OK so this is my problem......

Our bags are packed, we have practiced, all children can carry BOB's on hikes and set up camp on their own BUT the children are growing fast so......

What do you pack for growth? Clothes I mean. I understand that in situation Stix some weightloss will accure due to different diet and more exercise. However they will continue to grow taller and their feet will continue to grow.

My concern is when this happens we will be unable to buy or make clothing for the children, so do I pack larger clothes and make them wear them until they grow into them, thus wearing them out?

This may seem like a silly question but it is one that bothers me none the less.

Please advise.

BOB's are not really for the long term. They are to get you to wherever you will "Bug Out" to. If you are relying on your BOB to last you long enough for children's growth I think you would have already exhausted your other supplies.

My advice for a child's BOB would be a replica of their favorite stuffed animal or toy. Comfort will be in high demand if your BOB's are in use.

I am very thankful that my children are not into toys. My youngest has a few toys but almost none that are played with. So that is not an issue. In fact yesterday my youngest got a new slingshot and is so pumped about it. My children have long been fans of outside entertainment, like hiking, camping, and such so toys are really survival tools.

One of our favorite reads is "My Side of the Mountian" and the children have tried and succeded in doing some of the things they read in this book.

But again my main concern is their growth and the ability to keep them in clothes during this growth.

Thanks for your reply.

I buy clothing and shoes for my kids that are a couple of sizes larger than what they currently wear. That way it's not necessary to keep swapping them out as growth spurts occur from year to year.

As for entertainment, it's very important for morale. Something as simple as a deck of cards or a portable checker set will help relieve the feelings of boredom and disconnection that will surely come with bugging out and fleeing the safety and comfort of one's home. My little girl has a teddy bear that she's inseparable from, and that's cool with me.

We all have our security blankets whether it's a favorite hunting knife, a momento from our spouse, parent, sibling, friend, etc. People need these things sometimes just to feel normal.

[edit on 3/7/08 by LLoyd45]

Thank you LLoyd45

Thats what I was thinking to buy things a little bigger, and pass them down to the younger ones.

However another concern is shoes. How much larger would you go? One size or one and a half?