Many parents opt for a prepper lifestyle so that they can take care of their families in times of emergencies. It’s a lifestyle that’s created out of love, but that does not mean that your kids will understand what you are doing and why you are doing it.
Here are some tips you can follow so that your kids can be helpful, happy and enjoy the lifestyle.
A Sense Of Humor Goes A Long Way!
Make sure that in the midst of all the preparing, you have a sense of humor. Don’t make prepping a ‘gloom and doom’ scenario for your children. Don’t go on and on about society falling apart or natural disasters that could wipe out the ability to get food from stores.
Present prepping to your children as a way of providing for your family. Get your kids involved and be age appropriate with what you tell them. For younger kids, a simple ‘we like to prepare for the future’ is enough.
Make Learning Fun
Kids of all ages love to learn. You can teach both younger and older kids survival skills – but make it a fun thing you all do together as a family. For example, you can take a hike in the woods and let your kids ‘race’ to see who can set up the tent right.
You can give them a treasure hunt map with pictures of plants for them to find. While they’re having fun, they’re learning valuable survival skills. You don’t want negativity to creep in.
Older kids will see it as cool, especially if they’re busy learning the fun things about prepping such as how to start a fire from scratch. Go on a camping trip and teach them how to obtain food from the land – such as through fishing.
Show them self-defense moves and enroll them in self-defense courses. Let them learn how to do first aid and master other skills.
Communication Is Key
Complaining is a natural part of a kid’s life and almost everyone complains. You just don’t want it to become a cycle. Talk to your kids. Make sure that your children know that they can talk to you about anything.
You can discuss the prepper lifestyle, skills they want to learn, school, relationships or whatever else is on their mind. If your child balks at prepping – especially if he’s a teenager – don’t take it personally.
You don’t always know what goes on in a child’s life. You may just be getting a snarky response or attitude for a reason not even related to you or prepping.
Put Them In Charge Of Non Crucial Supplies
Let them have areas of control with the prepping supplies.
You know that you have to have staples and that certain supplies are non-negotiable. But allowing them the freedom to choose some of the long term food supplies will make them feel like they’re a part of the process.
When you go shopping, you can tell them that they have a certain amount of the food budget to spend on food supplies as they see fit. Educate your kids as to what prepping is all about.
Remember, a child who is surrounded by a loving family regardless of the lifestyle and is given the freedom to be who he is will be a healthy, well-adjusted child.