Red Cross babysitter boot camp....worth $125?

[Tap]

Is the Red Cross Baby sitter boot camp worth $125? DD has a chance to go to a 2 day 9-5 class next week. I am thinking about letting her go. She would like to do some babysitting this summer and I thought this would be a good place to start. She can't watch dd6 due to her issues, so while she has little sister experience, she doesn't have 'babysitter' experience.

[Petrichor]

I think it would be a good experience. I attended a multiple week baby sitter course ( a couple hours/wk) when I was around your middle DD's age and it helped me feel confident watching other people's kids, but it's also benefited me in life, learning valuable first aid skills and whatnot.

[Erica in OR]

It sounds as though it would be a useful class, but it seems pricey to me. My older kids have done a babysitter training course offered through the 4-H extension office and it was only $15 for a multi-hour, multi-night course. I looked at one of the Red Cross boot camp descriptions and it covered many of the same things as the 4-H class. I don't think the 4-H one covered CPR as thoroughly as it looks like the boot camp does, but my oldest also took a separate CPR course (I'm thinking it was $40). But, if schedule and timing work out for you, that could be worth the cash. For example, our 4-H class is only offered a couple times a year and if you don't catch it, you're out of luck. If you want her to babysit this summer, it would be a great help.

[Luckymama]

Older dd learned a lot during her Red Cross course, though it was just one day long and cost maybe $35 (more than six years ago). The information really helped her during her first babysitting jobs that summer.

[bettyandbob]

That seems high. It is longer than the basic Red Cross babysitter's course. And I do know the Red Cross has started charging more for their courses.

 

Are they rolling full CPR into it? And the full first aid course? Then the price would make sense.

[catz]

I do think the price makes sense if they do full on CPR in the class. I did a similar class when I was 10 - 2 full days, full CPR and first aid training, and it was great.

[joannqn]

I'd only consider it if it was a full first aid and CPR course. My DD is doing their online class for $20, then I'm going to find her a CPR class to take separately.