The Pine River Library is offering a babysitter training class for Bayfield-area teens May 30 and 31.
The two-day course has been offered since 2009, training teens (12-18 years old) on basic childcare, nutrition, diapering, entertaining kids, and more. Last year a basic understanding of early reading literacy and social/emotional literacy skills was added. Marketing and professionalism are also included in this updated class. Alumni PRL babysitters may audit the new training topics if they wish. The healthy snack portion of the training this year is provided through a partnership with Cooking Matters. The full training also features a full-day basic lifesaving course including CPR/First Aid training, allowing teens to receive official CPR/First Aid cards from the American Heart Association. The first aid training portion is provided with help from a partnership with Bayfield High School.
Children's and Digital Services Manager, Elizabeth vonTauffkirchen, says the course has been popular for local teens, adding, "All teens who participate in our classes become a part of the library's babysitter referral list." The referral list helps match local teens with Bayfield-area families looking for childcare.
The class will be held Tuesday, May 30 and Wednesday, May 31 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The class is $40 per student, and payment is due at registration. Scholarships are available from the Friends of the Pine River Library for teens needing financial assistance.
Teens also have to apply for the course. Applications are available on the library's website at http://bit.ly/2q2Uu23. Copies are also available at the Library Information Desk. Applications are due on Saturday, May 20. Applicants will be notified on Thursday, May 25 on whether or not they are accepted into the class. Twelve teens between the ages of 18 and 12 years old will be selected.
In addition to training new babysitters, the library is also offering a limited number of spaces for Babysitter Training alumni wanting to recertify their CPR/First Aid cards. The cost for recertification is $70.
For more information on the "Babysitter Training 2.0" course contact Liz at 884-2222, ext. 517.
