Don't sit on the baby! The ultimate guide to sane, skilled, and safe babysitting

Advice for tweens and teens about getting and performing a traditional teen entry-level job: babysitting. This second edition of the 2012 original features up-to-date safety instructions, a modernized approach to behavior management, more inclusive language, and a fresh look. The text has been broken up into short paragraphs with bolded subheadings and presented with ample leading and spacing, which gives it a more inviting appearance. But much of the basic common-sense advice has been retained as well as the logical organization and examples from the experiences of real teens. The first section provides a self-assessment, an overall picture of what babysitting children of different ages is like, and tips for how to get started. A middle section covers essential skills for handling feeding, toileting, bathing, dressing, entertaining, and bedtimes as well as dealing with emergencies. Bondy strongly encourages getting first-aid and CPR training before taking on child care responsibilities. She offers excellent advice for handling challenging behavior. The text takes into account children with disabilities, encouraging sitters to communicate with parents about accommodations. A final section explains the business basics of babysitting, including a babysitter's rights and obligations. All this advice is conveyed with humor in a friendly and encouraging tone, suggesting a gentle, flexible, and responsible approach. With sensible and practical suggestions for a wide variety of situations, this is a welcome update. (resources, index) (Nonfiction. 11-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.