Family

You want your family to be safe, healthy, and happy. Here, you’ll find resources and tips for natural remedies, homeschooling, frugal and fun ideas for family travel and time together.

woman scratching eczema on her arm

Easy, Natural Homemade Eczema Lotion

If you struggle with eczema, you’ve probably tried all sorts of store bought lotions and then resorted to lotion recipes found online, all with varying degrees of success. Some likely worked better than others, and some probably didn’t work at all. The DIY information can be overwhelming; that’s why it took a long time to get this recipe for a homemade eczema lotion just right. Now it’s time to share!

OTC medicines on shelf

11 Essential OTC Medications to Include in Your Emergency Kit

First aid kits come in various sizes, from compact versions that can slip into your purse to more extensive kits suitable for large toolboxes. When assembling the contents of your first aid kit, it’s essential to prioritize over-the-counter (OTC) medications that address a wide range of common ailments. In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 OTC medicines that should be a staple in your emergency supplies, everyday carry, and bug-out bags.

tank coming down hill with 3 men on it

6 Tips to Help You Teach Kids About Conflict

Whenever there is war, our youngest generation must find ways to deal with the suddenly changed state of the world around them, whether at home or abroad. In this article, we will delve into the profound importance of teaching our children about war – not to instill fear, but to empower them with knowledge, empathy, and resilience as they navigate an evolving world.

amber bottle with eye dropper holding tincture sits on brass tray

How to Make Herbal Tinctures

Tinctures are one of the best ways to include herbal remedies in your emergency preparedness preps. That’s because these concentrated liquid forms, also called herbal extracts, are more quickly absorbed into your system. In this article we’ll look at a simple method that doesn’t required precise measurements.

mom helping two daughter slice bell peppers in kitchen

Raising Prepared Kids: Homeschooling with a Focus on Survival Skills

Homeschooling is quite an undertaking, but one of the great benefits of homeschooling is that you can teach your kids the real-world life skills you think they will need to survive, not what some bureaucrat decreed. (For the life of me, I still can’t see why I needed that many years of math in high school!) While different parents naturally have different focuses for their kids, you probably see the benefit of having your kids learn homesteading and outdoor skills. After all, you are on The Survival Mom website! So, let’s look at some things that are natural fits

image: young boy using a sewing machine while a young girl observes

5 Ways to Promote a Culture of Self-Reliance in Your Family

As you begin to create a culture of self-reliance, you will feel more confident about your ability to withstand almost any hardship. We cannot depend on the government or charities to provide services and care for the millions of people across the nation when a disaster happens. It is essential that each individual and family do all they can to be responsible for themselves when needed. If we are wise and careful with our resources, we will be able to sustain ourselves through difficult times.

image: woman in white top hanging laundry to dry inside her house

3 Methods to Wash Laundry When the Power is Out

We all need clean clothes and we’ve become very dependent on our washers and dryers, but laundry can still be done without these conveniences.  You need a plan, proper equipment, these off-grid laundry tips, and plenty of practice. It will take longer, and it’s not easy, but it’s still do-able.

medicine dropper dropping liquid into amber bottle creating natural medicine kit

10 Fundamentals for Your Natural Medicine Kit

A time might come when a quick trip to the store or pharmacy for medical supplies isn’t an option. Visiting a doctor might not be feasible either, but fortunately, there exist tried-and-true remedies that could be invaluable. Keeping a natural medicine kit within reach can effectively equip you to handle situations demanding medical attention.

image: white car driving down the road, road trip, family road trip

Survive Your Next Family Road Trip With These 13 Tips

As you embark on your family road trip adventure, remember that a successful journey is not merely measured by the miles covered, but by the cherished memories and laughter shared along the way. Embrace the spontaneity, the challenges, and the joys that come with traveling together. Keep these tips in mind – plan ahead, pack wisely, entertain creatively, maintain patience, and nourish your sense of adventure.

