What will you tell your children?

If/when the SHTF what will you tell your children? Do you try to prepare them ahead of time? Do you wait until something happens? How can you even explain to them what has happen and who's fault it is?

I have a 16 year old son. I discuss worse case scenario situations with him. Such as if we lose communication where do you want to meet? There is food and water on hand etc. He thinks that I am over reacting but at least it is in his mind.

I tell my children the truth. I don't hold back or soften it up. they need to know. If I do any thing else I am not doing my job as a parent.

My mother did the best she could but she always tried to protect me from the real world. you can imagine my shock when I started college far from home, and on my own for the first time ever. With me the question should be what My mother should have told her children.

I know what I will tell my children. I will tell them the truth as I know it.

The truth, of course. And better make children AFTER the event, than there will be no need for any explanations.

I would too, except that my wife labels me as a conspiracy theorist if I ever talk about this. I'm afraid to some people like me, when the SHTF, that's when the sheeple will wake up and will start listening.

I am a newlywed and have been begging my wife to not even think about having children until we can better assess our nation's and world's ecnomic status.

I see no worse thing than bringing a child into an unstable world.

Frankly, she used to think I was nuts and a true conspiracy whack-job...but finally the news headlines are helping me look credible.

The best thing to tell your children is the truth. And to tell them that in order to change what is, is to share what you know with others who do not know so they too can share and pass along what should be known to survive.

You might also want to tell them that when the...SHTF does come, that Wii and iPod's and playstations and iTunes wont be working either.



Cheers!!!!!

Children deserve to be children and free of worrying about things that they have no control over. It is the grown-ups job to deal with things in the adult world and protect their children both physically and emotionally.

My daughters are too young (10, 9, 7, 7) to stress about the unknown. If they hear something at school and ask me about it I'll be honest with them on a level that is age appropriate but I see no need to put the burdons of the world on their shoulders.

Jemison

I see your point really I do, but there is nothing worse then for a child to think every thing is fine because there parents didn't inform then. then the next day they wake up and the world is gone to a very bad place. culture shock is a terrible thing that can shut a child down.

Ime not saying tell them in a bad way but they must be told. Do not do your children the dis service of thinking down on there ability to cope with bad news. They handle it better then we do. Of course this is just my opinion

To an extent I would tell him. But mine is still very young as well. He is not dumb though. He knows there are bad people and good people. My goal is to protect him to the best of my ability. That includes keeping up with what is going on so that I can prepare for what comes. My husband is beginning to get concerned about me though, thinking I have lost my mind. Hell I barely talk to him about it and it is not like I have tons of stuff set aside for preparations. So I hate to see what he would think or do if I really started to get into prepping. I hope I am crazy, but I do not think so. At least if/when SHTF, someone will have a clue what is going on.

reply to post by Jemison

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So you think its best to cover up the mess to them and later down the road when they are no longer 10, 7, 6 or whatever, are grown up and then face the reality and come back and ask you why you did not tell them about this..would be a better way to handle it?


That is being more part of the problem than the solution. They will grow up and have to deal with the reality around them. So why window dress it and put pretty flowers around a dark issue?


True certian things you wouldnt say, to keep them from having nightmares or something like that. But hiding the truth from them will not do them any good. And kids these days are not as weak minded as most want to believe. Most of these kids these days can run circles around you and me when it comes to high tech and having an open mind.


Again, be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.



Cheers!!!!

reply to post by angryamerican

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I guess my question would be, what do you feel that I need to tell them? We aren't able to predict the future and I don't want to stress them out with a bunch of 'what if' scenario's.

Jemison

reply to post by RFBurns

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Can you give me a few specific examples of what you believe I am covering up? That's a pretty broad category and it could be that I have already discussed things with them that you might be talking about.

And no, I dont want them to grow up having a false sense of reality. While I love my parents and respect them immensely, it wasn't until I was 33 that I learned that money can't buy everything. Yes my Dad had tried desperately to get it through my think skull but I had led a charmed life and anything that went wrong could be easily fixed by writing a check. When my twins were born 2 months prematurely there was nothing I could do and nothing my father could do to ensure their survival. No amount of money in the world could 'fix' them. I was dependant on technology and the expertise of Doctors to keep my daughters alive. A month after they were released from the hospital 9/11 happened and once again I was in a situation where no amount of money could 'fix' that tragic day.

So I absolutly do NOT want to mislead my children and protect them to the point that they get hurt when reality slaps them in the face. At the same time I want to be sure that if I am warning them of something that something IS reality and not a 'what if' type of thing if that makes sense.

