Beware of Guns and Germs

"I think those Red Cross ladies are from the city," commented Emma when I picked her up from a babysitter certification class last Saturday.

"What?" I asked, still trying to read between the lines of what she had said.

"They told us that we should wash our hands before we touch the child and after we touch the child. We should wash them before we go to the bathroom and after we go to the bathroom. If we find the child unconscious on the floor, we should stop and put on gloves before we help them."

"Oh," I said. "Before you go to the bathroom?" I repeated, somewhat confused.

"Yes. And if you hear gunshots, you should grab the child, lie on the floor, and call 9-1-1," Emma explained.

"Maybe they usually teach this class in public housing projects," I suggested.

Emma continued her story by telling how she had raised her hand and asked,"Shouldn't you look out the window and see who is shooting? People shoot all the time around our house. I think the 9-1-1 people might get mad at me if I called every time I heard gunshots."

The teacher responded that Emma could look out the window if she wanted to, but the Red Cross recommends grabbing the child, getting on the floor, and calling 9-1-1.

Miraculously, they gave Emma her certificate anyway.