Joy, I have a grandaughter that's 10 a grandson thats 10 and a grandaughter thats just turned 6. We play the what if game all the time. They all love it. To often these days, kids are talked at and not to. They all know how to use a compass and we have scavenger hunts where they find clues using a compass. They have all their contact info on a laminated card in their backpacks. One of the things we do also is when we get to a camping place, we will sit down together and draw a map of the area and it goes in their backpacks. Kids are alot smarter than most people give them credit for. I've taught them all how to fish and they have their own fishing gear and it's not the barbie stuff, they have the same stuff that I do. They know how to put hooks on and take their own fish off. They each have their own tents and know how to put them up by themselves. They keep their stuff all together and know how to use everything in their backpacks. My son and daughter are also the prepared types too so I don't worry so much about them. Last winter my son in law got snowed in at work and he spent a couple of really miserable nights at work. When he got home , my daughter and I geared him up so that would never happen again. Now he makes sure he has his "I'm stranded" box in his car. He said it makes a world of difference. Just remember that kids aren't born with skills but they love learning, and the more you teach them, the less you worry. My grandkids would rather hang out with me than play video games or watch t.v.

You sound like a wonderful Grandma, Angel! Wow! What fun!. You must live close by your grandchildren. I live 2 1/2 hours from my grandson, so I don't get to see him as often as I would like. I am only just now starting to get my act together on getting him stuff and figuring out what I want to teach him. So the things you and Sue have shared with me will be helpful. I'll print out both of your suggestions and add them to my binder.

I also bookmarked some of the things the guys on this board have shared. So maybe the next time he comes to visit me I can play some of these things with him when we go hiking.

I bought some Boy Scout books for him and his dad and hope that they will use them and maybe even join the boyscouts. I got that idea from the guys on this forum. I printed out some ETS pages for Kids and got some books from REI. I homeschooled my own girls, so teaching children comes naturally to me. The scavenger hunts you play sound like a lot of fun!

I did share with him last weekend how he could use his whistle if he ever got lost. Then he ran into the other room and pretended he was lost and blew his whistle for me to find him! He was so cute! Kids are great. I can't wait to teach him more.

His other grandparents take him fishing, so I'll leave that for them!

I am not sure yet if my grandson will keep his stuff together like your grandchildren do, but I will encourage him to. That is one reason I have been waiting until he is older to give him the gear I am collecting for him. We will start playing the 'What if' game the next time I see him!

Joy

I only live 3 miles from my grandkids so that makes it easy for me. They keep their gear together alot better than I thought they would. We do inventory checks all the time. They have a special place to keep their backpacks and playing the what if game does help alot. They have a pretty big back yard so we camp out in it alot and it's opened to all the neighborhood kids too. Needless to say my daughters house is the cool house in the neighborhood. At first I think our bug outs to the back yard was just looked at as me being the babysitter for the neighborhood, but I guess the kids went home with such good stories that at our last one most of the parents went home and got their tents too. It looked like tent city and everyone had a great time. We are preparing the neighborhood 1 kid at a time.

Here's one more female! I began here using a gender-neutral call sign because I assumed it would be all men, and I wasn't sure how I would be received. That says something about my own prejudices, I guess. Not to worry, though, I've learned a lot, and more experienced campers and emergency preparers have been nice about offering advice and answering questions.

Identifying weak spots in preparedness and working on them is important, and I'm told no one is ever "done" or completely satisfied with their preparations - there is always more to do, or something that can be done better.

That said, my latest weak spot is my EDC. Weird, since we women usually carry a bag, and don't have to rely on things small enough to fit into a pocket. I carry a small purse on purpose (ergonomics - to save the back) and I carry little that would be useful in an emergency situation. I think I have been relying too much on being able to access my car, and the kit there, if there is an emergency event while I am away from home. (I'm pretty well fixed for sheltering-in-place at home) We are going to be doing major construction at work soon, and there is talk of having us park at a different location and be shuttled back and forth to the building - suddenly, no access to car kit. So, I will be re-thinking that one and searching old threads here for ideas.

