Preppers Should Develop Strong Family Bonds Before There is a Disaster
This article will discuss reasons why strong family bonds are a prepper necessity, instead of a luxury. Also discussed will be specific examples of what can go wrong when a prepper family is not functioning well.
The stress of a disaster will test families. During a personal disaster such as the loss of a job because of a recession, the number of divorces and cases of child abuse increase. Even after the recession ends, the family members, especially the children, can suffer long term negative effects from the recession.
During other disasters, such as prolonged power blackouts, family members will suffer many stressors. Especially the very young and very old family members, for example, are more likely to suffer from accidents while walking around in the dark. Family members also might have trouble keeping warm in the winter and keeping cool in the summer, and, in the absence of electronic amenities, they may have trouble avoiding sensory deprivation. In addition, family members might be huddled into smaller spaces, and the disaster also will disrupt their daily living patterns.
Conditions such as these can cause family members who do not have good stress management skills to abuse alcohol and drugs. This abuse, in turn, can make bad situations worse.
Consider a disaster, such as the Fort McMurray Wildfire that required Fort McMurray residents to bug out. A family could be trapped together in their cramped family car for hours. Some of that time might be spent in frustrating traffic jams.
Under these conditions, the family would be under great stress, and that could be dangerous. A stressed out driver, for example, could have a dangerous accident, especially when driving among other stressed out drivers. Also, such a driver could become involved in a road rage incident.
One way for preppers to address the above problems is to skillfully motivate their family members to embrace the prepper lifestyle. Being prepared for disasters makes it easier to endure them.
Another way for preppers to address the above problems is to build strong family bonds before the disaster occurs. If a family is not functioning well before a disaster happens, during and after a disaster that family will have serious problems cooperating with one another at times when such cooperation is critical.
Preppers should look upon regular, positive family interactions as a necessity, and not as a luxury. This is a critical type of prepping that is fun to do. Romans 12:10 NIV reads, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” As Josh Daniel said, “ The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each-others’ lives.”
Have you made any preparations for possible future disasters? What preparations do you think are important?
