When you call a parent about an emergency, please mention the state of the child at the beginning of the conversation- take it from a parent who got the most stressful call of her life.

I guess this is a "life pro tip" or just something I'd like to share with you guys that is useful to know.Last Friday, my family was visiting us. We were 8 adults and two children (in a huge house) and my dad asked me to go to Costco. Sure, no problem. I asked if they'd watch over the kids since it's definitely easier to go to Costco in and out with no kids and they gladly agreed. We left and 5 minutes into driving I got the most stressful and awful call of my life. This is (about) how it went;My sister (very nervous): Carlinha1289, something happened to Emma, she was playing and started fighting with Noah and her head hit the sharp stairs. She hit a corner, I don't know what happened.Me: are you fucking kidding me?Sister: No, why would I kid about that? Listen it wasn't my fault, I told them to apologize and they...Me: I don't care, how is she? what's happening?Sister: She's bleeding, a lot, her head is gushing blood.Me: Is she conscious? Call an ambulance now. Is she breathing?Sister: you need to get here, now. She's ok.Me: Just call an ambulance.I have no idea how my husband drove home calmly and safely. When we got home I noticed that it was just a little itty cut. Nothing bad, it just hit a spot in the head where it made blood gush all over the place. It was scary, everything was full of blood. Her hair, her clothes, the floor. I don't think she actually bled that much, but it just spreads quickly. The paramedics were very nice, told us it was most likely just a cut and offered to take us to the hospital to get her checked. We did, she was ok. She didn't even need stitched or glue, she was just fine.I've told that to my sister but I wish that instead of all the context she had just stated the facts: "Carlinha1289, Emma is not ok, she's bleeding from her head, she hit a corner of a stairs, she is conscious and breathing. What do I do?" I'd have told her to call the ambulance and go home. I know she was nervous and that she was probably feeling guilty because she was watching them, but regardless, the way she introduced the problem made me wonder if Emma was even alive. I was ready to go into the house and find her in a pool of blood. I was bawling my eyes out in the car.So guys, state facts, call the ambulance first if you see blood gushing out and then the parents. Be safe. via /r/Parenting http://ift.tt/2aHRbG0