Handling emergencies, Lynxcub-style
Somehow or other, the topic of 911 (the emergency phone number) had come up in conversation, and it occurred to me that this was something the Lynxcub should learn. A while back there was some news story about a kid his age or younger who'd saved his mom's life by calling 911 when she had an accident or something, so I thought maybe we should talk about it. But the conversation did not go exactly as planned (seriously, do conversations with three-year-olds ever?)
Me: That's the number you should call on the phone if there's ever an emergency - if you're alone with me or mama or daddy and we have an accident or something and get hurt. You would just press nine, and then one, and then one again, on the phone --
Lynxcub (dismissively): If you were hurt, I'd just make you better!
Me: Well, if you couldn't, or if there was a fire or something --
Lynxcub: I'd put it out with the fire extinguisher!
Me: That's a good thing to know how to do too, but if it was a big fire, or you couldn't work the fire extinguisher --
Lynxcub: Then I would get a big ladder, and climb up it with a hand saw, and cut a hole in the ceiling to let the rain in, and that would put out the fire.
Me (somewhat exasperated): OK, I can see you've got everything under control, but if you needed some firefighters or paramedics to help you handle an emergency, then it would be good to know how to call that number!
Lynxcub (patient and long-suffering tone): I already know that number.
Me: That's the number you should call on the phone if there's ever an emergency - if you're alone with me or mama or daddy and we have an accident or something and get hurt. You would just press nine, and then one, and then one again, on the phone --
Lynxcub (dismissively): If you were hurt, I'd just make you better!
Me: Well, if you couldn't, or if there was a fire or something --
Lynxcub: I'd put it out with the fire extinguisher!
Me: That's a good thing to know how to do too, but if it was a big fire, or you couldn't work the fire extinguisher --
Lynxcub: Then I would get a big ladder, and climb up it with a hand saw, and cut a hole in the ceiling to let the rain in, and that would put out the fire.
Me (somewhat exasperated): OK, I can see you've got everything under control, but if you needed some firefighters or paramedics to help you handle an emergency, then it would be good to know how to call that number!
Lynxcub (patient and long-suffering tone): I already know that number.