How to survive as a mother with 2 young children?

reply to post by survivalwoman

I understand your point. IMHO survival and trade skills will both be in high demand in a Situation X. Both will be in short supply as the masses of people will not have prepared in any way.

Fortunately I have trade and survival skills that could enable me to be independent of others. Unfortunately I am an old woman and will be one of the first to die off. Hopefully I will live long enough to pass on my skills to those that need help.

You will need to be prepared to shoot and kill those that are hungry and ask you for help or food. It will be very difficult killing women and children. I am prepared to kill looters to protect my survival goods. But I will feed and care for others as long as is possible.

In order to survive with any decent degree of mental and physical health we will need to work together to rebuild our world. Trust will be of utmost importance. You have to sleep sometime. There will be times of illness when you will not be able to care for yourself and your children. Small communities will be most helpful during times of need.

I live in a hurricane prone area and have a very secure home. My friends are welcome to share my home in a disaster and I've told them all they will need certain supplies when they come. I would prefer to be close to friends and family during trying times.

I wish you the best in a survival situation. As for me, I say circle the wagons and lets all work to defeat the enemy and survive another day.

reply to post by goopity



Hi goopity! (love your name)

You can have two kind of packs for two situations. You can have a large dry pack which is to try to make some few weeks at home "off the grid" and self-sustaining. I believe this is what you are referring to in your first post as rather "large packs". It should, of course, contain many staples, fire-starting products, etc. And you can find recommendations for that online.

You can also carry in your trunk sustaining backpacks - one for you and one for each of your children. Think hydration, protein, and fire. If you keep those three things in mind you can pack an immense amount of impact in one backpack.

And then make yourself a network of friends who are NOT "city folk" and head that way. Head to the nearest rural friend you have.

That's my thoughts.

reply to post by Valhall


Thanks val...I figure if I can get to my father's house (in a rural area and with a mini arsenal) I will be in good hands. He is a "hunter gather" as he likes to say and he has a safe room.

And you are right, I want to be able to sustain us for awhile rather than just a few days. I have been looking on the net and have found some great guidelines for BOB for kids and infants.

I dont call what I do a survival kit, I call it a stock pile. A few things that will last you for years are Honey, canned meats, canned vegetables. usually check the dates they last around 2 years. just use the older stuff before the date runs out.

What will last for a long time? Rice, Macaroni, dried beans, fruit rolls, granola bars, peanuts.

A few things you should really keep are also Jerky, which you can cut up and cook in some water and make a soup. Canned meats are always good to have around just in case. There also is a ham you can buy that if you keep it cool and dry will last for 2 years on the shelf. I believe it is country ham. Dehydrated vegetables will work good as well you can throw them in a soup.

make sure to keep plenty of Honey and lemon around the lemon juice can be used with the honey to get rid of colds. And lemon juice will also give you your vitamin c which keeps away scurvy. Those little plastic containers of lemon juice will last about 3 years.

I keep plenty of fruit rolls on hand, they are dried and are sealed so that way it wont go bad they also will last about 3 years. I have about enough right now for a 1 year supply put away. this also adds to your vitamin C and they are good for you.


If worse comes to worse make sure to have plenty of water and oodles of Noodles around. hey you will eat them if your hungry enough. Even though to me it looks like worms. And there cheap. Around here there 10 for $1

Hilda

reply to post by Valhall


Oh yeah, I like my name too. Its what I call my youngest son. Or goopers, the goop, etc.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by crgintx


Shotguns are unwieldy and not quite safe for a pregnant woman ( I Know from experience ) While Using a shotgun is fine , I found the Kickback to Hard on me, and god knows its a hell of a lot easier to travel with a child and a hand gun than with a shotgun and a child.

Just a thought , Women have to deal with issues different from mens , with size, position and weight of things.


[edit on 16-2-2008 by survivalwoman]

[edit on 16-2-2008 by survivalwoman]

Perhaps instead you should take your own advice, and leave the rest of us to ably take care of ourselves.

