A MUST do or a SHOULD do? Back in January, you might have read my blog about New Years resolutions and the fact that my bucket list for 2017 included a Mini First Aid course. Well, now I can be even more annoying and tell you that a few weeks ago, I actually did a course with the lovely Claire in North Leeds. I knew I wouldn’t regret it. I have to admit though (sorry Claire) that the night before the class I found myself thinking that I wished it wasn’t on that particular morning. Over the previous week, my husband hadn’t moved out of bed (literally) due to having flu; work had been really busy and the kids…had been the kids. Need I say more?! But isn’t this what happens to any busy parent? You have a list of priorities; the stuff that HAS to be done – making sure there is food in the fridge, the kids have (sort of) clean clothes, that you keep your head above water at work. And then you have a ‘to do’ list of stuff you really want to get around to doing. The thing is, Claire’s class reminded me that doing a Mini First Aid class should be right on that list of priorities – a MUST do rather than a SHOULD do. Bottom line is that you can save someone’s life. After three years, it turns out I was right – I had forgotten some crucial stuff: The correct numbers of breaths and compressions (an obsession of mine) for CPR, just how hard you have to push down on a child’s chest; as well as the correct technique (scooping motion) for performing abdominal thrusts on a choking child. There was a certain amount I did remember however – mainly about how to treat burns and the signs and symptoms of meningitis. Having had a 6 week old baby with suspected meningitis, it’s not really something you forget in a hurry. I’d taken a friend along with me who, half way through Claire’s class whispered to me that the course was pretty “full on”. When you’re going through the various topics, you can’t help but imagine these situations happening to your child(ren). Having had a little time to reflect since Claire’s class, I think this is where Mini First Aid is special. Claire made sure we all felt welcome and relaxed –with each other (most people didn’t know each other) and the course content. We had two breastfeeding Mums in the class and we took it in turns to snuggle the babies (I didn’t need much persuading!) whilst the Mums practised with the mannequins.   I know from reading positive reviews and blog posts that our Mini First Aid trainers across the UK all have this quality and it makes such a difference to the atmosphere in what can be an intense class. So if you haven’t done a first aid course in the last 3 years, clearly you need to bump a Mini First Aid class to your MUST DO list. I so wish I had also done the same with the bike maintenance course on my bucket list. I’m two weeks away from my first triathlon, have only just bought myself a road bike and am still braking down the hills like Driving Miss Daisy. I may well need to put that first aid knowledge into practise...on myself!