Having peace of mind doesn’t mean that you have to completely dwell on the fact that an emergency could potentially happen. It is important to keep things in perspective when preparing your family for the future.
It is good to prepare for what may come, but if you revolve your entire life around emergency preparedness, you and your family may suffer in other ways. If you decide to take your family “off the grid,” or spend several hours a day becoming an “apocalypse prepper,” are you even living a life that you enjoy?
Here are a few suggestions to help you get started, without becoming obsessed with things that may happen in the future:
Setup a regular “prep time”: Pick a specific time (monthly, bi-weekly, or weekly) to prepare for or practice for an emergency-type situation such as the car breaking down, a flood, a fire, or an earthquake. Use your scheduled time to get your home ready for that particular emergency.
Start building a food supply: Not everyone can afford to purchase a food supply all at once, and that’s okay. The idea here is to get started. One easy way to get started is by using one of FoodInsurance.com‘s monthly payment programs. These plans are a hassle-free way to build your food storage. Each month you’ll receive a box or two of food, all you have to do is add it to your collection. In no time, you’ll have a robust emergency food supply. An added bonus is the 25+ year shelf-life that freeze-dried foods offer, there is no need to worry about rotation for a long time.
Stock up on foods you love: It’s always a good idea to buy an extra box/bag/can of food your family loves while grocery shopping. Add these additional items to your emergency food supply, but make sure to pay attention to expiration dates. When you use one of these items, immediately write it on the shopping list, and add it back to your supply. Having your favorite snacks available during a crisis can bring great comfort.
Involve your family, but don’t cause unnecessary worry: One other key component to being prepared, without going to the extreme, is that you shouldn’t involve your young children to heavily in your preparation. Yes, you do want to show your children how to react in an emergency. Practice fun drills with them and teach them when and how to call 911. They can even help put together 72-hour kits for themselves, but do not involve them so much that they become frightened of the future.
If you go to extremes and your entire life revolves around the chance that an emergency may occur, you will likely be living in fear. Avoid living a life of fear and worry. Instead, practice everything in moderation and have fun!
by Emily Green (guest contributor)
