Surviving With Small Kids

Hopefully, you’ve been learning from what I’ve shared with you so far.

As you develop your skills and purchase supplies, you may even feel that you have all of the basics taken care of. But what if you have small children? As preppers, we may have learned that we must first ensure our own survival; as parents, we will never consider putting ourselves before our children.

While older kids are easier to train and will use their common sense in the event of a disaster, young kids will be confused, scared, and helpless. It’s essential to be aware that young children value security above most everything else, and having that security stripped from them is incredibly traumatizing.

As such there are several steps you can take before and during a crisis to make it less traumatizing for children…

1. Teach the children how to access your medical, food, and water supplies. You never know: if you can’t move, your little 4 year old can be the only one around who knows how to access your trauma bag…
2. Stock up on consumables and disposables that comfort them: stickers, snacks, and coloring books.
3. If they are old enough, pack their bug out bag with them and explain how to use things. If your kids ever end up alone, they can survive a lot longer while you search for them if they are trained and have their “comfort things,” including their “blankie”, stuffed animals, coloring books, etc.
4. Get your young children interested in the outdoors and teach them how to swim, how to hide and to stay quiet, how to avoid dangerous trails and animals and how to stay warm.
5. Buy warm clothes and shoes in larger sizes. Be sure you have warm boots, hats, gloves and socks. A good pair of boots can last you 20 years, but your growing child will need a pair annually.
6. Run through a few drills with your younger kids and even make a game out of it. That little dose of adrenaline and stress will make them more immune to the real deal and will help them tolerate it easier and execute better.
7. If you have infants, stash some reusable and disposable diapers, diaper cream, wipes (they are useful for so many things anyway), sleeping sacs, infant medicine, and baby a first aid kit.
8. I don’t recommend formula-feeding your infants for many reasons, survival being one of them. If you’re able to breastfeed, you don’t have to spend money to stock up on formula, you don’t have to worry about sterilizing (especially if there is no running water) and you don’t have to worry about hungry kids.
9. For potential post-collapse needs, stash tons of books and educational materials, extra tools, and personal care items.

In the event of a disaster, the first 3 days are the worst and first month is the hardest. If you have little kids in tow, keep these tips in mind to get through the crisis…

1. Your best bet is to bug in (unless you are in say downtown Chicago mid-winter). Stay in your secured house and have places for the kids to hide.
2. Keep them calm by doing activities and following near-normal routines if you can to keep them quiet and reduce stress.
3. Do not leave them home alone.
4. Follow proper hygiene practices the best you can. Kids are susceptible to viral illnesses and infections as they develop immunity to common viruses and bacteria. With lack of access to treatment, you are on your own.

Finally, you’ll need to know how to survive after the crisis and raise your kids in the post-collapse society…

1. Teach your children basic reading and arithmetic skills using flash cards, books, toys, and other teaching tools.
2. Help your kids to learn a trade.
3. Make sure your kids participate 100% in all activities that aid your survival as they grow: gardening, farming, fishing etc.
4. You can make clothes for your kids by cutting material out of your own clothing, so keep a sewing kit close by.

Remember to teach your kids daily with dedication and passion. They will have the responsibility of rebuilding the world, and if you are gone, they need to know how to take over. You may not be able to prevent a life-changing disaster, but you can ensure your children’s long-term survival if you start preparing today.

To your survival,
Richard Marshall