[jessriedel]

In almost all dangerous situations, the child's safety is conditional on the parent's safety because the child is helpless without the parent. This is why, when the oxygen masks drop in an airplane, you put your mask on before helping you child.

[jacquesm]

And because people are not typically all that rational when their children's lives are in danger on every flight I've ever been on they re-iterate that parents should first help themselves before helping their children.