European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Adventures in err Rorr off a or  a for european style by Anita Gosch staff writer Icyle Brewster does t put a Price on her experience with handling youngsters. The 13-year-old, who has been baby sitting children other than her two Sisters for the past year says her fee varies. Quot the parents give me what they think they  and she usually gets paid fairly says Nicole who will enrol this fall in the eighth Grade at Lakenheath Middle school in England. Jennifer Cox of Herzog Nakrach Germany says her fee a from $1 to�?T$1.50 an hour per child a suits her just Fine. Quot that s pretty Good Quot says the 16-year-old, Quot some baby Sitters charge $2 or $3, but that does t seem right to me. It s just too  Money a or the amount of it a does no to appear to be a major concern among american teen Sitters in Europe. The maximum rate is about $2 an hour. That a a Dollar less than what baby Sitters in the United states usually charge. In fact baby sitting in America has become a min business for kids according to an article by the new York times inspired by Ann Martin s Best Selling Scholastic paperback Book series the baby Sitters club teens throughout the United states Are forming actual baby sitting cooperatives. Mimicking the one in the books the clubs Are fairly formal affairs with officers business cards dues and office hours. Fourteen year old Matt Morrison of Darmstadt Germany can remember getting $3 an hour when he started baby sitting in Maine two years ago. Now he gets $2 an hour to baby sit three children Between the Ages of 6 and 10. Quot i Don t mind because they re older and its not that hard Quot says Matt. Quot if they were younger then id want More. But its easy. I Don t really have to do anything a just make sure they Don t Hurt  Elena Lopez of Kaiserslautern Germany agrees Quot people act like it s really hard to take care of kids Quot says the 15-year-old. A fall you have to do is watch them and put them to  Elena gets $2 an hour to care for her two charges 5-year-old Eddie Johnson and his sister Anne 2. Quot i enjoy baby sitting Quot says Elena. Quot i guess that s Why i Don t charge that  the titters May not mind the lower rates in Europe but at least one Mother is furious. Quot the word needs to get out about the Low pay baby Sitters Here receive Quot says a Mother of three teen Sitters in Germany. Quot what parents spend on entertainment often far exceeds what they spend on child care a which is wrong since children Are our  Thelma Gibbs director of the child development program at Rhein main a Germany believes that the lower Cost of living for american military families overseas contributes to the lower baby sitting fees. Quot also the demand for baby Sitters is lower than in the states so there a More Competition Here Quot Gibbs adds. If making big Bucks Isnit a big concern for baby Sitters in Europe Why do they do it a in Telephone interviews with a handful of Sitters the response was unanimous they like it. A i just love playing with kids. I can do that for. Hours Quot says Elena. Quot its better than sitting at Home Quot and watching to All  Quot i guess its the responsibility Quot says Jennifer. Quot you take care of someone s child while they get some free  in fact according to Jennifer enjoying the Job is part of what makes a Good Sitter. Quot you have to like baby sitting to do it Quot she says. Quot you can to just do it and think its easy  Jennifer who also has a summer Day Job at a fast food restaurant has had the added pleasure of. Watching one of her regular charges grow from a 6-month-old toddler to a 2-year-old boy. Quot it s neat Quot she says. Quot he knows what it Means when i come  most of the Sitters have regular customers. Matt takes care of his three charges usually on wednesday evenings when the parents take part in a basketball leagues amps Lynda Davidson Elena Lopez of Kaiserslautern supervises colouring time for Anne and Eddie Johnson. Bonnie Standridge of Rhein main baby sits two boys one 5 and the other just under a year usually each monday and wednesday. The 13-year-old gets $1.50 an hour for the older boy and $2 an hour for the baby. Quot the older one is usually outside playing when i get there. All i have to do is Check on him and maybe fix him lunch Quot she says. Quot the younger one i have to stay and watch a lot. I Haye to make sure he does t get into  Bonnie got her regular baby sitting Job through a Friend who was returning to the United states. In fact unlike members of the stateside baby sitting clubs who Post fliers to get jobs Sitters in Europe tend to get their work through word of Mouth. Friends of friends or acquaintances of parents will most often Call. The Sitters prefer it that Way. And they prefer jobs in their Orr neighbourhoods. Quot i feel uncomfortable baby sitting off base Quot says Bonnie. Quot there Aren t very Many people i can get in quiet time before bed Elena