I’m your typical embarrassingly-cautious and overprotective first-time mom. When we visited our friend’s lake house over Memorial Day weekend I was nervous about, well… everything. I didn’t pack enough pants for myself each day because my suitcase was filled with my baby’s gear. And even so, w
e found ourselves in need of a long-sleeved, long pants UPF 50+ sun protection outfit, which was shipped directly to the vacation house. The stores in my area apparently don’t sell full body suits for babies. (Thank goodness for free two-day shipping). We had the nerdy sun hat with flaps all around to protect what the suit didn’t cover on my little red-head.
I created and *actually printed* rules for the group staying in the house. They included the “vampire rule: no direct sunlight”, and the “killjoy rule: no baby in the pool or boat.” We also had the two hands rule, because he’s doing this fun thing where he flings his head violently and suddenly backward, threatening to launch out of even your tightest grip. I digress.
Prepared with Red Cross Training
No matter how much you prepare, I am well aware something could – and probably will – go wrong. That’s why I consider my Red Cross training the most critical part of my safety plans. Just like baby sunscreen is an invisible protection my first aid/CPR/AED training, covering both adults and pediatrics, is my invisible and critical skill set.
What happens if his chubby hands snatch up those pesky little acorns and he stuffs them in his mouth before I can stop him? What happens if he has a medical emergency and we’re farther from a hospital than usual? Or what if one of our friends has scare in the pool? I can relax knowing I can quickly and confidently respond until help arrives.
Set for Summer Safety
I never want to be in an emergency situation where I can’t do something to help, because I don’t know what to do. Thankfully, the Red Cross has everything I need to prepare for mishaps this summer. In the meantime, I’m sticking my kid in what I refer to as the “baby sun cage,” throwing a fitted sheet on top (thanks for the tip, Pinterest!) and calling it a day.