Just because we are women, does not mean that during a situation X our odds of being raped goes up by any significant percentage. I sincerely doubt that someone who is not a rapist before situation x becomes more likely to be one afterwards, and even if that was the case, I think you are vastly underestimating the one significant strength that women have above men, the thing that has served women throughout history. Our ability to endure. Women have suffered much at the hands of men (and other women) throughout history, but we have survived, endured and prospered. There is no reason to suggest that we cannot do the same regardless of what situation we are faced with. To be honest, many women in my opinion are better equipped mentally to deal with disaster than men are, since we're much better equipped to face whatever comes and us with equanimity and coping.

But like I said, if you're so scared, feel free to take your own advice. You won't be missed.

Mod edit: removed quote

[edit on 16-2-2008 by sanctum]

[removed quote of entire previous post]

Most women probably are more level-headed during a disaster, but to discount the fact that your gender puts you at a disadvantage isn't very logical. Even in a civilized society women are more frequently victims of rape, murder, and abuse. Why is this you ask? Well, it's because humans are just thinking animals. We have the same drives as other animals like the need for food, sex, safety, dominance, etc. Without laws, and able-bodied people to enforce them, we quickly revert back to nature.


Mod Edit: Quoting – Please Review This Link.


[edit on 16-2-2008 by sanctum]

reply to post by Inannamute


Your post is missing a reply to ect , I cannot tell who you are responding to. Please clarify.

reply to post by goopity


I got to thinking and Going through my stuff Goopity , and I was Realized I hadn't even changed my kits for my son (Now 1 and had not a kit for my unborn yet) , so i went through and I can tell you what I do have in my kids kit's.

I have an exact duplicate of my sons Mr Bear
Clothe Diapers in Two Sizes , a Sling and A Scarf Sling
Infant Teething Tablets / Tylenol
Washcloth
I have Formula and I Also Carry a Small box of lactation tea so that if need be i increase my production.
Extra Cloth's / Blanket , Swaddler , Diaper Pins.
Having Lived in TX in the Past I Also Carry Sunscreen and Lotions

Those are my Basics , I should also Note that I Always Carry Both Glass and Plastic Bottles , Collapsible Bottles , and Supplies to Quickly Boil and Distill (Just Foil)

I was reminded when i started that iodine water purification is not always appropriate with babies and children because their bodies are not mature enough to filter it properly , Though I am not sure if that also Applies to breast feeding , I would have to do More research.

It is also good to study on the entire cloth diapering thing and practice so if you need use t it dosnt confuse or exacerbate your situation.

Originally posted by survivalwoman

Shotguns are unwieldy and not quite safe for a pregnant woman ( I Know from experience ) While Using a shotgun is fine , I found the Kickback to Hard on me, and god knows its a hell of a lot easier to travel with a child and a hand gun than with a shotgun and a child.

For travel yes handgun, I was thinking in a stay put situation. No firearm can hold a door like a 12 gauge.

reply to post by Mainer


Personally I don't Think anyone could convince me to stay in once place.

But that seems a personal Prob.

I otherwise agree.

Checkout the newer defensive loads for a .410. 3-5 000 buckshot balls flying at 1200fps or more will put down just about any two-legged varmints not wearing a flack vest. I understand most women's aversion to the noise and recoil of shotguns plus the added weight in carrying them and their ammo.

If I had to carry one handgun for survival purposes, it would be a revolver in .357 magnum. With star or half-moon ammo clips, they will fire every kind of .355-357 ammo from .380 ACP on up(9mmx 17mm,x19mm,x21,x23, x25mm and any 38 special). If your on the move, 9mm ammo may become scarce and hard to obtain in barter. Every one these days wants a 9mm for some damn reason when there's so many other rounds that are far more effective for self-defense and survival purposes. A .357 Magnum has a lot more power for putting down larger game if you have to take it to eat.