and Anne. Contact with if something should  if she does baby sit for parents who live on the Economy she adds  bring the children to her House. Many communities in Europe have lists of available baby Sitters at family support centers. The Center at Lakenheath for instance has the names of about 15 Sitters. % Quot we try to put Down anything that a restrictive Quot like curfews and transportation requirements said Cece Medford the centers director. The list also includes the Sitters age address and phone number. Each person on the list is required to have passed a baby sitting course sponsored by the red Cross said Medford. The courses Are offered in military communities throughout Europe. Even those Sitters who Haven t taken the course have a Heap of practice under their belts. Nicole of Lakenheath gained her experience by helping mind her Sisters Shelly 5, and Edythe 9 months. Bonnie baby sat her younger sister. She also received some valuable advice from an expert at a amps Lynda Davidson taking care of children. When i was younger about 9 or 10,1 would help my Mother when she baby sat Quot she says. Quot she taught me How to feed babies change diapers How old someone has to be before they can go outside what toys Are Safe and which ones have buttons or something that can come off and the baby can  Bonnie s experience came in Handy once when her 5-year-old charge fell off his bicycle and skinned his knee. Quot i took him into the bathroom and cleaned up his scratch. Then i just put a band Aid  one of Matt s regulars once got an earache that turned out to be a bad infection he says. A a. I just took care of him and made sure everything was All right. He was in pain but he was t  generally though none of the Sitters have had any major crises arise when they be been on the Job. Things go pretty smooth Quot says Matt. Quot no . V children learn How to care for babies during a red Cross baby sitting course. A amps Anta ooh cd learning the basics by Anita Gosch staff writer Quot baby sitting in t Only a girl s Job. I like to learn about a abyss habits and what they  eleven year old Joseph Drummond Learned that babies do a lot of things they eat they burp they cry and they make dirty diapers. He got All those important lessons at a recent babysitting course sponsored by the american red Cross at Rhein main a Germany. The two Day course offered free to children 11 years and older was designed to teach youngsters the basics of Short term baby sitting. Patrizia Selvo Learned just what to do with dirty diapers. Quot you re supposed to take it off and fold it up Quot said the 11-year-old. In hands on practice on three Large dolls the children also Learned How to hold babies How to dress them feed them burp them and Brush their Teeth. Quot our goal is to teach children to be responsible in the areas of the Basic needs of babies health care and safety Quot said Thelma Gibbs director of the child development program at Rhein main. Volunteer instructors used film strips audio cassettes and flip charts to demonstrate the growth and development of babies symptoms of illness Accident prevention and safety precautions inside the Home and outdoors. Students also Learned Basic first Aid and How to handle emergencies such As nosebleeds and choking. Disciplining and supervising children were covered in the classes As Well Quot we Learned not to yell at them so they wont feel bad Quot said Ulrica Branham Quot you have to be patient and talk to  the students also did role playing of typical situations then discussed How to handle them. In one scene for instance one child played the part of the baby Sitter and another played the part of a Parent who would t pay the agreed upon Lee Quot they said the child should refuse to baby Silor that Parent again and also spread the word about the breach of contract Quot said Gibbs. Quot they suggested getting the fee in writing when baby sitting Lor people for the first  the future baby Sitters also Learned How to prepare simple yet Well balanced meals for their charges. Quot before you feed the baby what do you do Quot asked the instructor. Quot Wash your hands Quot the youngsters shouted in unison. At the end of the course the students received pins and a certification card from the red Cross. Then it would be up to them to get baby sitting jobs using the Job Hunting tips they Learned. Quot baby set Ting a fun and we re too Young to get other jobs Quot said 11-year-old Bryan Miller. But what about the dirty diapers Quot you just have to take it seriously. You can t Gross out Quot said Bryan. Quot you gotta act like an adult when you re baby sitting because you re the  Quot besides Quot added Joseph Quot it s nothing you can i Wash  Check with your local red Cross to find out if babysitting courses Are offered in your area. Volunteer baby silting instructors Are always needed. Page 14 a the stars and stripes wednesday july 31, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 15