It's a necessary service provided to the community. It teaches important life lessons like responsibility, empathy and patience. It's a formative experience upon which career goals can be founded.

Babysitting is a great way for young people to help others while helping themselves.

Part of Bernadette Cisney's responsibilities as the youth program coordinator at the Lititz recCenter is to instruct a training course in babysitting.

"My own kids love their babysitter," said Cisney. "They get excited when the babysitter comes over. It's someone different. Some babysitters come in like, 'What do you want to do next?' For parents, the babysitter gives them a night out and gives them a break. My babysitter is someone my kids love and who I trust."

The babysitter training course that Cisney teaches at the Lititz recCenter, which is located at 301 Maple St. in the borough, is affiliated with and certified by the American Red Cross (ARC). Cisney uses materials provided by the ARC to instruct the course's students, and the names of those who successfully complete the class are kept on file with the ARC.

The Lititz recCenter offers the ARC babysitter training course about six or seven times a year, based on need. The next course is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 26, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

There are fees associated with the training. For additional information or to register, go to https://lititzrec.com/youth-programs.

"I think a successful babysitter is someone who can come in ready to play," said Cisney. "They are not being paid to be on their phones. They are kids who are being paid to do a job, maybe help with homework or make basic meals. I also want babysitters to know that when a decision needs to be made, they're in charge."

The one-day, six-and-a-half-hour, in-person ARC babysitter training course is taught in a classroom setting in one of the Lititz recCenter's multipurpose rooms. Through an ARC manual and PowerPoint presentation, as well as hands-on instruction, the attendees learn basic child care skills, first aid, rescue breathing, leadership development and choking training.

"The goal is to teach kids how to care for the little ones they will be taking care of and for them to remain safe themselves," said Cisney. "We're there and learning. While it's a classroom setting, I want them to have fun. I want them to ask questions. If you have experiences and they're on topic, I want them to share it. I want it to be a relaxed environment."

The Lititz recCenter's ARC babysitter training course is designed for youths ages 11 to 15, and each course is limited to 10 students. Typically, the youths who take the course reside in the Warwick, Manheim Township and Manheim Central school districts.

"They're kids who are ready to work with little kids," said Cisney, a resident of Lititz. "They want to create relationships with little kids and their families. They're motivated to have a job. Maybe they want to work with children in the future. They may want to save up for something. They want to work, and they want to get paid."

Students in the babysitter training course also learn how to market themselves as caregivers, how to use business cards and how to build a resume. They are also provided information about the importance of networking.

"You're going to meet different families who have different rules," said Cisney. "So, you have to respect those rules and be flexible. But in the end, I think babysitters should make it their own experience. The families you babysit for have friends, and you can develop a client list. You can also get paid for something you enjoy. People you babysit for can become references. It's an opportunity to build work experience."

"I want people to know the opportunity exists," she continued. "It's an opportunity for kids to learn, and I want parents to know that they will do so safely. They're sending their kids to another family's house, and they want them to be safe. It's important for them to keep themselves safe because they're still kids."