for kids is a means of helping them to develop better body awareness, controlling themselves, and flexibility as well as coordination. Kids may be able to carry the yoga skills they learn beyond class and into their normal everyday routines.

Yoga is a fun and relaxing activity that can be a great sport alternative, or can suppliment your childs sports to add balance to their lives and perhaps even increase performance due to their increased concentation and flexibility that comes natually with learning this ancient art form.

by Patricia Hughes

Biography
Patricia Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four. Patricia has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University. She has written extensively on pregnancy, childbirth, parenting and breastfeeding. In addition, she has written about home décor and travel.

Posting Search Tags: Kids Day Care

by Kevin Heath

It is very important to teach your child when to call  9-1-1 and when not to. In a true emergency it could be a life saver. However, it is also very important to let your child know when not to dial 9-1-1. Some examples when not to dial 911 include:

1) If there is a power outage, or when their computer or toy is broke.

2) They should not call about the weather or if there are school closings.

3) When your child needs information that is not an emergency.

4) Directions

5) When your child gets mad at a sibling.

Posting Search Tags: Children Safety Child Safety Home Safety

Editors Comments: One of our writers, Karen Sibal shared with us the following story. Having 2 young children of our own it was kinda scary and hard to read. It really made my husband and I think twice about our home and how safe it is for our kids, and what we can do to make our home more secure. Julie

Here is the child safety story that Karen shared with us:

Recent statistics indicate that about 90% of household injuries to children are predictable and preventable.

Biography

Karen Sibal is a freelance writer, researcher and communications consultant. She is the owner of Sibal Writing and Consulting, a firm that specializes in public policy research and effective communications and web solutions for all types of organizations.  Over the past 15 years, Karen has done work for local and provincial governments and several not-for-profit organizations.  Karen has written extensively on children’s issues and has recently helped with launching an association for mothers and children in her community. She is a member of the Halton-Peel Communications Association and has also served as the managing editor of a government child welfare journal. Karen is currently authoring a children’s book series for preschool children and keeps busy with various community projects.  

Posting Search Tags: Parenting Baby Safety Children