A .410 isn't a bad choice at all for a slighter individual. At close range, it has as much if not more stopping power than a .357 or a .44 magnum. It's not as cool or macho to carry, but it's more than adequate for close up work.



[edit on 2/16/08 by LLoyd45]

[edit on 2/16/08 by LLoyd45]

Got just one idea really.

Kids are great at walking, they love it. Get them out with you walking as much as possible. I walked a lot as a kid and it's just something I do when I'm bored. It's a good way to just have a laugh walking miles and spotting things, passing on little bits of info that you prob thought you'd forgotten.

Park up somewhere where you can always get back to your car within a short easy distance, but also where you can follow your nose - maybe not stick to some pre planed route as such. Get them to 'get a bit lost' (don't you get lost tho!!) and see how they do at finding the way back - first few times of feeling lost is all it would take for the kids to start thinking before they head off after something shiny

My reply was to Telemuchus - the post that has now been removed.

I am so happy I have read these posts! I've been a lurker on ATS for awhile and kind of discouraged by all the testerone dominated forums - here I see these great replies from some really strong and smart women!

I am learning as much as I can about indigenous plants in my area - I think herbalism is indeed a forgotten skill and may make me valuable ( and therefore more likley to stay alive) in any potential sitx.

I am also a lurker (for many years now) and have decided to officially join in the mix here. I haven't seen anyone comment much about alternative restroom facilities in any of the survival forums - at least not the kind I use. For info look up "The Humanure Handbook". This thing really works and whether it be for a shelter in place or establishing a camp it is a very simple and clean way to go. A basic model would be a 5 gal bucket. A bucket lid seat from such as Cabelas and composting material. I use a bag of wood shavings (sold as animal bedding from the farm supply store) and mix in some peat moss. I use about 3/4 shavings to 1/4 peat moss.
You start with about 2 inches of mix in the bucket and add a scoop of mix to cover after each use. Once the bucket is about 3/4 full you take it out and dump it -preferably in a compost or lawn clipping pile. Then it should be covered with a layer of fresh clippings, bush, grass etc. The next time you go to dump it, you dig out a spot in the pile, dump the bucket and recover and add more fresh greens.
I know this may sound gross, but believe me it works very well. I have rural property that I visit and this is what we use in our "outhouse". The outhouse very rarely smells except immediately after using it and even my neice who was about 5 when we started this was impressed with it and she would not go into an outhouse when we went to campgrounds and would go outside in the woods instead.
The guy who wrote the book I mentioned had his entire book available to read for free online and did extensive years of research on the actual safety and cleanliness of a humanure compost pile.
I will admit that dumping the bucket is something that you want to do with the wind in the correct direction, but surprisingly the smell is from the liquid at the bottom rather than the solid portions. We then use a regular toilet brush with some Dr. Bronners biodegradeable soap and water to wash out the bucket and leave it to air out and use the next bucket. Also note that recyled wash water works well for this. When washing out the bucket we also add the water to the compost pile. As a note - the compost in the bucket and in the pile - needs to have moisture for proper decomposition.
I made my toilet out of an old wooden toybox, cut the hinged top in half, cut a circle to fit the 5gal bucket in one half and mounted a regular toilet seat to it. The other half is plastic lined and we just dump the shavings mix in there with the scoop in it. It works perfectly.
When we started this we had no "outhouse" so we used one of our tents for the outhouse. You could do that in a backyard and no one would even know. Our compost pile has never smelled at all except when adding a new bucket. Once covered again it goes away quick.

Best wishes to all,
Earthmama4

reply to post by Earthmama4


Thanks for that earthmama4. I'm a bit of a hygenic freak. I often wonder how I would cope in a situation where I couldn't take my daily showers and such. I think as a society we've been sheltered from some of the facts of life. The biology of our bodies hidden by smiling babies and puppies in commercials for bog rolls.

The man and I are going to start doing some serious rough camping this summer just so we can start to think about these things and come up with solutions to basics that work for us.

D