The Power of Personal First Aid Kits.

by

Since my first year in college I’ve had a Personal First Aid Kit.

I didn’t refer to it as such (& its contents weren’t too healthy back then)–but I had one.

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(early ’90s. lots of curling iron.)

The kit was always evolving my approach, however, remained the same:

Each fall, as I considered which items to tuck away in case of emergency, I’d ask myself 4 questions:

  • In a moment where I feel sad what might make me smile?
  • In a moment when I’m lonely/feel like isolating what might provide uplifting company?
  • In a moment of anxiety how might I self-soothe?

As I’ve changed my Personal First Aid kits have also shifted.

With 2+ decades of kit-creating hindsight, though, it becomes apparent they’ve all had a few things in common:

They’re tangible. They’re small. They’re fluid (I can add to them any time). They’re portable (just in case. just in case.).

I create traditional first aid kits for emotional boo-boos.

And they’ve saved me more than once.

In the craziness of this August, I’d forgotten about creating a 2016 kit.

I was focused on readying for urgents at hand (school supplies, new school route, new start time) and failed to prep for emotional bang-ups which will inevitably occur along the way.

Teaching the Child about Personal First Aid kits also slipped my mind until I received a message from a friend:

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Her choice of the word toolkit sparked this Mama to think:

Crap. We’ve been so busy with today! today! I forgot to teach her to plan for tomorrow!

And, because I roll sans-guilt, I let it go/blocked off our next available afternoon to create Last Year of Elementary School Personal First Aid Kits together.

I explained the concept (“You know how we have a kitchen first aid kit? This is like that except it’s stuff to heal feelings.).

She immediately understood (“Oooh, it’s what makes me feel nurtured“) & listed items she wanted in her box.

The problem was her items didn’t match my idea of what her selections should be.

In my mind, Personal First Aid Kit stuffs were tangible items she’d set aside so they wereĀ literally ready when she needed them.

It was a lesson for me in learning to let go and allowing her space to be an individual.

My Personal First Aid Kit, she insisted, would contain these things:

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I can’t lie.

After years of creating kits (and apparently thinking my way was the right way!) it was hard for me not to “correct” her.

It was a challenge not to say:

“No no. You need to choose things you can keep in a box. Like a regular first aid kit! You can’t pick living things.”

But I’ve learned. Finally.

She then watched as I gathered items for my kit.

I found a shoe box and filled it with things I knew I’d need in an emotional emergency:

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When I was finished she chose a special spot for my box and we created/printed a photo collage of her “Living Personal First Aid Kit.”

Neither of us have needed ours yet, but knowing they’re there has provided (at least me) comfort during recent times of frazzle.

Sometimes the awareness we have a safety net Personal First Aid Kit really is all we need.

And you?

  • If you created a kitā€“what’s an item you’d include?
  • Would yours be tangible like mine or metaphorical like the Child’s?

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Comments

  1. This is such a great idea and, I think I kind of have this… In a pouch that reads “My Anxiety Is Giving Me Anxiety” I have lots of FOOD and it’s always in my purse šŸ™‚
    The boys would love to create this and, I’m sure, would do it in similar fashion to your daughter.

  3. Sometimes the awareness we have a safety net Personal First Aid Kit really is all we need.

    That line…that line hit home for me…so true! I love this concept and this idea…as I have struggled with anxiety for the first time truly the past year of my life (uhhh it has been a battle) I just want to say amen amen amen to so many things in this post!

  4. I’ve never been exposed to this concept, and I’m hooked. We all need to be kinder to ourselves. I know one thing that would be in my kit – chocolate! But not too much, as I am working on eliminating my stress eating habit. How about a camera (taking pictures calms me), a writing notebook and a recent issue of a good, trashy, “tell-all” magazine (a secret vice I rarely indulge in)?

  5. Last night, I needed my personal first aid kit. Badly. Instead, I ate an entire basket of chips and had a beer before Alex even got to the restaurant. And then an entire pint of not real ice cream. Yesterday, I needed puppies and running. But they all seemed to make things worse, make the anxiety worse, until Alex arrived.
    He is my personal first aid kit.

  8. Love, love, LOVE this idea, Carla! I’ve got to give this some thought…but right off the bat, I think my kit would have to contain a notebook and pen, a favorite picture of Hubs, herbal tea and a special pottery mug, some kind of book of quotes (still pondering which one), a piece of dark chocolate (my GERD can’t handle more than that), a richly emollient and nice-smelling hand cream, an instrumental CD (still pondering which one), a bunch of home furnishings catalogs/magazines for browsing/imagining, and–for worst-case scenarios–a Xanax.

