In an ideal world no child would ever have to navigate through an emergency situation without the assistance of an adult. While the thought alone is scary, it’s crucial to provide our children with knowledge and confidence so that they are able to handle emergency situations.
Be a role model. During little day to day emergencies, such as getting cut or bruise, feeling sick, dealing with severe weather, etc. conduct yourself in a manner you would want your children to mirror should they find themselves in a similar situation. Be calm, be thoughtful, and always put safety first.
Talk about it. Vocalize general safety precautions and procedures during day to day little emergencies. For example, before treating a cut or scrape say “first I am going to wash my hands; you don’t want germs near a wound.” Continue to vocalize any additional steps, for instance “now I am applying pressure because that helps to stop bleeding.”
Be prepared. Make sure your children know where to find a list of emergency phone numbers, first aid supplies, etc.