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| Wacky Facts L VXAVAV U\l / Chatter Box /■ Up until lhe 1860 s. the United Sutes madeX \N 1\ \ \ \\ \|S| ■’ I WL,/when 1 was little and I wanted to eat ( coins worth half a cent, two cents and three cents. \ \ \\ \\ \l ■ | lUgfl tfimMF//■MBy [ that was bad for me, my mother would always say, \ k One of the three-cent coins was called a “nickel" J \V\\\ \\ \ \ II I bSB/ (‘Don’t eat that. It’ll shoot your eye out J \because it was made of the metal nickel. Five-cent/ \ \k\\\\ \\’\ 1 L ftS / \. - Actor Brendan Fraser, pieces were made of silver until 1866.\\X\\\\ )| |\ I in InStyle magazine. — World Almanac for Kids A-:.' I I Copyright 2004 Chicago Tribune | | \ I Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tnbune WK Baby Sittin^ baß . cs ■Kk-i * Mk afc lH - .r jjfrl 1 V,--) IB FBK/ t;AI. EL . I < f i M ,/ “ i ■■'&•'■ • »&’''*?■ 5 i l_ ""W *■ , " d i W&l 3 I - ? v •• I W ■ - I ? - ? r W * M I * ;•. !’■ n * * | |b ""- ■mb ■■ *r ttKait.? Wfc <?., bßb tomium SS? 3 "’ Learn child-care skills from the pros A By Mel Nomt Chicago Tribune llowance not going as far as it used to? Instead of hitting up Mom and Dad for those extra bucks, why not consider going into the “business" of baby-sitting? Baby-sitting is a huge responsibility. But it pro vides valuable business experience and allows you to learn how to deal with people and situations. If you don’t have any brothers or sisters and have never watched children, though, you may not know what to do. Fortunately, professional-level baby-sit ting courses are held in hospitals, park districts and community centers across the country. The American Red Cross teaches many of these courses. Jen B„ 16, took a baby-sitting course when she was 12, because her mother wouldn’t let her baby-sit until she learned the necessary skills. “I learned CPR. I have never used it, but it makes me feel more confi dent when I am around children,” Jen says. “We teach lifesaving skills,” says Gloria Trevino, Community Safety Training Specialist for the Red Cross. “For example, if one of the children starts choking, our students leam how to do an abdominal thrust to clear the airway." Courtney M., 11, who took the Red Cross baby-sit ting course, appreciated another skill she learned: “I was having a bad nosebleed, and I pinched my nose and put my head down. My dad said, ‘No, put your head back.’ But I knew I was right because I learned about what to do for a nosebleed in my baby-sitting class.” “We teach our students not only to watch out for the safety of others, but for themselves,” Trevino says. ( \ f \ r \ / )o \ C7~C) ILLUSTRATIONS BY f RAUL TRARR/KRT Serving the North Georgia Johns Creek is proud to sponsor the (Air Poultry Industry and helping the N f Wß P a P e » in Bdocatkm program as part MgsagagCK* Students also get a baby-sitting manual to keep and a video covering situations they may run into, she says. “Kids leam how to interview the parents for whom they will be working," Trevino says. “They leam the regulations of the families and how to deal with things like phone calls to the home. Parents all have different ways of handling these things.” Until they became old enough to get jobs as kennel attendants, Nick and Jon T., 16-year-old twins, frequent ly baby-sat. “My mother is a nurse, and she taught us a lot about how to care for kids. And our older sister used to baby-sit and tell us about it,” Jon says. “One night a little girl got a bad stomachache, and before I was able to contact her parents, I knew how to comfort her." In addition to knowing what to do in an emergency. Courtney is concerned about keeping her “clients” busy. “1 bring a backpack full of games, books and puzzles to give them something new to play with," she says. Because of her age. Courtney baby-sits only dur ing the day. and lets the parents decide what they want to pay her, usually $5 per hour. The other sitters we talked to say they earn any where from $3 to $lO per hour, more during holiday periods like New Year’s Eve. * “I baby-sit every week and have a guaranteed income of around S3O that I use as my spending money," Jen says. “If the kids like you and ask for you. the parents will pay you more.” Baby-sitting courses can cost as much as SBO, and all provide a certificate of professional baby-sitting on completion. The certificate, Trevino says, may bring the sitter an extra couple of dollars an hour. However, she stresses that rates vary depending on where you live. Health Newi Kids are worried about obesitv, survey says There’s a lot of talk these days about kids and their eating habits. Some schools have been trying to cut back on the amount of junk food and soda that is sold to kids \ every day, and you hear lots in ' the news about the importance 3 of eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting plenty to exercise. This is becoming a very impor tant issue for American kids. