Teaching your children how to make it in the world is the most crucial tasks of parenting. However, it can be difficult to know how and when to teach them about emergencies. Walking the line of what material is age appropriate and the best approach calls for some careful consideration. Here is a quick rundown of how to introduce children to emergency safety and preparedness.
While it may be tempting to protect young ones by downplaying seriousness, it’s essential they learn to recognize dangerous situations and know how to react. Start by reviewing what constitutes as crisis. Is Mommy on the floor not talking an emergency? How about a sibling picking on you? Instructing them on which scenarios can be identified as an emergency is often the first step, depending on age.
This infographic was created by BlowHard Fans, lightweight ppv fan manufacturers
Next, it’s important to develop a family communication plan. Have your child memorize a parent’s phone number to call when something goes wrong. Around 4 to 5 years old, a child is typically developmentally ready to remember all the digits in a phone number. It can help to turn the numbers into a modified version of a lullaby or song. Also, it’s important that children learn to recite their full names and address as another step to emergency readiness. However, they must also be taught not to share this information with strangers.
After they’ve learned how to contact you, it’s time to teach them how to properly contact 911. Begin by describing what the service is and how it works. Explain that it’s important to know when it’s appropriate to call as well as what to say. You can role-play scenarios. Use simple words, avoid medical terms, and help children understand the seriousness while not frightening them.
It’s important to make it clear that calling 911 is never a joke or game and that there are times when it’s more important to get to safety first. This is a great opportunity to bring up fire safety, since getting out of the house can be more imperative than calling. Organize home fire drills and clearly indicate escape routes throughout the house. Practice these fire drills routinely as your child ages while exploring additional fire safety rules. To make the event of a fire, hearing alarms and seeing firefighters less scary, you can take the little one on a firehouse tour.
Other preparedness advice would be to create an emergency kit together as a family. Explain why the items are necessary and what each one does. The same goes for a first-aid kit. Teaching basic first-aid skills can start young. If your children are still too small, instruct them on how to show an adult, for example a babysitter, where it’s located in case of injuries at home.
Encourage your children to ask questions throughout each stage. Their understanding of emergency situations could mean the difference between life and death. For more tips on teaching your children emergency safety, please see the accompanying resource by BlowHard Fans.
