BETHESDA, Md. - Marylandian -- Winter break is less than three months away, and many Montgomery County families will soon face the same question: is my child ready to stay home alone, or to watch a younger sibling for the first time?

Lindsay Karr, Founder and President of Mindful Beginnings, a Bethesda-based safety education company, is available as a local expert source for holiday and winter-break family coverage, or to contribute a short article on how parents can tell when a child is ready and what to practice together before that first afternoon alone.

"Parents often focus on age, but readiness is really about skills and judgment," said Karr. "Can your child follow house rules without reminders? Do they know what to do if someone knocks on the door, or how to call 911 and give your address? Those are the things families should practice together before the first afternoon alone."

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Karr brings more than 20 years of classroom teaching experience, a degree in education from Boston University, and a master's degree in educational psychology from the University of Virginia. Mindful Beginnings courses in home-alone safety, babysitting, first aid, and CPR are taught by registered nurses and certified educators and delivered directly at schools, congregations, and community programs across the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area.

Karr is also available for in-studio or remote TV segments, including a walk-through of five signs a child is ready to stay home alone, the house rules every family should set, and a live demonstration of how to help a choking child using a training manikin. Other timely angles include preparing a new teen babysitter before holiday parties, what every family should practice about calling 911, and simple first aid every parent should know.

Mindful Beginnings began when Karr, a Bethesda teacher and parent, found that local babysitting courses were hard for busy families to fit into their schedules. She built a mobile program that brings instructor-led training directly to where families already gather, and it now serves families throughout the DMV. About Mindful Beginnings

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Mindful Beginnings LLC is a Bethesda, Maryland safety education company offering instructor-led courses in home-alone safety, babysitting, first aid, CPR, college readiness, and caregiving for kids, teens, and adults. Classes are taught by registered nurses and certified educators and travel to clients within 60 miles of Washington, DC. Learn more at https://mindfulbeginnings.org/

Media Contact
Lindsay Karr, Founder and President
Mindful Beginnings LLC
lindsay@mindfulbeginnings.org
703-987-5979