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of overweight children in the United States tripled since 1980. In fact, \\ 30 percent of chil- dren arc now classified as being either overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. A recent Kids Health survey shows that kids are paying atten tion and they’re worried about obesity, too. According to the survey of more than 1,100 9- to 13-year-olds, 52 percent of kids surveyed believe there is a problem with kids being overweight today, and 59 percent said they’ve tried to lose weight. Here arc more of the survey's findings: ■ 54 percent of kids say they stress or worry about their weight. WHAT THE PROS KNOW In order to be a successful baby sitter, you’ll need to have a professional attitude. Here’s what is expect ed of a pro. ■ No visitors allowed unless special arrange ments have been made with the parents. ■ Leave the house in good order. Help chil dren pick up their toys and games. ■ When they return, give the parents a brief report of the children’s behavior and anything out of the ordinary that might have happened. ■ Know what to do in an emergency, and how to deal with a sick or injured child. SITES TO BOOST YOUR SKILLS Whether you’re learning new skills or brushing up on baby sitting basics, the Internet is a valuable resource. Check out these Web sites. ■ The guide at www.kldshealth.org Aeen/schooljobs/ jobs/ba byslt.html has a wealth of advice. ■ To leam more about the Red Cross’ Babysitter Training course, go to www. redcross.org/ser vlces/hss/courses/ babylndex.html. The site also offers safety tips, a guide to interviewing for baby-sitting jobs, and true stories of lifesav ing baby sitters. ■ For links to several sites that offer loads of baby-sitting info, visit www. kldskonnect.com. — —--j } ■ 67 percent of girls surveyed admit to some level of worry about their weight, compared to 41 percent of boys. ■ 55 percent of the respondents classified themselves as being "about the right weight." ■ 43 percent of a those respondents 'Bj| who classify them- ® selves as "slightly" or “very under- Q 1 weight" have J tried to lose ( weight. / 1 £ FORSYTH COUNTY NEWS - Thursday, April», 2004 - | In The News | Open Liberty! For more than 100 years, visitors to New York Harbor were welcome to explore the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of freedom. Crowds stood in long lines to get inside the 151-foot statue and climb the 354 steps to the crown. All of that changed on Sept. 11, 2001. After the terrorist attacks, the statue and its surrounding grounds on Liberty Island were closed to visitors. Officials worried that the site —g—y a a g—i wasn’t safe. The island I l/KAI— 1 reopened three months later, FORr X r&Gr but the statue remained closed. Recently, officials announced that security improvements will allow visitors to enter the monument once again, starting in late July. But tourists still won’t be allowed past the observation deck on the statue’s pedestal. The Statue of Liberty came to the United States in 1885. It was a gift from the people of France, in recognition of the friendship between the coun tries during the American Revolution. The statue grew to symbolize freedom, democ racy and a safe haven for immigrants. Before Sept. 11, nearly 6 million people toured Lady Liberty each year. But afterward, the number of visitors to the island fell by about 40 percent. For now, officials said the body of the statue will remain closed. The strong symbolism that attracts admirers also puts the structure at risk of terrorist attack. Additionally, potential fire problems and a lack of exits make the narrow, winding stairs that lead up to the crown unsafe. National Park Service officials said B that by the end of this year, more than 530 million will have been spent creat ing security and safety improvements. There will be new exits and fire-control , systems. Those who want to visit will have to make reservations and pass r W k through elaborate, air- M port-like security systems. “ > zf Rep. Anthony \ Weiner of New York y/r iWIV * said he celebrated < the "great news." / x . But he hopes IJ y , X tourists will jf // 1 A one day ’ V/ ! t expe ' / / thrill w . / of ~ 4 climb- /V ing the 11 statue. / I | “Reopening 11 the statue J a can mean c 2004 Time inc £ ■ T> only one aii Right. f thing: time for kids reopening Timetortode com jK IL ’ll - Kathrvn trademark. I ■ ot Time inc W ' L.l Satterfield I / I * "TBh J" ■ 60 percent of kids surveyed said it was harder for overweight kids to make friends. ■ 29 percent of the kids sur veyed said kids not getting enough exercise is the most important cause of kids being overweight. ■ 69 percent of kids sur- K veyed said that “eating healthy and exercising” is *• the best way to control AC body weight. Visit nahec.org/ Kids Poll/ for more information on the survey. A— Sara Clarkr PAGE 5A