Press Release Summary = Barbara Baldwin, a registered San Antonio
nurse, establishes National Babysitter\'s Day to recognize and encourage
acknowledgement of \"all the good, responsible youth\" in our society
who perform the service
of babysitting. She collected signatures from 45 states and
then called on President Bush and Congress for three years before
getting National Babysitter\'s Day listed on the official U.S. National
Calendar of Events. National Babysitter\'s Day is observed on the
Saturday before Mother\'s Day. This year it falls on May 13.
Registered Nurse Calls On President, Congress
To Establish National Recognition of Babysitters
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (April 29, 2006). Bothered that too much media
news focuses on “all the bad kids and the negative stuff they do,”
Barbara Baldwin, a registered San Antonio nurse, decided in 1999
to give “all the good, responsible kids” some positive press by
establishing National Babysitter\'s Day.
It wasn\'t easy.
She collected 2500 signatures representing 45 states, and then labored
relentlessly for three years before convincing President Bush and
Congress to establish National Babysitter\'s Day in recognition
of “all the good kids.” Helping her push the measure through was
San Antonio Congressman Henry Bonilla. The first National Babysitter\'s
Day was observed on May 10, 2003.
National Babysitter\'s Day, listed in Chase\'s Calendar of Events,
the official U.S. National Calendar of Events, is annually observed
on the Saturday before the established Mother\'s Day. This year\'s
observance of National Babysitter\'s Day is on Saturday, May 13.
“Having it before Mother\'s Day is fitting because both Mother\'s
Day and National Babysitter\'s Day recognize those individuals who
provide loving, responsible
care of our children,” Baldwin says.
“There are many good and responsible
youth in our society. I wanted to focus in a positive way on
what these young people do, and to recognize them for something
they could identify with and feel proud about,” she adds.
Baldwin urges the parents of babysitters and the families who hire
them to do something special for them on May 13. “Acknowledge your
babysitters by sending them a thank you card, taking them out to
lunch, or just taking the time to tell them how much you appreciate
what they\'re doing,” she remarks.
In an effort to educate
babysitter\'s and prepare them to better handle potential problems,
Baldwin established in 1989 a copyrighted Babysitter Training Program
for youth ages 11-17 called Safety Whys. Treated as a not-for-profit
franchise and coordinated with the San Antonio Emergency Nurses
Association, Safety Whys covers various topics such as CPR and choking
intervention, electrical and natural gas
safety, first aid, fire safety, infection control, and safe marketing tips.
# # #
Contact: Barbara Baldwin
Safety Whys
210-695-0838
bbaldwin@satx.rr.com
2009