image: women placing foil covered casserole dish in HotLogic portable oven

A HotLogic Portable Oven Review: The Best Way to Enjoy Hot Meals Anywhere

My sweet friend, Brenda, first introduced me to the HotLogic self-heating portable oven. She told me how it provided hot, homemade meals for her family during long road trips. “So much better than fast food, and it saves us a lot of money,” she said. I didn’t understand how this simple, insulated, zippered bag could be this miracle worker that she claimed until I tried it myself. Read on to learn what I discovered about this ingenious little tool.

image: boy with bug bite who needs bug bite remedies

Beat the Bugs: Unlock the Secrets of Bug Bite Remedies

When friends warned me about the South and bugs, I really thought they were exaggerating. Bugs of every shape, color, and size decided to make their appearance, and it wasn’t long before I was scrambling to learn the best bug bite remedies that wouldn’t have harsh side effects. This resulted in a study of repellents and learning what I can do to prevent as many bites as possible because who needs to be covered with bug bites that become liquid-oozing welts? Read on for what I discovered.

image: two girls woodworking practicing survival skills for kis

Summer PREP School: 48 Survival Skills for Kids to Learn This Summer!

About the only life skills kids seem to have these days is how fast they can text on their phones, so why not broaden their horizons and send them to PREP School this Summer? There are dozens of prepper life skills for kids and summertime is the perfect time to learn them. If they learn and cross off 4 skills a week during the 12 weeks they are off from school, they’ll complete the entire list before school starts back up. You can even give incentives for each one they master and hold your own graduation at the end!

image: woman in striped shirt and overalls smelling a sunflower sitting on a yellow stepstool to illustrate beauty in hard times

9 Ways to Use the Power of Beauty to Boost Wellbeing in Troubled Times

During challenging times, finding moments of joy and pleasure can be essential for maintaining overall wellbeing. Incorporating elements of beauty into our daily lives, such as admiring nature, enjoying art or music, or simply adding a touch of aesthetics to our surroundings, can have a powerful effect on our mood and mental health. Engaging with beauty can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, which can improve our sense of wellbeing and help us cope with stress and uncertainty. By prioritizing sensory experiences that bring us joy, we can cultivate a greater sense of resilience and positivity, even in difficult times.

image: cruise ship preparedness on cruise ship anchored offshore of island

Cruise Ship Preparedness: How to Stay Safe at Sea

Early in 2013 many of us were fixated on the story of the Carnival Triumph. This massive cruise ship lost nearly all its power due to fire and for five days became a bobbing cork in the water. And how about more recently–remember the Diamond Princess Quarantine? While these incidents are rare, they do happen and if you plan on enjoying the high seas, you need to be ready with cruise ship preparedness.

Image: mom learning how to start homeschooling her daughter and son

How to Start Homeschooling: The Beginner’s Quick & Easy Guide

Homeschooling is an educational option that has been gaining popularity in recent years, as more and more parents seek to take control of their children’s education. If you’re considering homeschooling, you may be wondering where to start. With so many options and approaches to homeschooling, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. In this guide, we’ll provide you with some essential information and practical tips to help you get started with homeschooling. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or a first-time homeschooler, this guide will give you the tools and resources you need to create a successful homeschooling experience for your family.

image: young girl showing sheep in a club that teaches kids self-reliance

The Top Four Clubs that will Teach Kids Self-Reliance

Family vacations, lazy days at the pool and barbecues are what summertime is all about. Like many moms, you want to keep your children busy. Consider involving them in an organization or club that also teaches kids self-reliance. Many youth organizations are excellent introductions to basic survival and homesteading techniques. Here are brief summaries of four children’s organizations that can teach your child important skills while having fun, making friends and developing a sense of accomplishment.

image: dead body lying on ground behind crime scene tape because of bad habits

5 Deadly Habits You Need to Change Today

Everyone has bad habits. I don’t believe there is a human being alive who doesn’t. In everyday life, most of these aren’t a big deal. You’re not a bad person if you have a weakness for chocolate. So you forget to put your shoes away, no one is going to die from that. Maybe you just need a closet organizer. Survival situations, however, are different from real life. A poor habit that may simply be an annoyance to your spouse on a regular day could have severe consequences in an emergency. In this article, we’ll examine five bad habits, why they will kill you when your survival is on the line, and also some suggestions for establishing new healthier habits.

image: variety of foods for purchase at market to support local farmers

9 Reasons to Support Local Farmers

Discover 9 compelling reasons to support local farmers! From fresh flavors and better nutrition to economic support, sustainability, and community connections, find out why buying from local farmers is a game-changer for your health, economy, and the environment.

