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Tag: emergency

  • The day I thought I was having a heart attack – emergency plan for kids

    The day I thought I was having a heart attack – emergency plan for kids

    emergency plan

    Ella was just three the day I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out, it was just a bit of indigestion. I may have slightly overreacted. It prompted me to write the post I don’t want to leave my daughters helpless about teaching Ella what to do in an emergency.

    I posted about it on Facebook and got a host of suggestions on ways to educate them, including the hilarious response from Barb who, after teaching her daughter to dial 000, decided to feign collapse. Instead of ringing for help, her daughter jumped up and down on her guts… not a good result

    Ella is now nearly five and learning to read, so I thought it was time we updated our emergency plan. If you can recall, the ringing Dad bit was easy. If Dad didn’t answer, then teaching her to ring 000 was fine too.

    It was this conversation that was worrying:

    Where do you live, Ella?
    Ella: “Hippopatmus Drv, Devonport (not our real street address, in case you were wondering!)’’. That’s fantastic, except we’re missing the all-important house number.
    “I don’t know.’’ After explaining that, yes, it’s seven, we tried again.
    “7 Hippopotamus Dve, Hobart’’. What? OK, so we’d just been to Hobart for a holiday. Let’s try again.
    “Devonport’’ OK, what about the rest of the address? Try again.
    “Um, I can’t remember.’’

    Challenging? Just slightly!

    While she knows our address well now, I’ve created an emergency plan with the crucial name and address on it incase (heaven forbid) she draws a plank under pressure. At least if she forgets her address or struggles reading the words on the plan, she can spell out the letters!

    Here’s a downloadable version of our plan  (with three options depending on your phone) to take your child through the process of:

    1. Finding the phone:

    2. Dialing the number

    3. Pressing the “call” button

    4. Speaking to dad/mum

    5. If dad/mum doesn’t answer, hang up and dial 000 and press “call”.

    6. Then, for those children that can read, having their name and address clearly written.

    Click the image or the links to download a copy of the one relevant to you, print and stick near your phone.

    Emergency with phone number first

    1. With the phone number, then the call button

    Emergency plan with call button first

    2. With the call button, then the phone number

    Emergency plan using coloured dots and programmed numbers
    3. With a coloured dot to signify programmed numbers (you can place coloured dots on the number son your phone).

    Other tips from readers:

    • Place important numbers on speed dial. For example, Dad is 1, Mum 2, Grandma 3, 000 is 4…
    • Again, use speed dial, but replace the number with coloured dots. Use Dad’s favourite colour.
    • Place the coloured dots on the numbers on the phone and pictures of each person on the fridge with their colour next to them.
    • Teach kids to call “triple zero’’, rather than “triple O”. With text messaging so big these days the young are trying to dial “666″ – ie the letter “o” button!
    • When teaching children their address, ask them questions as you’re driving home. For example, “now we’re turning in to our street. Which street do we live in?’’ and count down the houses till you get to your house. “What number do we live at?’’ and “what colour is our house?’’

    Have you taught your child what to do in an emergency? What are your tips?

  • FEATURE: I don’t want to leave my daughters helpless

    FEATURE: I don’t want to leave my daughters helpless

    I never want to leave this one and her big sister helpless.

    THE other night I had a pain in my chest. It frightened me. So much so, I realised if something happened to me at that moment, three-year-old Ella and her eight-month-old baby sister Holly would be helpless. Ella has no idea what to do in an emergency.

    So, after assuring myself it was a touch of indigestion, I Facebooked. As you do. You can read the full transcript on the TLP Facebook page.

    Sharna: My kids always knew 000 from younger than pre-school just incase. They were also told of the massive consequences if they rang it for no reason. It was rung once or twice and the people on the other end were happy that the kids knew what to do, but asked them not to do it unless it was an emergency. What about a number on speed dial? Like Daddy is 1, other people other numbers. Maybe change the numbers for coloured dots. Does she know dad’s fave colour?

    Sheralee: We have numbers programmed into our phone so all you need to do, for instance, is hold down the number 2 button and it automatically dials Adam. Maybe even put a dot of colour on the numbers on the phone and a pictures of people on the fridge with their colour next to them.

    Barb: Have been a bit slack with Darcy, but when Ellie was about 3 I did some re-enactments where I told her it was a game and that if Mummy fell over or hurt herself and couldn’t talk or move, to go get the phone and call 000. Taught her address and practiced a few times and then did a couple out of the blue to see if she got the gist. First time I feigned collapse she jumped up and down on my guts… not a good result. But next time I tried, she did it perfectly! Worth the peace of mind, for sure.

    Sharon: One funny/serious/odd new thing about teaching kids to call “triple O” is that with text messaging so big these days the young are trying to dial “666” as that is the letter “O” button!!! No joke. Tell kids it’s “triple zero”!

    So the next day I set about teaching Ella to ring her dad and the emergency number. Whoa, was this a challenge. Because I couldn’t figure out how to work the speed dial function, we drew a picture each to help her navigate the address book. I know, I may as well have taught her to knit with one needle. Much easier.

    Two very different versions of what to do in an emergency!

    In the end she mastered ringing Dad twice and if he doesn’t answer (obviously in a meeting… or the toilet), ring 000. Then it was onto answering the questions the operator may ask her. Her name? That was easy. What was wrong? “Mummy’s sick’’. OK, that’ll do. Her address? Well, that was a whole new challenge. For the sake of this post, let’s say our address is 7 Hippopotamus Drv, Devonport.

    Ella: “Hippopatmus Drv, Devonport’’. That’s fantastic, except we’re missing the all-important house number.

    “I don’t know.’’ After explaining that, yes, it’s seven, we tried again.

    “7 Hippopotamus Dve, Hobart’’. What? OK, so we’d just been to Hobart for a holiday. Let’s try again.

    “Devonport’’ OK, what about the rest of the address? Try again.

    “Um, I can’t remember.’’

    Oh dear, we’ve hit a hurdle. I must add that, generally, she gets our address first time. I’m wondering if the whole pressure of HAVING to remember it is doing her head in. We’ll keep working on it. Since this conversation, The Bloke in The Shed has promised to work out speed dial for me. In the meantime, their chances of survival are slim and none – and slim just left town.

    Have you taught your child what to do in an emergency? What are your tips?

    Linking up with Where’s My Glow? for FlogYoBlog Friday.

    FYBF