rivettingKateTaylor

Did you see the item about the two-year-old girl who watched her favourite TV show talking about how to call emergency services… then within a couple of days she was calling 999 for her Mum! (It was in UK – obviously ours is 111.)  Awesome.

She’s my hero of the day.

I taught my kids from an early age about calling 111 if there was ever a situation that Thomas and I weren’t in a position to talk to them or respond to them (crikey wait til they’re teenagers).

One day I was chopping firewood and piling it up in the shed and Sarah and I (she was about 6 then I guess) were having a discussion about me hurting myself with the axe (a distinct possibility!)

We went through the numbers, what to say to the operator and the address – how to say it nice and slow etc. Then a pile of wood fell down and whacked me in the shins and I couldn’t say a word (I was thinking a few in between trying not to throw up).

Sarah ran inside and started to phone 111!

Good girl.

We can only hope they learn the lessons as they go so they can use them when they need them.

It has reminded me of something Celia Lashlie said to a gathering in Waipukurau a few years ago (about her He’ll Be Right book).

Let your children make decisions about their life from an early stage – starting with what to have in their sandwiches through to deciding between making their own lunch or going without! (very basic example but hopefully you know what I mean).

This would help them in later years when all of a sudden they were faced with a red light or a flashing police light and had to make the decision between putting their foot on the accelerator or pulling over.

They shouldn’t be making their first real decisions when the outcome is important.

Well that’s my thought for the day.. I’m off to Gisborne to pick up the kids (I haven’t seen them for eight days – I love my mother-in-law!)

Thoughts go to to the shaking members of my family in Southland – rock n roll!