New to prepping and wondering how many parents!

[PreppingPingu]

I've been prepping for a few years now, started when my daughter was about 9/10yrs. I talked about how the extra food was for the 'just in case' moments eg if I wasn't working, bad weather etc.

My OH wasn't on board to start with but now is encouraging me to go and get extra stocks in.

Now my kids are older they really take the mickey but I'm sure they value everything I do as we never run out of anything anymore!

Keep it low key to start with and as they get older you'll be able to have some deeper discussions about prepping.

Ditto - I am the same as preppingsue. You don't want to scare younger children, or have them chatting about things that you would rather they didn't. Leading by example is great. Start of small and see where you end up. When my two were younger (they are teens now) I always had spare clothes in the car for when they fell over in the mud when we were on a woodland walk or had got messy round at my grans house. Now they are teens I still have spare clothes in the car as part of a car kit - its just that they fit me and my 2 teenage girls now!

Welcome btw

[Decaff]

My son is a teenager (arrggh!) now he's on board although we don't call it prepping, we call them "the stock cupboards" he's great at helping to rotate the stock and half his wardrobe is filled with some of the food stocks for long term storage. He's always known I have a thing about stocking up with lots of food and just accepts it as normal

He also knows where the emergency medical supplies are kept, household goods, torches, batteries, candles, lanterns and hygiene products my OH only knows about the food stuffs or there wouldn't be any lanterns, batteries etc etc

The mogsplosh knows exactly where his stuff us stashed away... Unfortunately! He's always trying to get at it

[warringtonmum88]

Hi guys sorry i haven't replied in some time, i have had no access for a couple of weeks.
Thank you for all your replies so far. I would like yo update you all, i managed to find a bergen in a localc charity shop pretty much brand new so i have started packing that. I have been adding things into our weekly shop, alternating on themes. So one week i add extra first aid stuff, the next week i add extra tinned foods, the week after other supplies such as light sticks, matches, water purifying tabs. I have quite the little stockpile now.

I have also been using the idea of filling empty pop bottles with water and storing them incase of water shortages. This is coming along very nicely.

I am also prepared for winter now too. I have extra candles, extra light bulbs, several bags of cat littler and rock salt, torch with plenty of spare batteries, hot water bottles, extra blankets and extra food and alternative heating.

My partner seems to be much more on board now too, he still thinks i am a little crazy but he's not alone on that lol.

I have been watching the news a lot lately and wanted to ask you how you all feel about the hightened terrorist threat level to severe. I was reading something in the week that got me thinking, greater manchester police have been assisting businesses, attractions and members of the public in how to deal with, be prepared for and how to remain vigilant against terrorist attacks.
The problem i have is, when i have looked online for the advice they are giving people it isn't readily accessible, a lot of sites are content blocked on my phone...i am over 18 but i have the restrictions on my phone via my network as my son sometimes uses my phone. I have often wondered what everyone would do if something massive happened over here.
In the news article they had warned places like the football stadiums, trafford centre and other major places including the big train stations in manchester of monitoring situations and remaining vigilant at all times. How would they be expecting people to do this, what sort of thing would they be telling them to look for?

Anyone who knows Warrington will know that Warrington suffered a terrorist bombing in the 90s at the hands of the IRA, two children were killed and many more injured. It was the weekend of mothers day and there were many people around.
Well a couple of weeks ago we had our town christmas light switch on, I was with my little girl in a lift going into the shopping centre when i spotted on a bench at the top of the escalators a very large package, oddly shaped wrapped in brown paper...the paranoid part of me immediately sought out a security guard who i informed straight away, they looked at me like i was a paranoid whacko but thanked me all the same. The place was locked down while they waited for the police to attend. The place was absolutely packed inside and out. My partner and my son were waiting outside the building with absolutely no awareness of what was happening inside as my phone was dead. Eventually the police recovered the package and removed it, everyone was let out to enjoy the light switch on and nothing was mentioned again, the police didn't even speak to me about what i had saw, the time etc, who was about etc.
I did think it was odd how the police acted and that they didn't even want to speak to the person who had reported it.
When i was reunited with my son and partner he was with his mum and her partner, i had explained what had gone on (by the time we were let out information had started filtering out from other people so they were understandably worried). My mother in law was full of praise surrounding my quick thinking and eagle eye and given her knowledge of the previous terrorist incident in warrington having lived here all of her life she was relieved someone had the sense to report something that seemed so out of place. My father in law on the other hand pretty much shot me down, ridiculed me for being paranoid and said what i had done had caused a lot of people a lot of unnecessary worry and fear. He is such a know it all and i couldn't help but question if he would have felt the same way should the place have blown up! He didn't have an answer. Think i know who i won't be saving lol!

