As my screen name would imply I have kids, four of them to be specific. No wife, got rid of that crazy b*tch a few years back. So, here's my experiences:
1) Feed the kids what you stock. My children used to DESPISE spam, then I started mixing it with mac & cheese, guess what, they love it. They now eat vienna sausages as a snack. Various beans with dinner all the time, my oldest even knows by heart the proper ratios of H2O to beans to soak them. They also routinely ask me if we need more canned food or beans when we're at the grocery store.
2) Take them camping.....LOTS. I take my kids camping probably 8 or 9 times every summer, they practice foraging dry wood, setting up tents, peeing behind bushes (took the girls a bit to get used to that) It also gets them used to "hiking" while carrying supplies
3) Teach them to shoot. My oldest can drill the wings off a gnat with her .22, my twins and my youngest know how to safely handle a weapon, and can, with help, fire the 10/22
4) Talk with them, not in big scary TEOTWAWKI type stuff but ask if they have any friends who's parent's are out of work, do the kids complain about not getting enough to eat? Keep it low key, but get them used to the idea of prepping without scaring them.
5) Teach them to KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT!!! My kids know not to talk to anyone about our preps.
Remember with kids you've got to keep things fun, or else they're going to get upset and not learn. While everyone else here is trying to say having a family is a handicap I think they're a major advantage. I've got a 5 man team (well, 1 man, 2 boys, 2 girls lol) from day one, we already know each other, we already trust each other implicitly. Sure, I gotta put back more food than the single guy, but the advantages far out weigh the drawbacks.
1) Feed the kids what you stock. My children used to DESPISE spam, then I started mixing it with mac & cheese, guess what, they love it. They now eat vienna sausages as a snack. Various beans with dinner all the time, my oldest even knows by heart the proper ratios of H2O to beans to soak them. They also routinely ask me if we need more canned food or beans when we're at the grocery store.
2) Take them camping.....LOTS. I take my kids camping probably 8 or 9 times every summer, they practice foraging dry wood, setting up tents, peeing behind bushes (took the girls a bit to get used to that) It also gets them used to "hiking" while carrying supplies
3) Teach them to shoot. My oldest can drill the wings off a gnat with her .22, my twins and my youngest know how to safely handle a weapon, and can, with help, fire the 10/22
4) Talk with them, not in big scary TEOTWAWKI type stuff but ask if they have any friends who's parent's are out of work, do the kids complain about not getting enough to eat? Keep it low key, but get them used to the idea of prepping without scaring them.
5) Teach them to KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT!!! My kids know not to talk to anyone about our preps.
Remember with kids you've got to keep things fun, or else they're going to get upset and not learn. While everyone else here is trying to say having a family is a handicap I think they're a major advantage. I've got a 5 man team (well, 1 man, 2 boys, 2 girls lol) from day one, we already know each other, we already trust each other implicitly. Sure, I gotta put back more food than the single guy, but the advantages far out weigh the drawbacks.
and it won't be an easy path but if you can get support, that's your best bet.
x2
