Talk to your kids
Children are not just small adults. They are completely different creatures, and disasters, even some that may not seem dramatic, will affect them in unpredictable ways. Preparing to meet the needs of this vulnerable group is a big part of the reasons many families begin their journey toward a more prepared lifestyle.
Prior to an emergency
Include your kids in your plans without scaring them. If you tell them that you are putting a flashlight next to their bed so they can see to move around if the power goes out during the night, they will accept it as the way their family does things. Talk to them before an expected round of storms about what they might see and how your family is prepared to handle it. You can explain that fire, wind, snow, and rain are all part of nature. When we get too much of them at once during a storm, it can cause the lights to go out and other things in the house to stop working for a while. Talk to them also about the people who help others in an emergency or a disaster. They should have some real-world experience with firefighters, police officers, and paramedics so that they aren?t afraid of them or the uniforms or sirens.
If your children can read, a checklist hanging in an obvious location can provide them with reminders of what they need to do should the lights go out and you aren?t home. Younger kids will benefit from seeing photographs of what to do. Kids like to be part of the team, so assign them chores that make them fe...