The world around us us filled with hazards, and even the most innocent-seeming things can prove dangerous under certain circumstances. As a parent, this may have you feeling worried. However, imbuing your children with certain skills can help them stay safe, and they may even help save others’ lives. Moreover, having these important skills can boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem, as they feel more like they can make a difference. Here are four life-saving skills you should teach your kids.
Staying Calm
The first and most important lesson is to stay calm in an emergency. Panicking only leads to confusion and more panic. Plus, panic-driven actions can do more harm than good. Teach your children that when things get scary, they should take a deep breath and relax. Nothing can be done about a given situation without a clear head and collected demeanor.
CPR
CPR is a valuable procedure that saves thousands of lives every year. Furthermore, it’s useful for rescuing someone from any number of medical events where their heartbeat or breathing have ceased. This is a fantastic skill to teach to your children, especially if they participate in potentially hazardous activities like ball sports or swimming. In the event that someone drowns or is hit in the head or chest with a ball, the person who knows CPR will be the victim’s best chance of survival until help arrives. If you want to enroll your kids in training for CPR Chicago residents can sometimes find classes at their local YMCA.
Heimlich Maneuver
This deceptively simple procedure is a great skill to have under one’s tool belt, so it’s an ideal one to teach children. Although it may be difficult for them to perform it on an adult, they should easily be capable of performing the Heimlich Maneuver on another child. For example, another child could choke on his or her lunch at school, or a younger sibling could get something lodged in their throat. In either scenario, a child with this skill will be well-equipped to administer aid. Roughly 2,500 choking deaths occur each year, mostly among children, so the more people who know the Heimlich Maneuver, the fewer tragedies will occur.
Swimming
Drowning accidents occur at a rate of about nine per day, and small children are the most common victims. If your family lives near water, has a pool or takes camping trips to the lake, it’s essential that your children know how to swim. If some of your children are still too young to learn, make sure your older children can swim so they’re able to help if needed.
Most parents don’t like the idea of their children facing such difficult situations, but danger is an ever-present reality. If they have to face it, it’s better that they do so with the proper skills and knowledge so that everyone can benefit.
Earnest Parenting: help for parents who want their children to have safety skills.