Survival Techniques With Children

Just wanted to touch on a few points. Really enjoy this site from reading about aliens to survival techniques.

My main concern is that if SHTF what does one do if they have small children? Is there any recommended type of freeze dried foods/bulk foods/rations that would prove more beneficial? Also would it be recommended to keep at a single point or rather have a few small camps to bounce between? How does having children in a survival situation change the game? I know that it definitly would make the situation more complex as far as security/stealth/mobility. Also the same concerns could be applied to elderly or handicapped family members.

I actually thought about this myself because I have a three year old. If something does happen it certainly makes it very difficult because the child does not know whats going on. You bring up a very good question, but im not sure I have the answer as to what to do.

Good survival technique, learn to dig deep holes. Good for hiding, trapping and storage.

Also, get everyone in good physical shape, for digging said holes.

Buy large vitamin bottles, calcium pills, tang, powdered milk, extra
underwear, jeans, shoes in larger sizes, hiking boots, sleeping bags,
antibiotics (earaches, sorethroats) more bandaids, lots of soap, hard candy
for motivation. Kids need stability and a warm cleanly spot to be. I would
try to stay put somewhere in hiding if necessary. Not everyone can go and be a nomad in a crisis.

I think if you are in a survival situation with children you want to keep them as far away from danger as possible so staying or moving depends on the situation. personally it would be of benefit for everyone if the elderly and children are capable of running around and being physically conditioned for survival, but if you have a newborn then you will have to settle down.

Yeah having kids in such a situation is a serious disadvantage but a real reality to think about. In a survival situation it is hard to think what you would do to feed your kids if it came down to it. I would resort to eating magots and grubs before killing anyone as I have always tried to be passive in that respect. Alot of food sources are present if you have the know how. That is why in a true survival situation your chances of living increase with the knowlege you have. I would recommend a good book called Edible Wild Plants or actually any similar book. In a situation X one can sustain themself off the land, within reason, if they are familiar and recognize many food sources which most would walk by. Even though Im not native american I always really respected their ability to live off the land with minimal resources.

Being a father I have wondered this with Sean being a month old tomorrow. The breast feeding would have to carry as far as it could and there would be nothing stopping me from getting his needs met. Nothing.

There was a movie Into The Wild about a college student who went to Alaska with a wild plant edible book and died eating the wrong plant.
It would be better to live in the country, stock pile ahead of time and grow your own food and shoot animals, even the neighbors dog if necessary. Feed those squirrels on your property left over popcorn and stale bread crumbs to fatten them up. Buy a salt lick to attract deer. Moving
children around would be dangerous for lots of reasons: stranger dangers,
getting lost, getting wounded, getting a disease, starvation, being exposed
to the elements, they don't travel well (try a trip to the grocery store
during non crisis times.) I had my car slide off the road during a blizzard
I had to walk four miles home carrying a 1 1/2 year old and the 4 year old walked himself, it was miserable they both cried and carried on. I
got pneumonia from sweating, and exerting my self while I had the common cold. I nearly died later from the pneumonia. When you have children you are really, really tied down. You must be stable.

reply to post by Jdawg9909


As a parent of two young boys, I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say about this topic.

I've often worried about how I would be able to provide and protect them beyond the little bit of preparations I have made for the worst case scenario.

reply to post by frugal


Nightmare.

My kids are the same age as your two, and i have often thought about this.

It's one thing to bug out on your own or just you and your partner, but another thing entirely with young kids...even with older kids, it would be pretty harrowing i'd imagine.

Not as bad if you had to trott off in summer time, but winter or cold, wet weather would be terrible.

My main concern with the kids, wouldn't be feeding them or transporting them, although that would be bad enough, but more with stealth...or lack of it. A crying or chattering child, would be a real danger to the whole family in a situation where you'd need to hide from those who might be hunting you.

Sleeping pills? Maybe, but if you needed to scatter and hide fast, because people were hunting or nearby you, there'd be no time for them to take effect.

Very worrying.

I would have to say it is very age dependent.

Breast feeding- The mother should be the primary source of rations for the kid, in a SHTF scenario, mainly because of the antibodies she is carrying for the kid.

You will have to decide, if you want to stay put or move. This process will be aided by how tenable the chosen area is, and if your with a group or if it's just you, JR and the mama. Nourishment, shelter and hygiene are the primary concerns for their health, but by no means your only concerns.

toddler to about 9-10 years old- If you do have to move, or may have to move, this is the primary age group to teach the basics. The basic will include, movement in the field, basic water purification, and basic food gathering. For basic food gathering I would have basic snares, and plant identification.

While moving especially over long distances, you should pay close attention to how far you have traveled, and terrain. Stop before you and the kid gets tired and stop for 15-20 minutes at a time.

10-15- This stage the child should be able to do more advanced field craft. This will include, building several types of shelters, hunt with a rifle (if so supplied), hunt with a bow/pistol and identify most edible plants and plants with healing properties i.e aloe.

15+ This age group should be able to handle an adult load, but look out for, ignorant decisions. At this point the child should be very adapt at moving through areas without being spotted and identify dangers of human and animal nature.

If you are are just thrust into the situation, then asses the situation. Are your neighbors going to help you, or is it chaos? If your neighbors hold it together in a societal collapse, you may want to stay especially with a young one. If it is chaos, your cache may be your only hope.

