Are your Homeschoolers Prepared for an EMERGENCY?

It doesn't matter if your child is old enough or mature for himself to be left home alone, emergencies can happen while everyone is home or not. 

Does your child know how to shut off the water or gas at the main line? Hot water heaters leak, pilot lights go out, it's a part of life, things happen. 

Show your child how to shut off the gas in case of an earthquake. Does the shut off require a special tool, include that in your emergency kit and store one near the shut off. 

How well do your kids know your neighborhood? Do you have certain streets that flood or turn to ice quickly? Are there sections of unsafe sidewalk, or no sidewalk at all? How would you know where to find your child if he couldn't return to your home? 

We have a meeting place for fire emergencies, but if my kids were playing at a friends house blocks away and they street to our home was blocked off, I'm not sure I'd be able to get to them. Talk with your children and make a plan. 

Do you have an emergency kit? Most of us have a medical cabinet or drawer in our home. We know that's where the bandaids and cough meds go. But, what if there's an emergency and you're unable to reach the drawer or cabinet? I have a medical kit in my van and in the house. If you decide to purchase an already filled medical kit, open it up and check out what's included. Are there enough band aids, aspirin, batteries, and don't forget to add a day or two worth of your must have meds -blood pressure, insulin, etc. 

These days we all count on technology to remember phone numbers, addresses, and our calendar. Make it a point to teach your child your phone number. Memorizing a phone number to the tune of a song like "twinkle, twinkle little star" is pretty effective. 

Did you know if you don't have a strong phone signal you can probably still text a person and get that text message to go through. 

Having a plan will make you feel a little more secure about a situation. Walk through your plan with your children. Walk with them to your safe meeting place. Are there any obstacles they might face, let's figure this stuff out now. 

Show your child how to use a cell phone to make a call. Show your child how to text. 

Have your child practice shutting off the main water valve. 

Go through the first aid kit and make sure they understand everything in it and how to use it. 

Spending time with your child and showing them how to use these tools and watching them practice correctly, will give them a huge confidence boost. I know, I fear the day my children are away from me and something happens and they will be left to figure it all out on their own. Practicing and reminding the kids of this plan will also help me remember. I'm not the most level headed person during times of a crisis, but if I have to be strong for my kids, I know we'll go through and come out smoother than if we had no idea at all.