What would you all do in a situation like that? Xx

[Stasher]

I think you did exactly the right thing. Not reporting the package comes under the refusal to take responsibility and assuming someone else will bracket. Good on you.

Regrettably terrorism has been part of our lives for many decades now. I think you did the right thing and I hope if I ever spotted an abandoned parcel I too would inform the relevant security

Don't be put off by the father in law. Clearly he believes nothing is his responsibility, but everyone else should be taking it on his behalf

[preppergb]

Hello I have a son aged 16 now and a niece who we also often look after, both have bug out bags as does my wife.

[unsure]

i have 3 children and 5 grandchildren , the 3 kids think i`m barmy , mad as a box of frogs . but have all needed our supplys at one time or another , the grand kids ages range from 1 - 5 so to young to understand , the oldest 4 just see it as thier own little shop . and being the age they are no one takes any note when they do mention our shop [thats only happened once]. we do stock up for them as well with the little things they would miss , sweet stuff , cake mix ect . also with foods we know they will eat .

its all so worth keeping things in ghat would occupy them if you couldn`t get out for any reason . its not all about running off to the hills , its easier to defend your home than be a refugee and leave it all behind . that for me is a last resort .

[Holomon]

I have two kids, and I also travel for extended periods for work which can make it tricky. I'm lucky because I live close to one of my oldest friends, who's a roughy toughy type with no kids and a similar mentality to me, who's pledged to take care of them if anything ever happened while I'm abroad.

To be honest, there are a few aspects to prepping that I've taken into account with regards to the kids. Mostly where we live, how secure the house/vehicles are, and having supplies that are kid friendly. Mine are 5 and 7, so at least we're out of the nappy and baby food hoarding phase.
The main thing in the longer term prepping is ensuring changes of clothes for them and kid friendly considerations like back up cooking. I'd be happy to head off, catch and cook a squirrel and live like a wild man for however long, but that's not practical with little ones.

The other consideration is to do with the protection of the children themselves day to day. Not just the "don't talk to strangers" thing, but mine won't run ahead of me further than a safe distance (actually trying to quantify it in my head, it's probably 20m or so), not to leave my line of sight, not to go off with other kids, and the really important one to me - to immediately come back close to me if there's a dog running around off it's lead.

Just on the suspicious package thing, you did absolutely nothing wrong. It's better to report things like that than live with the consequences if it had turned out to be something. It's encouraged in London, especially on the tube system, but with the state of the world and terrorism becoming something lone wolves seem to want to have a crack at (see today's Sydney Siege) I'd much rather things were reported and I suffer a slight delay at a false alarm, than it turn out to be real!

[Yorkshire Andy]

Think with younger ones the first introduction to prepping needs to be what happens when the household smoke alarms go off...

many young kids Hide they need to know not to do this.... .

Had to laugh with the little 3yo one when we got back from the supermarket Mum had set fire to a tray in the oven

we stayed outside with her covering her ears due to the noise whilst mum dealt with it.....

But i encouraged her to shout MUM loudly then to laugh bang on the window and repeat... and made it into a game... bribed with a cream bun in the shopping bag


SWMBO questioned later as to why i got her to shout her name over and over...... Because its a game she liked it we was teasing mummy but if she is anywhere in the house and there is a fire there's a chance she wont go and hide quietly under the bed or in a wardrobe and will shout and laugh letting us find her and get her to safety asap

[Wildfire]

I have 3 lads teenagers and above, all know what why where and when, we have no secrets and all are on board and see the sense of it, and have known since youngest was 10

[Mad Scientist]

Welcome! I have a husband and 9 year old girl. My husband thinks I "overdo" prepping and my daughter isn't that interested. Having said that, hubby was out of work for a year and he was very glad of our full pantry and my austerity! My daughter really enjoyed the woodsmanship lessons her class did in summer and I've taught her how to pluck a bird. Hubby is fixing the house up and can mend ANYTHING!

With regards to the parcel incident you did exactly the right thing! There are all sorts of nutters out there and your family needs YOU to be vigilant and take the correct action. You did precisely that, so well done! People out there are still alive because of this and you should remember that.