Essential Things Every Parent should have On Hand

As a parent, you know what it means to be “safe and prepared rather than sorry”. In thousands of situations, you may wish you had brought that device, food, tool, or equipment with you. Many of these things don’t even take up that much space, and many of them are simple things that you may not even think about or consider trivial. Here are five essentials every parent should have on hand.

(1) Medicine and Medical Supplies

It is inevitable that you will have to deal with a sick child at some point. Illnesses such as infections and other serious ailments such as measles or chickenpox should always be treated by your doctor. Nevertheless, some minor incidents can be handled easily at home. In every home medicine cabinet, parents should have these basic items!

For Babies:

Saline Nasal Drop or Spray – For a baby, a stuffy nose is like experiencing suffocation. The relief of being able to breathe properly again is great for a baby.
Vaseline – When it comes to dry skin and preventing rashes in the diaper area, Vaseline is a great protector and moisturizer. Scratches and scrapes can also be treated with it.
Rectal Thermometer – You should do this especially if you have a baby under 10 weeks old. When a baby is that age, they don’t mind being measured by a thermometer because it is the safest and most accurate way to do so.
Pain Medication – For babies younger than six months, it is advisable to consult a doctor. Ibuprofen for babies over 6 months of age reacts well with them. In particular, it is beneficial for babies who are teething, since it contains anti-inflammatory properties, especially at night so that they can get a good night’s sleep and rest.
Washcloth – The purpose here goes beyond cleaning. Cool washcloths are a great source of relief for teething babies.
Baby First Aid Kit
Among the items in a basic first aid kit for babies are: alcoholic cleansing pads, antibiotic ointment, antiseptic wipes, bandages, hand sanitizer, sterile gauze, and tweezers.

For Family:

You should be prepared to handle illness or accidents when they strike at the most inopportune time. Before administering any medication, consult your doctor. Medical supplies for the rest of the family should also include the above-mentioned essentials for babies.

We’ll take a look at the additional supplies you’ll need:

First aid manual or guide
A sterile eye dressing
Adhesive tape
Allergy eye drops
Antibacterial ointment
Antihistamine
Antiseptic wipes
Bandages in various sizes
Cough medication for children and adults
Decongestant medication for both children and adults
Disinfectant
Disposable mouth-to-mouth device
Dosage spoon
Electrolyte replacement drink or rehydration drink
Gauze swabs in various sizes
Paracetamol: It has been used safely for many years to relieve mild to moderate pain in infants over one month old, children, adolescents, and adults. Paracetamol may harm a child if given to them in excess for an extended period of time.
Ibuprofen: It is suitable for children, adolescents, and adults who suffer from mild to moderate pain. Children under three months of age or children with bleeding disorders should not use it.
Insect repellent
Medication for diarrhoea
Ointment for insect bites or stings
Safety pins
Sharp round point scissors
Sunscreen
Thermometer
Tweezers
Emergency phone number list

(2) Outside the home essentials

It’s great that you have the essential first aid supplies at home. When you are outside the house, what will you do? Whenever you’re moving outside the house, it’s always a good idea to have a few essentials on hand just in case you’re in a dreadful situation. It goes without saying that kids are unpredictable little humans, they can get themselves into situations you wouldn’t expect.

To be prepared for those unexpected situations and moments, here are the survival essentials you should have in your purse.

In the Purse:

The purse of most seasoned parents is likely to resemble Mary Poppins’ bag. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, they can find something there to help remedy it or to provide at least some comfort for a while. With it, you can basically take care of basic needs and deal with small emergencies in no time. To level with Miss Poppins, what do you need in your purse? Here is a simple list to follow:

Make sure your bag or purse is comfortable and not too big. It would be even better if it had some side and inside pockets with zippers. It’s important to have a good, comfortable strap so you can carry it long periods of time with ease and keep your hands free.

Key clip – Make sure your purse strap has a key clip.In this way, you’ll never lose your keys as they’re always within reach.
Cash – It doesn’t matter if you have your debit card or credit card with you when all you have are coins or change.
Phone – As with your keys, make sure it is always accessible in any situation without searching and scratching through your bag.
Stationary bag – Small stationary bag with pens, scissors, and glue stick for those times when you don’t have one when you need it.
Notebook – Have you ever searched for a “piece of paper” to take down some information and then lost it? If you need to wait for an appointment and have a pen and paper with you, you can keep the toddler entertained for a while.
Snacks – Healthy snacks will keep your blood sugar levels high and prevent you from stopping at fast food restaurants when you feel hungry.You can do this with granola bars. Additionally, it can be useful for parents and kids during those unexpected tantrums.
Tiny first aid kit – In another small bag, place antiseptic ointment or fluid, different sizes of band aids, allergy ointment or medications, pain killers, and rehydration solutions.
Water bottle – While you’re not at home, a good water bottle with a sealable lid is a good investment for those unexpected thirsts, for drinking medicine or mixing rehydration solution, or for any of the thousands of other uses you can think of.
Small container or bag – When something breaks, you can keep all the parts together or safely store small items until you get home.
Easy to carry entertainment – When you have to entertain children while waiting for a doctor or even when you have to deal with a sick child on a long drive, paper, crayons, or some building blocks can be very useful.
Packet of Wipes – There are endless uses for the product, from cleaning to clearing spills inside the care, to cleaning dirty hands and faces on the street.
Hand sanitizer – Together with wipes, this is a must-have. There are thousands of different situations where some kind of sanitizing is required, and a small bottle can help.
Lotion – Dry skin, chapped lips, minor scratches, and bruises can be treated with a travel-size moisturizer like Vaseline.
Small Flashlight – Once you are in a situation where you need it, you will appreciate it more.Especially useful if you need to see something in the dark or find something in your car late at night or if there is no power at home. There is no end to the possibilities.
Travel-size pack of tissues – Especially useful for sudden hay fever attacks, runny noses, or any other situation where you need a dry wipe.
Car phone charger – Staying in touch is essential when you have kids in the car with you. Having your phone go dead in an emergency is the most hopeless situation.

(3) In Your Car

Although many essentials will get you through a difficult situation while you are outside the house, there are some items that are essential to have inside your car that can make or break a dire situation for you. Are you prepared to deal with a situation until help arrives if you are stranded next to the road or your car breaks down? These are some of the things that prepared parents have in their cars:

Water – It can save you from some dire situations if you have a water container packed with at least five liters of water that seals properly and is strong enough to withstand some hammering. Particularly if you need to refill your water bottle in your purse or refill your car’s radiator while stuck on the side of the road. It’s never a bad idea to have some extra water on hand.
A space blanket – This essential has thousands of uses, as we all know. You can use it to keep warm when it’s cold, as a shade in the sun, or to catch rainwater. There are hundreds of uses for it..
Tire sealant – The flat tire can be fixed in no time and you don’t have to change a tire when you can’t afford it.
Fire extinguisher – While traveling, you may encounter emergencies that will require a small 1kg extinguisher.It has been said that a small fire extinguisher can mean the difference between life and death in a number of instances.