When Heather Cooper needed a babysitter for her twins, she thought of her neighbor's son, Ethan.
He's a mature 13-year-old. But handling two 7-year-olds is a big responsibility.
"When I was first babysitting it'd be kind of weird being the oldest person in the house and being in charge," said Ethan.
Heather worried about trusting a teen with a job that's challenging even for a mom.
"The first couple times, it's really, really hard, but it gets better. But you know it is a little bit of a leap of faith," said Heather.
She recommended Ethan take a class she helps coordinate in her role as health educator at Seattle Children's Hospital. It's called Better Sitters.
"A big portion of the class is spent talking about developmental levels of kids, and then the safety concerns that go along with each level," said Heather.
Ethan says the class gave him confidence.
"I learned a lot of the questions to ask when I'm babysitting, like where things are, and a lot of information," he said.
Sitters are armed with a form they fill out with parents before a first babysitting date.
"Find out where their first aid kit is, and where the circuit breaker in their home is, and where the disaster supplies are in the home," said Heather.
Another guide offers teens quick answers for situations from choking to nosebleeds.
"Depending on the emergency I would either call my parents or call 911. And also for an emergency I also have a contact list that they gave me," said Ethan.
And sitters learn which activities are age appropriate.
"It's a lot of fun because they like playing games, and they're a lot of fun to be around," said Ethan.
And that's reassuring to a parent.
For teens that want to go on to the next step, Seattle Children's offers a CPR class geared specifically to babysitters. The Better Sitters class costs $40. It's available to kids between 11 and 13.
