New Dad w/ a dilemma

[Brian Williams]

A wise old man told me, First defend yourself by not being there. My wife and I have 4 and the eldest is about to embark on her first. My thoughts have always been to get the kids out of harm's way, this was to be my wife's job while I provided cover if needed. I have never had to do so but am prepared.

Stuff happens, plans go out the window, training works.

 

[benEzra]

Thoughts:

Quality stroller that you can run with if necessary, and that isn't ultra-heavy.

Think through getting into/out of vehicles. Carseats that snap out of the stroller and into a pre-belted base in the car are a real time saver if you want to get your family loaded and gone in a hurry. Keyless lock/unlock is a godsend (unlock the car as you get there, put the child in, lock/alarm the car while you're putting the stroller in the trunk, etc.)

+1 on situational awareness.

As a father you will learn that the one killing pain is when something happens to your child and there is nothing you can do once it happens.

Note this reaction is really odd. I almost lost it when my daughter had to have some surgery and the nurse was making her cry while trying to get an IV started. I knew that IV was necessary, but when your kid cries "Daddy stop her" man, that takes some restraint to not act.

The phrase "Man up" never hits so hard as when it strikes home over your family the first time.

I know the feeling; our 7 y.o. son is a cardiac kid (2 open-hearts and 7 angioplasties so far, plus a Ladd procedure). On the upside, if you're strong and calm for your child, you can make everything a bit less scary for them. We have never allowed him to have an IV/venipuncture while conscious without one of us being there to help hold/comfort him, and at Boston Children's and another hospital where my son has had procedures/hospitalizations, they eventually wrote an order in his chart to make sure that either me or my wife assist, because even though he didn't like it and was still scared, we made him feel a lot safer, and he's a lot less traumatized by it all than a lot of kids would be, I think.

 

[goColt]

Thanks to everyone for the congratulations and the advice.

I talked to my wife to reaffirm her responsibility and mine. I still need to do more thinking, planning and practicing but I suppose that will never end.

One of the biggest things I need to practice more is one-hand and weak-hand shooting, including point-shooting.

It makes me feel pretty good that I have done most everything that has been mentioned here and am in the process of doing the rest.


Thanks again from my daughter and myself.

Chris

 

[pax]

goColt ~

Something else to think about here: http://www.corneredcat.com/Practical/ParkingLot.htm

pax

 

[bamawrx]

I am too busy to read all the ideas, but I think you guys should get a baby sitter and go take a good class together. There are many reputable firearm instructors that can help you two work together and get you guys up to speed on tactics.

It would be money well spent.

 

[roscoe]

A lot of good replies, and as the father of toddlers, I still say that preparation and situational awareness is 99% of the game. You will never know how the thing will break, and how you will be able to react, so just be prepared and aware.

 

[RyanM]

Don't forget, having a baby around gives you some potentially deadly improvised weapons. Like dirty diapers.

 

[ezypikns]

Welcome to fatherhood.

It sounds as if you're a thoughtful guy who has taken the time to think things out. You should do fine. And as the father of two grown daughters, I can tell you that she'll always be your little girl, no matter how old she is.
May you and yours always be safe.

 

[rwc]

Welcome to the club!

As Cassadra's daddy mentioned, all parents of small children share a communal awareness of kids in their vacinity. I can't tell you the number of times in the last two years I've caught a child stumbling or just shared a smile with another dad when we both saw some 3dP's kid almost take a header off a bench. Having your "kid-dar" turned up to 11 will win you many thanks from over-wraught or distracted fellow parents, in addition to helping you avoid a bad situation.

And last but not least, if you avoid felons and people that associate with them your chances of having to defend yourself drops an awful lot. Whether it's your choice of employment or where you live, minimizing risk on the front end pays big dividends in the end.

And all us worry-worts aside, it's a barrel of fun ain't it? Don't worry, you'll get a full night's sleep soon... Take lots of pictures and video. You won't believe how fast she changes.