What Oklahoma babysitting laws are there?

Answer 1

Safety is important in any situation, but doubly so for babysitters. According to the U.S. government, over 1.2 million teens baby sit every year.

According to the Enid, Oklahoma fire department, fire safety is a big part of a babysitters job.

Although certification is not required under the Oklahoma babysitting laws, many teens chose to take a babysitter training class offered by the American Red Cross.

The class covers what to do in emergencies, as well as how to amuse children and change diapers.

There is no law in Oklahoma on the age for babysitters. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, babysitting is one of the few jobs that teens under the age of 14 may legally accept. The Red Cross course is aimed at youngsters ages 11 to 15. Many experts recommend that babysitters be at least 12 or 13 years old. In general, the rule is that the younger the child is, the older the babysitter should be.

According to the Enid Fire Department, prevention is the best cure for fires.

Babysitters can guard against a fire emergency by taking a few simple precautions:

When the children are in bed, close their bedroom doors. In the event of fire, this can slow smoke from spreading and may give you and the children extra time to escape. Remember: Closing bedroom doors means you'll have to listen more carefully for the children.

Move matches, lighters, or any other smoking materials out of the reach of small children.

Keep space heaters at least three feet (36 inches) away from things that burn such as furniture and paper. And keep children away from space heaters.

Cook only with permission from the children's parents. Set a timer to remind you to turn everything off.

Whenever you cook, turn pot handles so they don't stick out over the edge of the stove. This helps prevent dangerous spills of hot food and liquid.

Never put anything into a microwave oven unless you are absolutely sure it is safe. Paper, glass and microwave-proof earthenware are safe. Never put metals, including aluminum foil, in a microwave.