Today I’d like to focus not on getting kids into prepping but rather things parents can do to ensure their preps are appropriate for any children in the house. Being properly prepared means having what you need to be self sufficient for some period of time for every member of the household. Especially your children.
I know many Preppers that got into prepping initially because they had kids and wanted to keep them safe during times of emergency. These were people who didn’t think much of their own safety (as many people tend not to) but who couldn’t imagine not being properly prepared to care for a child. Yet even these people, whose main concern is their kids, often times do not stock up on prepping supplies with children at top of mind. Here I will talk about some things you can do to make sure that should disaster strike your region of the country you are as prepared as possible to keep your kids comfortable and happy.
I should say that I’m not a big advocate of getting young kids directly involved with prepping. I’ve seen too many episodes of the popular [yet asinine] “Doomsday Preppers” where parents are hustling six year olds into hazmat suits or chasing them into an underground bunker while the kids hold back tears. I’d like to kick these parents square in the butt. You don’t need to scare the crap out of your kids to make sure they’re prepared. The parent’s job is to make sure their kids are taken care of, not to drop stories of armageddon on them before they hit fourth grade. Let them be kids for a while. Sheesh.
What I do recommend is making sure that part of your checklist of prepping items always has kid specific preps included. For example if you’ve got three months of food stored up for your family you should check and see how many of the meals you have are going to appeal to your kids. I’m a big believer in freeze dried food and of course as kids get hungry they tend to get less picky but wouldn’t it be great if you had some instant macaroni and cheese dinners tossed in with your preps as well? Having something you know your kids will enjoy is important to keep them happy and their anxiety levels at a minimum during a power outage or other event that could be scary to a youngster.
I also advise people to keep a few sets of kids clothes on hand that are a size or two bigger than what they currently fit into. Imagine how it would feel if that late fall hurricane caused power to remain off into the early winter months only to find that your kids had outgrown last year’s winter jackets. If I see a big sale on kids clothes I usually pick up a couple of larger sizes in addition to what I’m getting for today’s use. The same goes for shoes. Getting a pair of kids boots in a size 6? Might as well pick up a pair of 8′s as well. Of course I only do this for basic clothing in timeless styles like jeans, pullovers, work boots, et cetera….
Having toys and games ready for kids to keep themselves entertained during a power outage is important as well. The more a child’s mind is occupied the less likely they are to be overly stressed. Remember a bad storm and a dark house can be very troubling for a child. That’s another reason why I’m a big believer in stocking up on glowsticks. These are perfect for lighting a child’s room safely and kids tend to find them fun.
These are just a few ideas on how you can make sure that your preparedness plan is kid friendly. I’d love to hear more ideas in the comments section.
~ Butch
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