We've been working with Henry concerning "9-1-1" lately. Not going crazy with it or anything but making sure that he knows that those three numbers equal help from a firetruck or ambulance. In teaching him, I realized that kids today are in a much more difficult position than we were oh so long ago. Back in the day, when people had to walk barefoot through the snow (uphill both ways) to get to school, 911 was like....no big deal. Need to call someone for help? Pick up your parents large phone plugged into the wall and dial away! And if you were really cool, your parents had one of those clunky plastic phones with really big numbers and flames on the button that automatically dials 911.
But how many people even have landlines anymore? I know we don't because DUH it's expensive and we've got cell phones so whatev. But what happens if you're home alone with your kid and you get hurt? Should we just count on them being able to find our cell phone (I can't find mine half the time), unlock it, and press the tiny numbers before pressing another button to connect the call?! The whole thought really got me thinking. I did some research, and maybe this is common sense, but I think it's important for moms out there to know:
You don't need to pay for phone service to dial 911 from a landline. It's actually illegal for anyone to be denied a direct connection to help.
Phones are so cheap, you can get them at the thrift store or Target for nothing. We're definitely planning on getting one now, plugging it in, and teaching Henry how to use it because...really, you never know.
