Protecting Your Children Even When You Aren't There
By Maria Bailey, Founder of BlueSuitMom.com and Host of Mom Talk
Radio
Protecting my four children from unnecessary dangers has always
been my top priority as a mother. Whether it was falling from
a bike or stove burn, I am always quick to jump to prevent
these accidents.
As my children have gotten older, I'm learning that there are
many things I just can't control, like unexpected situations.
Nothing could have prepared me for the day that I learned my
children were evacuated from what I thought was a safe environment
because of a bomb threat. I was completely breathless as I learned
via a call to my cell phone that they had been evacuated and
were in a holding area near by. My husband could not be located
and I was 3000 miles away on a business trip. You can only imagine
how defenseless I felt at that moment. I was so grateful that
the authorities had been able to find me even though I was sitting
in a meeting in New York City. I learned an important lesson
that day - always arm my children with contact and care information.
Today’s families are very active
and always on the go. Many parents work outside the home while
their children are much
more independent and social. Kids as young as elementary school
are spending more and more time away from their parents due to
school and extracurricular activities. Long before moving out
of the home for college, teens are driving further distances
and venturing beyond the city limits on travel teams and touring
church groups. All of this activity exposes family members to
an increase chance of accidents and emergency situations. How
can you protect your children even when they are out of your
sight? The best way to prepare your family for an emergency is
to take precautions long before accidents happen.
Preparing yourself and your family can be done in a few quick
minutes.
1) Create a family emergency and accident plan and educate your
children on what to do if something happens in your absence.
Calling for help and calling you should be on the top of the
list. However, include non-family members and close friends in
the event your cell phone is dead or you are in a bad cell area.
2) Make sure you can be contacted in the event of an accident
if your children can't do it themselves. You can't always be
there when your child needs you, but you can assure you get there
fast. Make it easy for emergency personnel to contact you by
equipping your child with Emergency Contact ID's. This critical
communication tool can be obtained through online providers such
as EmergencyContacts.com and is often included with other services.
Make sure to include multiple contacts and several phone numbers.
In the event of an emergency, it's important that your family
member receives the care they need and that medical professionals
can contact you.
3) Provide medical professionals with
the information they need to care for your child. It's important
your child gets the care
he or she needs when they need it. Time can be of the essence,
so make sure doctors know what they need to know to start administering
care. Services like EmergencyContacts.com that can also assist
you in compiling your family’s medical history and making
it readily accessible by emergency responders. This ensures that
the information will be available to professionals and current
at all times. Make sure to include any special needs or allergies
your child may have that would enhance or impede his/her care
in an emergency situation.
Emergencies can occur at anytime. Chances are they will happen
at the worst possible time or when you least expect them. Take
the time now to provide your family with the tools to handle
the unexpected. Prepare now so you won't find yourself regretting
your lack of preparation later.
(c) 2006 - All Rights Reserved. Take a few minutes to learn
how Emergency Contacts can provide you with an additional sense
of security and put your mind at ease. http://tinyurl.com/gs3lp