Is Your Spouse Survival Minded or a Skeptic?

Does your marriage ever feel like a rowboat with you and your spouse paddling in opposite directions?  It’s impossible to reach a mutual goal if your goals aren’t mutual!  The Paranoid Dad and I are polar opposites in many ways, but when it comes to preparedness, we have the same mindset.  We’re both worried just enough about the future of our country to agree that taking steps to become more self-sufficient and prepared makes a lot of sense.

How about you and your significant other?  Are you on the same page when it comes to prepping?  Is one of you convinced it’s past time to prepare and the other more than a bit skeptical?  If your spouse or significant other is the skeptic, I have a few suggestions for coaxing that sweetheart of yours’ on board.

1. First, understand that most every dad in the world is concerned with the security of his family.  The instinct to protect runs deep.  Whether it’s the desire to protect his family from crime, economic hardship, or just a flat tire, most dads are just naturally wired that way.
2. If the topic of preparedness seems to be completely closed, it’s probably because your guy is fearful of the future and fearful he may not be able to protect and provide for his own.  It’s actually very touching when you think about it.  Therefore, you’ll have far more luck winning him over with calm, matter of fact words than by launching into a hysterical appeal.
3. Most men admire strong women, women who take the initiative.  They also tend to be appreciative of  just-the-facts and dread emotional conversations.  If you can present him with a plan in writing, so much the better.  Your plan could be a list of ways your family could cut back on expenses.  I don’t know a single dad who would be opposed to that!  Have some sort of plan in mind, whether it’s for a storm evacuation or food storage.     
4. Watch for conversation openings when a friend or family member loses a job or finds themselves in severe economic difficulty.  Even if your own income is secure, ask him, “Have you thought about what we would do if you lost your job?”  If this opens up a meaningful conversation, as opposed to, “Don’t say that kind of thing!  I have a job, and I’m not gonna lose it!”, then you can begin with what should be the first preparedness step for any family, that of preparing for a possible loss of income. 
5. Current events offer the perfect opportunity to, again, talk about what-ifs.  “What if it was our house in the pathway of a wildfire?”  Watching events unfold on TV also provides great lessons in preparedness vs. the head-in-the-sand approach.
6. Once you’ve caught his attention and he seems open to the idea of preparedness, begin with some of the steps in Preparedness 101 and other resources on this blog and others.
7. It’s okay for this process to take some time.  For some people, just the idea of preparedness and survival is too much because it opens the door to thoughts of a perilous and insecure future.
8. It’s okay to begin this journey solo!  Setting a small goal of having a month’s worth of groceries on hand is something you, as the Mom, would most likely be in charge of anyway.  Tuck away a few extra dollars here and there, read aloud books to your kids that underscore the need for being self-sufficient, and learn all you can about survival and practical skills.

Fear is probably the biggest obstacle when people are confronted with the idea of planning for the future.    Even though we expect our spouses to be strong and fearless, the truth is, they’re as worried about an uncertain future as we are.  Preparedness begins with taking the smallest baby steps, however, and it’s amazing how the simplest step brings a degree of peace and relief, even in the face of a scary future.

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