This week was “Safety Week” in my daughter’s kindergarten. The students had a visit from paramedics, heard the siren and got to look around inside the ambulance. My daughter could hardly wait until I got home to tell me, “If someone is very hurt or very sick, you call 9-1-1!”
For several days, she imparted this wisdom upon all who would listen. Most adults smiled and doted upon her for spouting this knowledge. I secretly congratulated myself and thought, isn’t she clever, knowing something that may save a life? I think it was around the eighth time I heard her proclaiming the vital phone number that I realized something rather important: She doesn’t know how to use a phone!
I mean, sure, she knows how to navigate to Netflix or her favourite app once I unlock the phone, but to dial a number? Nope. We don’t have a landline and chances are, if an actual 9-1-1 emergency arose, it would be a cell phone that she’d be faced with.
I took the time to show her how to access the “Emergency” call feature on my phone and we will have a few practice runs on this from time to time. I hope this knowledge will translate to other brands. If you haven’t shown this feature to your kids, you may want to. What good is 9-1-1 if the poor child doesn't know how to dial a phone?
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