Safe Sitter

S i tte r SAFE

Maer Morgan

Introduced to the League’s community agenda in the spring of 2014, Safe Sitter is a course designed to prepare students in grades 6-8 to be safe when they’re home alone, watching younger siblings, or babysitting. This six-hour course held on Saturdays throughout the year is taught by Safe Sitter certified League members who are focused on educating and empowering the area’s youth to be better equipped to handle emergencies and treat illnesses and injuries.

The Safe Sitter curriculum is broken down into four topics:

Safety Skills: Students learn how to prevent unsafe situations and what to do when faced with dangers such as power failures or weather emergencies.

Child Care Skills: Students learn tips to manage behavior that will help them stay in control of themselves and the children in their care. Students also learn the ages and stages of child development, as well as practice diapering.

First Aid & Rescue Skills: Learning skills such as choking rescue is often students’ favorite part of the class. Students also learn a system to help them assess and respond to injuries and illnesses.

Life & Business Skills: The ability to screen jobs, discuss fees, and greet employers will set students up for success now and in the future. Students practice these skills through various role plays.

Recently, the League’s Safe Sitter committee hosted their spring course with great success! The course had 15 students in attendance and the day was filled with informative teaching, intriguing questions from students, and plenty of fun and games! This year’s Safe Sitter program was led by Mary Frances Morgan and Emily Hamann along with Abbie Aiello, Tiffany Paine, Libby Lemoine, Elizabeth Crafts, and Emory Rachal.

Each year, the Safe Sitter committee aims to host four classes; two courses open to public enrollment and two classes offered through a local community center. The two courses for the general public charge a fee of $50 and include learning resources, a student instruction booklet, graduation certification, and food and drink during class. The community courses offered at local non-profit centers are free of charge to their students. Our partnership with local community centers aims to reach students whose family may not have financial access to courses such as Safe Sitter.

The Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier remains committed to serving the community by educating and empowering the next generation of leaders. We encourage you to join us in our community efforts by signing your child up for the next Safe Sitter course, joining the League’s committee, or sharing our course information with your friends and family! The next Safe Sitter course offering will be in fall 2021.

If you have any interest or questions about the Safe Sitter course, please email safesitterjlsb@gmail.com.