One of the most useful things I learned was the "layering" system. No bugout system is good if it's too heavy to carry - so I have a small backpack, a shoulder-strap-across-the-chest bag, and an even smaller shoulder bag, which I may switch out to a "fanny or belly" bag, and belt organizer. They can all be worn at once, and if needed, abandoned to the point of the smallest bag, which is my version of the essentials-survival kit.

You ladies are great - training your kids and grandkids early. Joy, as for the daughter who's not interested? Let her live through a "situation" with no preparations, and see how fast she gets interested!

Congrats on being "Mother of the Bride," Joy! I applaud yours and Angel's efforts to teach the grandkids preparedness skills, too.

I've found that the contents of Doug's/AMK's PSK (modified with a few small extras) fits perfectly into my bright red Witz Keep-It-Clear case, which is what I use for my EDC. It comes with a lanyard and isn't too much bigger than a pack of cigarettes. I can switch that between purses (my preferred mode of carry) and even wear it around my neck if I had to. (DFW you may want to look into something like this.)

I'm still working on my husband's car kit, though, and the long-term preparedness is always a work-in-progress. In general the problem is finding the quality items I like on the cheap, and keeping everything organized/finding space for it all. My husband unfortunately does not keep the car as clean as I would like, and sometimes I just don't even want to look in the trunk!

And definitely add Blast's "Bad Dog" scenario to your "What If" game. He practices with his daughters all the time. Teaching kids the proper way to interact with strange dogs (not just attack situations) is so important and not something I see a whole lot of these days.

Great to see more women joining in! Thank you all for your comments, suggestions and encouragement! I agree that there is "always more to do or can be done better." That is my situation for sure!

Angel, you are quite an inspiration to your grandchildren's neighborhood! That is so neat! It reminds me of our house when I was growing up. All the kids in the neighborhood came down the street to our house. We were always doing outdoor things and it was a lot of fun! Forts, hikes, picking huckleberries and making huckleberry pie. We collected Yerba Buena and made tea. I sure miss those years!

I think my EDC is also one of my weak spots. Like you I have different size bags, purses, etc. and I am always moving things from one bag to another and trying to figure out how to get as much emergency stuff into my smaller 'Eagle Creek' purse. I like to keep a few emergency water pouches with me, as well as a couple bars, first aid, multi-tool, meds, headlamp, duct tape, cell phone and cell phone charger, etc. - and that is all in a very small shoulder purse. So I have gone back to carrying a larger bag - even then I want to put more and more stuff in it and it gets too heavy, just like you were saying.

DFW, I can understand your being uncomfortable about having your car moved further away from you at work and not having access to it. How far is it going to be and for how long?

I think in your situation I might keep a box with the 'layer system' you talked about in it and then if you have to leave in an emergency, you would have it with you to either bug out or stay in place. The box is so that the others don't know what you have in it (if that is a problem). I don't know if you have a place at work to keep it though. And hopefully there would be enough room to keep other things in it too, like more food and water, etc. If that isn't possible, let us know and maybe we can think of some other better ideas.

Christina, some day I plan on getting Doug's AMK/PSK. I bought one for a gift last Christmas. I keep thinking it is geared more for emergency situations while hiking or camping. I have most of the kits stuff in my purse/bag already. But like others, I like checking out the contents and playing with them so I know what is there and how to use it. I put duct tape on a small pencil and I keep that in my bags, along with other things that are in Doug's.

I'll have to do a search to see how Blast plays his "Bad Dog" game. That is a great idea! Thank you for sharing it with me.

Well, I guess this is getting too long. Thank you for sharing everyone.

Joy

I'm currently reviewing and revising my EDC. For now I EDC my organizer, cell phone, medication, first aid kit, Fox 40, EMT shears and other personal items.

For some situations I carry a larger bag which holds my 2D Mag-Lite, more first aid gear, cell phone charger and PSP.

In addition I often carry bottled water.

Jeanette Isabelle

I live in Texas so I keep a case of water in my car at all times and I usually carry 2 bottles with me.

There are many of us here who are from Texas.

Jeanette Isabelle

I was in Takesass once, long long ago. But we will return...