"be Careful Or You'll Hurt Yourself"

How many times have we heard those words, “Be careful or you’ll hurt yourself”? Every mother knows that children are going to fall down and scrape their knees, elbows or hands, it’s a given. It is all part of growing up!

“Little Johnny”, as we affectionately call him, is a very active child who loves to run, jump, bike, play “Superman”, and of course, fall down and get injured. How many times have you been in the park watching your “Little Johnny” ride his bike or play on the playground equipment only to see him falling and knowing what the result will be when he lands? The next thing you hear is usually “MOMMY!” being screamed so loud that dogs start to howl!

Being prepared for this situation, or anything else like this, is a necessity with children, and adults alike. Sometimes “Big Johnny” gets a “boo boo” too. If your “Big Johnny” fancies himself a mechanic, carpenter, handyman, etc. I can guarantee you this – he will hurt himself. It is not a question of “If” but “When”.

Also, some of us are not as nimble on our feet as we once were, I’m not mentioning names here, but sometimes our feet and mind are not connected and we stumble and fall. Oh, and did I mention all those great autumn hikes through the parks, where tree trunks and branches are everywhere? Having a small outdoor first aid kit along creates peace of mind.

There are a wide variety of first aid and emergency kits to not only take care of the minor cuts and bruises that “Little Johnny” may get on the playground, and “Older Sister Sally” may get while playing field hockey, but also for those little more serious injuries “Big Johnny” inflicts upon himself.

Make sure that a well supplied First Aid kit is readily available in “Big Johnny’s” garage, woodworking shop, or where ever he is most likely to get injured. It will help to prevent him from trying to use paper towels and duct tape to seal his wound.

Having all of your emergency first aid supplies in one place makes it so much easier and quicker to respond to a situation. When an incident occurs you really need to act quickly (even if “Little Johnny” only has a scraped knee). You don’t want to be running around finding the Band-aids in one place, first aid cream in another, eye wash in yet another location, etc. How confusing that is when you are trying to deal with a crying child, or adult (yes, sometimes we cry too when we’re hurt, no names mentioned here either, right “Big Johnny”?). It is so convenient, and safe, to have all in one place in an organized, filled cabinet.

Another great first aid tool is a well-equipped and organized survival kit for both adults and children. Pack one of these in your car when traveling and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that it’s there if you need it. Especially with winter weather coming, who knows when the next snowstorm will strike and if you’ll get stuck in it with “Little Johnny”, “Older Sister Sally”, and “Big Johnny”!

Make sure you have a Survival Kit in your home as well, for those emergencies that we all face at one time or another; hurricanes, tornadoes, black-outs, etc. Being properly prepared will relieve a lot of the stress you will be experiencing during those situations.

Always have a First Aid Kit handy. Carry a small one in your purse, a little better equipped one in your car, and a fully equipped one (or two) in your home.

The essentials of a good First Aid kit contain at least these items;
Thermometer
Tweezers
Antiseptic wipes
Hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol
Antibiotic ointment
Cortisone cream.
Pain relievers, such as acetaminophen, aspirin tablets, and ibuprofen
Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes.
Cold pack
Elastic bandages
Sterile gauze dressings
Adhesive tape
Sharp scissors with rounded tips
A triangular bandage
Safety pins to
An antihistamine
Calamine lotion
Latex gloves
Important phone numbers for;
Your local poison control center
Your family doctor or pediatrician
The closest hospital
Local fire and rescue squad (911 should also work)
First aid manual

Hey, I think the Boy Scouts of America are on to something with their motto, “Be prepared”.

By: Jim Wilkinson

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Jim Wilkinson is a former Police Officer and he and his wife, Marion own and operate www.YourGreatestProtection.com. Their store offers a variety of reasonably priced personal protection products such as tasers, stun guns, and pepper spray, along with a selection of First Aid & Survival Kits.