Jemison

My children are 15, 10, and 7. I told them the truth, and what we are going to do when, not if, it happens. In my opinion, the children should know, so they can be prepared for it.

The first rule of thumb at our house is no private conversations held at home are to ever be repeated outside the home. I do have conversations with my 12 year old and 10 year old, but not our youngest who is 5

My children actually seem to have a grasp that something is awry as they have been exposed to children in school who's parents have been laid off or people who have lost their homes. They always bring home questions and I find that is the best time to educate them as well as gauge how much information they are ready for.

My mother in-law and I have spoken about it and I must say she is one of the most level minded people I know. The problem is my father-in-law and my husband think we are simply being silly.

The way I look at it is it never hurts to prepare whether it be extra canned goods on the shelf or some money in a jar. If nothing bad happens what have you lost? I think that beats being caught in a situation that takes you by surprise.

I also find that being prepared can bring you a little peace of mind and I think my daughters have understood that. So I think when you have the conversations with your kids don't just scare the bejeesus out of them. Show them that you are a parent who looks at situations and has ideas for keeping them safe...and thereby ensuring their peace of mind that "mom & dad have it covered"


Just my 2 cents.

Teaching them basic survival skills in a safe and nurturing environment now, make it fun and age appropriate.

Talk to them point blank and honestly. Let them know that you respect their intelligence.

Have a plan for staying in or bugging out and have them help make the bugout bags. It is good to have in case of fire or other emergencies.

Above all teach them to work as a team and to consider others as well as themselves.

I think about a complete take over and if Black Ops came busting down the doors, what would happen to our children, our teens? Do I want them to get whisked away to some child torture chamber or have the ability to survive on their own?

I will not discuss what we would do, BUT... You can make these kinds of decisions prior to them happening. What if they come to the school and start carting kids off to some undisclosed location? Do you want this fate for your children?

I have told my oldest to go against the rules and head straight for his little brothers, leave the school to a private location and I will be there, if I do not show they make it to the second safe location.

My kids love to play 'Ninga" games, even in the night they go out and practice their skills. If they want to build a fire, it is a pain in the arse, but they can do it from the wilds, if they want to eat, they know how to make a use a bow from the woods. They also know indigenous plants, tree bark and the like from our area. They know that certain bugs, worms and grubs can be eaten. They know how to make a solar distiller from trash found which has blown in the wind. Water, food and shelter are the main focus, that and staying alive from hunters.

For my 9 year olds birthday we are holding a 'Chase' (yes like the new scifi channel show) party, we will have all the kids, 10 in all, form alliances as well as ultimately come out the soul winner of the games. They will be hunted and pushed to the limits of their endurance as well as walk away with experience and a great time. I am famous for my parties, where I have worked with the same kids for 8 years now. We have added a couple new, but kids catch on quickly to theses types of games as they learn to work together to accomplish winning attitudes.

I dont have money, so ingenuity is important. And you know you can have all the best equipment and stuff, and you can loose it, so best to have the basics from all angles covered.

No matter what the future brings, kids will always survive. They have chosen this time to come in and they truly are the Strongest Souls.

EXCELLENT Thread S@F for you, I will be reading to find out what I can learn from this fantastic group of survivors.

I think a lot depends on what Situation X's you perceive may happen in whatever part of the world you live in at the moment.

It is no good 'hiding the kids' from the facts of Tornadoes or Hurricanes if your area is regularly affected by them - They (Children) need educating about them.

I teach my grandson survival techniques in the form of 'rough camping trips' - a night here, a night there. I do this in the little bit at a time way, till I consider that he has picked whatever information up that I am trying to teach him. The secret is to not go overboard on the SURVIVAL aspect, but more like in the boys own/scout type way and play down the doomsayer aspects.

Remember they are still children and teaching them things like how to make a fire, find water and make a shelter can be fun to do. Treat it like 'big boys' camp making but add in new skills and knowledge every now and again.

I never learned the "real American history" until I went to college...

...so, if/when I have children, perhaps I'll just let them learn on their own by reading and listening history printed outside of a K-12 textbook.

We live in Southern California so we do have items stashed in case of an earthquake and yes, my children know what to do, where the items are located, who to call out of state to check in with, etc.

We also are fortunate enough to have a 20 acre ranch in the mountains where they have been able to learn and practice a variety of 'survivor skills'. We spend every holiday there and it's the ideal environment to teach them things that would be difficult to teach them when we are home in the city.

My children are prepared and would know what to do in an emergency. I just don't feel that I should scare them with things that they have no control over. Of course if they hear something at school that causes them concern (like people at school saying there would be riots if Obama lost) I address the issue with them openly and honestly without any sugar coating.

Jemison