Earlier this month my wife had to be out of town for a week, so I was in charge of the kids 100% of the time. This isn't the first time she's been out of town, but it's the first time in a couple of years. After taking my wife to the airport I had the thought, "does my 5 year old know what to do if something happens to me". Granted, the chances of that are low, but one never knows. So that night we had a discussion about what to do if Daddy wouldn't wake up or if Daddy was lying on the ground and couldn't talk or get up.
As part of our discussion I talked to her about calling 9-1-1 and taught her how to use my cell phone. First she learned how to turn it on and get to the main menu screen. From there I showed her how to get to the phone and dial. Then I had her repeat the process a couple of times on her own to prove to me that she knew how to do it. Then we talked about what to say to the dispatcher. We discussed that it's important to tell the dispatcher your name and address. On our fridge we have written our home address and I showed her where to find it and how to say it.
I walked away from this discussion feeling confident that she knows what to do, but periodically we'll review the procedures to make sure she hasn't forgotten. These are discussion that every parent should have with their child. Never assume that your child knows what to do.
C goes away often enough that I've had this discussion already. Also we have a landline, which mitigates the address issue a little (though she does know it). I like the idea of having it written down somewhere, only she doesn't really read yet... I just think in a panic she might have trouble.
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