So, you bought into the idea of hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, which is great! But how do you get your family onboard the prepper lifestyle when they may be less excited about it than you?
Whether you’re trying to convince your extended or immediate family to adopt the prepper lifestyle, it can be a difficult task. Here’s why some people are leery of prepping for the worst and some simple tips to get your family on board.
Why Some People are Reluctant to Start Prepping
First, having reluctant family members is common. Sometimes it’s as simple as laziness because prepping takes work. Others fear disaster, so, by not prepping, they adopt the “bury-your-head-in-the-sand” attitude. They don’t want to acknowledge the possibility of disaster and possibly death.
“The Normalcy Bias”
This bias is the state of mind that people often have when they think about the reality of a potential disaster. They tend to underestimate the possibility that a disaster could occur at any time, as well as the effects of a disaster.
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“Death Would Be Better”
Many people say they would rather die than survive a disaster. They often develop the mentality that death would be better. Some of these people may eventually come around to the prepping lifestyle, but if this is their honest belief, respect their opinion.
“There’s No Money in the Budget to Prepare for a Nuclear Armageddon”
The cost of prepping is a legitimate concern. Many people struggle to make ends meet, and they think there just isn’t enough money to prep the right way. Prepping over time is much less expensive, though, and makes prepping totally doable.
Tips for Introducing Your Family to Prepping for Disasters
Here are some helpful tips to help get your family on board with prepping for the worst.
1. Discuss It in More Immediate Terms
Your family may not understand prepping for something that may never happen like all the people building bunkers during the Cold War. (News flash! Nuclear Armageddon could still occur, and maybe those people were smart.) Talk about disasters we see regularly, such as power outages and hurricanes, instead of nuclear war. You might be able to spark their interest and then bring them around to more hardcore prepping once they warm up to the idea.
Approach slowly because, if you don’t, you risk increasing their resistance to the idea, which defeats the purpose of getting them on board. Most people don’t like making decisions when they feel rushed.
2. Try Different Family Vacations
If your family goes to the beach every year, try camping in a national park near you. Camping will introduce your family to critical survival skills like building a shelter as well as living and cooking in the wild.
It will also teach them the vital things to pack, such as essential first aid supplies and shelf-stable food. They’ll learn how important a durable tactical flashlight is when there’s no electricity. Remind them of necessities such as a can opener if you have canned food in your stockpile.
3. Ask Someone to Help Get Your Family Onboard
Perhaps another family member believes in the prepper lifestyle and may be able to help you pitch the idea to your family. Or maybe it’s a friend that they’ll listen to because, let’s face it, sometimes the inspiration needs to come from someone else.
4. Use the News to Warm Them Up to Prepping
Sometimes a reputable source can help get your point across. Your family may digest this information much easier than you speaking to them directly about it. The TV news is full of terrorist attacks, natural disasters, illnesses, disease scares, and more. If you’re watching the news with your family and one of these stories pops up, it’s the perfect time to mention prepping.
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5. The Indirect Way of Talking About Your Day
An indirect conversation is a perfect way to introduce your family to the prepping lifestyle. You may sit down to dinner with your family, and you’ll ask your kids how their day was. In return, they may ask about your day. You can reply, “I cleaned out the garage to make room for emergency supplies” or something similar.
Mentioning it indirectly won’t make your family feel like you’re pressuring them. Don’t say you’re stocking up on supplies in case of a nuclear holocaust. Dramatic flair won’t help you in this instance.
6. Books About Prepping
Books are an excellent way to explain the importance of prepping for the unexpected. They can be non-fiction, but even fiction books work well if they’re about learning to survive in the wilderness or after an apocalypse. They’re good conversation starters, especially those that illustrate what happens if you don’t prepare for the worst. These books make good gifts.
7. Prepper Games
There are some prepper games out there that you can play with the family. Buy a survival-related set of playing cards for family game night. There are also card games and board games about surviving an apocalypse. A game is a fun way to shine a light on a serious topic.
8. Movies, Documentaries, and TV Shows
There are plenty of movies and shows related to the prepper lifestyle. Some of these include:
- The Purge
- Contagion
- The Impossible
- Apocalypse 101 by National Geographic
- Apocalypse Now by the Discovery Channel
- American Blackout by National Geographic
- Blindness
- Babylon AD
- Catching Fire
- City of Ember
- Dante’s Peak
- Deep Impact
- The Walking Dead
- Electronic Armageddon National Geographic
- I am Legend
- Life After People by the History Channel
- Live Free or Die Hard
- And many more
It may take some convincing to get your family on board with the prepping lifestyle, but avoid direct confrontation or you may sabotage your efforts to make sure that your family can survive after a major disaster. Whether you choose a movie for the family to watch or give your wife a prepping book for Christmas, use these tips to educate your family on preparing for the worst.
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Get them on board, with the old classics…
Panic In Year Zero
Solylentgreen
Twilight Zone episode, the Bunker
Great movie list educate others. Good ideas on camping. I am putting together tourniquet/bleeding review my group. Trying to more hands on with family and friends. People are busy, I get it. But this is the time to educate yourself and others. If you have a skill(s) try to pass off your pearls of wisdom to others. God Bless and keep alert. Evil lurks everywhere and is ready to cause chaos at a moments notice.