The Day the Power Went Out
Topic: Emergency Preparedness
Neha was sitting on the living-room floor with Kabir, trying to finish a puzzle before dinner.
“Look! I found the last corner piece,” Kabir said.
Neha smiled. “Then we’re almost done!”
Just then—
Click!
The lights went out.
The room became dim.
Neha stopped moving for a moment. “Oh!”
Kabir looked around. “The power went out.”
Mum came into the room. She spoke calmly.
“Everyone stay where you are for a moment. Stay with me.”
Neha listened. The room suddenly felt different without its usual lights and sounds.
Then she remembered the small candle kept somewhere in the house.
“I’ll find the candle,” she said.
She started to get up.
“Wait, Neha,” Mum said gently. “You don’t need to look for it. Please stay with us. Children should not use matches or lighters.”
Neha paused.
“Oh. Right.”
She looked toward the electrical equipment in the room. She wondered whether something had gone wrong.
“Should I check the switches?” she asked.
“No,” Mum replied. “Don’t investigate electrical equipment. If something looks unusual, stay away and tell me.”
Neha nodded.
She stayed beside Mum and Kabir.
Mum arranged a safe light for the family. No one rushed around the dim room. No one tried to repair anything.
Kabir whispered, “So we just wait?”
“We stay together and follow the plan,” Mum said.
Neha liked that.
The power going out had felt like a big surprise at first. But now she could see that she did not have to solve the problem herself.
A few minutes later, Neha noticed something near the electrical equipment that looked unusual.
She did not go closer.
“Mum,” she said, “I noticed something. Can you check it?”
Mum nodded. “Good choice, Neha.”
Neha smiled.
The family continued waiting calmly.
After a little while, the lights came back on.
Kabir cheered. “Our puzzle can be finished!”
Neha laughed. “And we didn’t need to turn the power cut into an adventure.”
Mum smiled. “Exactly. When something unexpected happens, you can pause and ask for help.”
Neha looked at the puzzle on the floor.
She thought about what had happened.
She had been surprised. Then she had paused. She had stayed with her family instead of investigating or trying to find matches herself.
Neha knew she had made a smart safety choice.
Safety Lesson
STAY CALM.
STAY SAFE.
TELL A RESPONSIBLE ADULT.
When something unexpected happens, children do not need to solve it themselves. Stay with a responsible adult, keep away from electrical equipment, and tell the adult if something looks unsafe.
Parent / Teacher Note
Use these questions to encourage discussion:
- Why did Neha decide not to investigate the electrical equipment?
- Why should children not use matches or lighters during a power outage?
- What would you do if something looked unsafe after the electricity went out?