Survival Wisdom from Old-Timers: 16 Life Lessons for Tough Times

It has been said that those who don’t understand history are doomed to repeat it. Many of these lessons we think are part of the modern era are new packaging on old problems. We see them as survival lessons from old timers, but it was just how they lived. We can learn a lot by seeing how a generation born and raised post-prohibition, post-stock market collapse, and post-settling the West learned to overcome the pitfalls of short-sighted decision-making.

image: woman holding up finger and wearing expression of I just had an idea about how to non-preppers to prep

Creative Ways to Encourage Non-Preppers To Plan for Emergencies

Although some folks you know may be resistant to the idea of prepping, you’ve got creative and effective ways at your disposal to encourage non-preppers to take action. From focusing on the practical benefits of preparedness to making it a fun and engaging activity, there are many approaches that can be tailored to the individual and the family. By taking the time to understand the concerns and motivations of non-preppers and finding ingenious ways to address them, we can help ensure that everyone is more ready for any situation that may arise.

image: man and woman arguing about prepping with a skeptical spouse

Prepping Diplomacy: How to Avoid Conflict with a Skeptical Partner

No amount of arguing, pleading, or article-forwarding could convince my husband that a bleak future was possible. Prepping with a skeptical partner requires more out-of-the-box thinking, for sure! But little by little, I was able to do enough on my own to get us in decent shape for the most common events in our area — tornadoes extended power outages due to ice storms, and personal financial crises.

image: woman sneezing into handkerchief who herbs for seasonal allergies

Natural Remedies: How Herbs Can Help With Seasonal Allergies

One of the most uncomfortable day-to-day health challenges has to be suffering through a round of hay fever every year. It’s multi-faceted misery: sneezing; runny nose; itchy eyes, mouth or skin, stuffy nose due to blockage or congestion; and fatigue. Many people rely either on prescriptions or a handful of capsules from the health food store to stay comfortable during allergy season. However, herbs for seasonal allergies can be a simple alternative. Surprisingly, many of them are readily available as common weeds.

image: family celebrate good times in tight times

15 Ways to Celebrate Good Times in Tight Times

A difficult future is going to be made easier if family bonds are tight and the love is strong. There’s nothing quite like traditions and holidays to establish and reinforce those bonds, and tight times shouldn’t mean the end of these celebrations. Survival Moms are creative enough to overcome anything!

image: man pushing woman in box having fun when the power is out

10 Fun Things You Can Do When the Power is Out (Besides Sex)

You never know when you’re going to lose power. It’s good to have a few ideas up your sleeve, so you’re not twiddling your thumbs. It gets real boring – believe me! Every day without electricity feels like 100, especially when your neighbors get power back before you do, and you can’t help but stare at them in envy! Here are 10 fun things you can do when the power is out here, besides sex!

image: woman with ponytail wearing glasses looks through the front door peep hole at unprepared family members expecting help after a disaster

Will You Help Unprepared Family Members Who Want Assistance After a Disaster?

Over the years, I have received this question about unprepared family members many times. It’s a sticky survival situation in which family and friends inform us they will just come to our house when disaster strikes. Since the issue of unprepared family members so common, but also one that is very pressing to many people, I turned to other bloggers and experts in the prepper and survival niche, and asked for their expert advice. The results were phenomenal. Here are their perspectives on this difficult issue.

image: cover of survival mom prepping calendar gift bundle

This Year Surprise Friends & Family With A Useful Prepping Gift Bundle!

You already know the Survival Mom Prepping Calendar can help keep you on track with being prepared for the next emergency. It’s more than a calendar. It’s also a collection of more than 150 prepping tasks and simple To Do’s. Three or four of these each week. However, have you thought of what a great gift this makes for just about anyone? Combine the beautiful wall calendar with a few of the products mentioned and recommended in those tasks and To Do’s, and you have the perfect gift.