JULIE:
I also homeschool my kids, but once a week they go for outside classes with some other homeschooled kids. I was wondering if you had any tips on making a “survival baggie” for children? I know they have ready made kits, but what if you wanted to put one together yourself?
SURVIVAL MOM:
I’ve written about this before on my blog, but you can put together a few survival items for your kids without freaking them out. Think in terms of these five categories: SANITATION, SUSTENANCE, SURVIVAL, SAFETY and SANITY.
For sanitation, provide a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer and a small package of Kleenex. For sustenance, I recommend a high calorie survival bar, the kind you can buy online. These bars sometimes have 1200-3000 calories each. They’re packed with fat and some protein to stave off hunger. However, teach your kids to eat VERY sparingly in an emergency because once they begin eating, their bodies will require water to digest the food. Include a few wrapped hard candies, maybe a lollipop.
For survival, think about providing warmth and light. A package of hand/food warmers and a lightstick or two should work well in a tiny survival pack. For Safety, include a card with emergency phone numbers, maybe a meeting location, even written survival rules, such as “Stay put. We will come and get you.” A whistle might also be included. Finally, items for Sanity might be a family photo, maybe a tiny notebook and pencil. Add a water bottle or pouch (Survival), and your kid is good to go.
These are the bare minimum but with them, you’ll know that your child has water, a high energy snack, a light source, a way to stay warm, etc.