Babysitting Classes Offered at YMCA, Baystate Mary Lane

HOLYOKE, WARE — The Greater Holyoke YMCA will offer Safe Sitter classes for girls and boys age 11 to 14 on Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Greater Holyoke YMCA.

The following month, Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware will sponsor its Babysitters Academy on March 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the main conference room on the hospital’s second floor.

The YMCA’s Safe Sitter program is a medically accurate program that teaches young adolescents how to handle emergencies when caring for younger children. Registration is open from Feb. 1 to Feb. 18. The cost is $45. To pre-register your son or daughter or your child’s babysitter, call (413) 534-5631.

Thousands of young adolescents across the country have been trained by Safe Sitter instructors to handle life-threatening emergencies. During the course, students get hands-on practice in basic lifesaving techniques so they are prepared to act in a crisis. Safe Sitters also receive helpful tips to make them more confident caregivers. They learn safety precautions, how to understand children of different ages, and even the business of babysitting.

To successfully complete the Safe Sitter program, students must pass a rigorous practical and written test to show that they have mastered the key concepts and have the skills necessary to handle an emergency.

Baystate Mary Lane’s Babysitters Academy is a certified babysitter program for young adults ages 111Ž2 to 16.  The session offers potential babysitters instruction in baby care, first aid, CPR, fire safety, home security, child behavior, and accident prevention. Participants are given a course booklet containing helpful tips and other information, and will receive a graduation certificate upon completion of the course.

The program is offered by the Parenting Program at Baystate Medical Center. The cost is $30, and space is limited. Pre-registration is required by calling Baystate Health Link at (413) 967-2488.