Need to Know: Teaching Your Children with First Aid Kits

Few of us actually own first aid kits, and those of us who do have probably forgotten what is inside them. Many of us have first aid kits that are so old the bandages inside have turned yellow and are falling apart. The truth is that most of our first aid kits or knowledge about first aid kits needs some first aid of its own. Do you, for example, know how to use all of the items in your first aid kit? Do you even have a first aid kit? We usually take it for granted that a major medical emergency has not occurred in our lives. Wake up and make sure that you have an appropriately stocked first aid kit with all the stuff necessary to treat medical problems you might have. If you have a good kit and know how to use it then you should think about teaching your kids about how to use it as well. What would happen if an emergency occurred while you were gone or if you were the one who needed the medical attention? We often forget that children lack the basic skills possesed by many adults. We forget that they need these skills because they live in the same world that we do and face many of the same dangers that we face. If a child were to be cut or bruised, burned, or bitten by a poisonous animal, would they know what to do and where to go to get help? Would they know to look in a first aid kit? Would they have a first aid kit? Knowing how to use a first aid kit and knowing what is inside them is an important part of a child’s first aid training. It is pretty hard to perform first aid without the right stuff.

Do you know where your First Aid Kit is, and what’s inside it?

One of the first things you need to teach your children about first aid and first aid kits is that they need to get adult help before they perform first aid. This is almost always the case unless an adult is not present or cannot be reached. If the situation is critical they need to call 911 and explain the problem to the operator. Otherwise the child should locate the first aid kit and use the contents to appropriately deal with the situation. This means that you need to teach your child what a first aid kit is and what is inside. Show them where the first aid kit is located and take out each of its contents. Show them how different bandages are used and how to draw venom from a sting or bite. Remember that all first aid kits are a little bit different so they need to understand how yours works. Don’t just assume that your child will be able to find the kit and use it appropriately. Teaching a kid first aid but never showing them where the kit is located is a classic mistake. Kids are smarter than we give them credit for. Allow them to work in an emergency by giving them the tools to do so.

By teaching your kid about the first aid kit you will enable them to treat both major and minor injuries. This could be a good exercise for helping them become more independent and self sufficient. It also helps to show them that you trust them and believe in their ability to help in a serious situation. This type of responsibility can greatly improve a child’s life for the better.