  9. What a fabulous idea, Carla! I remember getting similar kits at the start of each school year (in college and then from PTOs when I became a teacher.) Tweeted.

  10. What a wonderful thing to do with your daughter! It is interesting how different your two kits are, but that is OK. What works for one, may not work for another. A great lesson in being prepared but also in accepting people for who they are. I love it!

  11. I need to create a tool kit for women/moms living with ADHD.
    I could really use one of these, and I have a feeling others could, too.
    For me the toolkit would probably be a combo of tangible and metaphorical.
    You have amazing ideas, Carla!

  12. What a lovely idea – she is such an intuitive little thing isn’t she? I think her kit contents were perfect and yours looked pretty good too. I’d have coffee, potato chips, a good book, photos of my family and a pillow (if it fitted)

  13. Oh. I need to give this some thought. I think I lean more toward intangibles as well (hot bath, chat with a friend, long walk) but I need to seriously think about what tangibles make me feel better. Because I love this idea.

  15. I think this is a great idea. I do have a few things that I always keep with me, within easy reach so I would say they are my personal first aid kit.

  16. So insightful, as always, Carla. I’m going to approach this with eight-year-old and think more about what I need in my own kit . I’m also sending this post to my best friends.

  17. Carla you are so very creative and thoughtful and loving! I post from you in my kit because they always make me think and smile and feel warm and cozy, along with a cup for coffee and hot tamales candy.

  18. I guess the whole idea of the kit is to make it personal, so it was nice to see the differences between you two. Not sure what mine would entail. Have to give that some thought.
    b

  20. I love this post. I remember the first time you talked about your personal first aid kit I started writing about my own. I must dig it out.

    Mine would be somewhere between the Tornado’s and yours I think.

  21. LOVE what E did!!! I think a mixture of both is nice….. sometimes I go into my head to remember times with those no longer here…. I really wish they were here. Frig I need them now! xoxo

  23. Carla, gosh, I love this post. It reminds me of my son’s science teacher. We recently attended Back to School Night. She told the parents she has a stuffed animal she keeps at the front of the class. When a student is having a really bad day, they are to take the animal to their desk. This way the students and teachers know to tread lightly. My son is in the 9th grade, and at first I thought it was kind of childish, but then I realized how truly special it was. I love your emotional kit, Carla. You’re a fantastic Mom and inspiration.

  26. Aww, I love this idea! I should definitely make one for myself over here! My tangible one would have tea bags, delicious snacks, and photos of loved ones/good times. The not-so-tangible would be quality time with loved ones + delving into one of my many hobbies! :]

  29. Such an interesting idea. Wish I had this back when our daughter was away at school and having some ‘growing pains’. thinking about what I would keep in mine brings me to realize that I have little things planted throughout my living and work spaces- little notes, photos – and I could be more mindful to turn to them when I get frazzled.

  30. Dang, Carla. Love this. I think I need to do this with my girl.

    I would also include a notebook/journal and a new pen. But also some chocolate. And a headband or hairbands, because when I stress I look for one and cannot find one and need my hair oUT OF MY WAY.

    Love this so.

  33. Love this Carla. I am going to do this with my little grand daughters. Maybe with my daughters-in-law if we find the right quiet moments.
    For me, I would say a telephone to call my sister or brothers and hear about them. This puts things in clear perspective if I am down. A pad and pencil to write. A walk outdoors. A garden to weed. That should do it!

  34. Love this Carla. I am going to do this with my little grand daughters. Maybe with my daughters-in-law if we find the right quiet moments.
    For me, I would say a telephone call to my sister or brothers and hear about them. This puts things in clear perspective if I am down. A pad and pencil to write. A walk outdoors. A garden to weed. That should do it!

  35. Nothing tangible…just the means to get up and out…my bike, my running/hiking shoes, by cap and goggles to go for a meditative swim, my yoga mat….
    You recycled this…you and the T.V. and movie “makers”…no new ideas lately…

  38. I am very happy to be here because this is a very good site that provides lots of information about the topics covered in depth. Im glad to see that people are actually writing about this issue in such a smart way, showing us all different sides to it. Please keep it up. I cant wait to read whats next.

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Trackbacks

  1. […] Reads: 10 Non-Food Ways to Treat YourselfĀ via In It 4 the Long Run The Power of Personal First Aid KitsĀ via Carla Birnberg The 7 Biggest Lies Holding You Back From HappinessĀ via Greatist 9 Moms Get […]

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