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Encouraging Heroes. You can be one too.

Since the fire incident Sunday I’ve had some time to ponder lessons learned. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

  • It’s important to have a fire escape plan in case of fire in your home. Kids should know what exits to use, where to meet, and how to call for help AFTER leaving the danger zone.
  • Equally important is having a plan for how to handle emergencies away from home.  One friend told me this week that she even goes over escape details when her family is in a hotel.  Never thought of that before.
  • Everybody processes the shock of a dangerous situation differently.  Some cried on-scene (that would be some of us older folks) while others reacted later at home.
  • Any question the children have about the event needs to be answered, even if it’s the 50th time they have asked.
  • Children may tell the story of their adventure many times before getting it out of their system.  We tried to keep focusing them on reality when exaggerations started to creep in.

Is there anything I’ve missed?  Have you had an exciting/dangerous situation that taught you and the kids lessons?  How did they handle it?  What about you?

Earnest Parenting: help for the safety-conscious parent.