A gold and 2 silvers

This weekend 2 of our children competed in a first aid competition that had multiple scenarios.  These 2 have been members of St John Ambulance for a few years and have been progressing with their skills over the years.  When the oldest first joined she was extremely shy and suffered terribly with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder(OCD), her anxiety and OCD was so debilitating that it limited her ability to participate in almost everything.  With time, patience and a lot of work she has overcome a lot, today she was able to lead her first aid team as they won 2 silver medals.

It was a "gold medal" for the younger of the 2 and her team.  This was the first medal she has ever won, they hadn't even finished calling her name and she was up on that stage ready to accept her medal.  When she got home she bounded up the stairs with such excitement recounting the first aid scenario and showing everyone her medal.

Three other siblings also attended this competition as spectators and casualties.  Being a casualty is exciting as there is a make up crew that makes you look as if you have life like injuries and you get to put all your effort into your acting skills.

A club like St John Ambulance that teaches and practices first aid week after week is great especially for children that need structure and routine.  They are taught first aid progressively and practice building routines, yes the scenario changes but the steps remain the same. In our family with so many medically complex children having just about everyone with first aid skills is a huge benefit.  It is true that not all can independently put these skills to work when required but as with any group there are leaders and they can encourage followers or know how to handle distractions.