If you have to march, don't walk until you are dead tired. Walk until you start to feel like you have gone a decent distance 2-5 miles and stop. Don't stop when you are already tired. Rest for 15-30 minutes dependent on the age of the kid and your overall health.

Either your immediate family or your SHTF survival group need to have at least 3-4 locations with good sustainability to hole up for at least a day, preferably more. Check you situation and asses the kids. Where will you go, into the wilderness or can you wait to see if someone gets a homestead started?

The longer you are out in the wild and the smaller the group the child has less survivability. This is not to say it is impossible.

Shelter, water, food and security are the bare minimum you need to survive. In any situation you find yourself in, in a SHTF scenario those are the most important things to provide, especially for kids.

Good little synopsis there oppaperclip.

Man I really hate to even think about this sort of stuff but it is becoming more and more probable with the bad economy, wars, etc that something could go down. So it cant hurt to be prepared and have some sort of plans worked out. I was talking to someone the other day and we both agreed that if they cut off the unemployment benefits nationwide that could have a huge effect on the whole social structure.

reply to post by kenny71


Breast feeding as long as possible may be a good idea in theory, but as the child gets older, you have to think of the physical toll this will take on the mother. If she is not taking in enough calories or nutrients, her body will start to take it from her own personal stores to produce the milk. This could seriously impare her chances of survival, as she will be in a weakened state. Or, her body may refuse to produce it all together, and she could lose her milk, thus putting the child at risk. But as a mother of a 2 year old myself, I can easily say that I would sacrifice my own chances at survival for my child, and I'm sure the mother of your child feels the same way too.

Breastfeeding, if possible, would be a great option to fall back on if sitX was nuclear in nature

Great thread, I have often pondered this situation myself, and having the chance to hear what others think is educational and entertaining

reply to post by frugal


Into the wild was a good movie. Just because the man died at the end from eating a poisenous pland does not mean that you should not learn about wild foods. Especially if you have kids!!

Today I ate ate a raw Cattail Sprout and it tasted pretty good. There are abundant wild foods out there that you can eat and not have to worry about poisenous look alike. Like Pine Needles and bark. They are so abundant, around here anyway. Here is avideo about eating from the Pine Tree family.

reply to post by (C2C)


What a great video, thanks for sharing! This is important information for anyone living in northern regions because the needles and bark of the pine would be available during the winter months when other plant life would be scarce.

Cheers to you

reply to post by (C2C)


Great info in that vid ... now none of us need to get scurvy if TSHTF ...

reply to post by (C2C)


Keep in mind that Frank Cook died recently. Kids can do amazing things if allowed to and taught a few things. Make learning survival skills a game and they will have fun while they acquire knowledge.
Hide and seek is a must play - in a SHTF you might need to disappear. Energy bars are your best survival food for size/weight.
Tom Brown Jr. has a book about survival for kids of reading age.
Children will follow your example - go camping and teach them the basics of fire, shelter and water. If you don't know them, learn them.
Children are our future and should be protected at any cost. In a real SHTF I will be with my grandchildren for that very purpose.
Excellent thread! I think this topic is critical indeed.

Well one suggestion is to teach your children gradually as they grow up. I have a ten year old girl and I have taught her what I can over the years. From how to light a match to how to control her emotions in certain situations (fear, anger). When we go for walks together I try to show her different plants, especially pointing out anything that I know to be poisonous. We grow gardens together and try to come up with creative ideas for doing things (making do, instead of going to the store for premade items) There are a plethora of books in my home for her to browse on all sorts of ways to procure food and medicine, hunt, butcher, improvise, identify. I understand if you have a very small child it could be quite worrisome but they would be developing within the situation and would learn to adapt VERY quickly. That is another thing to remember, kids adapt very quickly, they are smart and small and quick. I think your children would suprise you if this scenario ever played out.
Lastly, hope for the best, be prepared but do not be afraid!

Me and my daughter talk "trail walks", and we get "lost". And I let my lil girl who is 7 find our way out. We load her little backpack with our lunch and wate and a small first aid kit. While we are out, I try to teach her lil odd and end things. Teach your kids now and be patient. but don't drill them just teach them while having fun and the kids will never know they are learning

Oppaperclip has the right idea here as far as what age to do what. Although if the child is an infant - 3 years of age I would say it is best to have a site A, site B headquarters planned somewhere safe, remote, and well stocked. My boy is 6, and my girls are 5 now, and it would be a little easier to move, although I still think if moving is not needed it should not be attempted. Staying put until the child is nearly ten would be desireable I believe. I have two seperate locations mapped out and ready to go with basic supplies for a family of 8 to at least get a good 3-4 month head start on the campsite/headquarters. Stocking up on kids clothing now is a good idea. You want to be able to keep up with your growing child(ren) and have at least a couple outfits for them for each age. It doesnt have to be a lot, or expensive, or all done at the same time. Buy and outfit here, and an outfit there. I've been doing this for 14 months, and have enough clothes for all three of my kids until they are 10. Clothing exchanges, or salvation army thrift stores, or second hand stores work, cause lets face it, who cares where you bought it or what it looks like as long as you are clothed and warm during a survival situation. Getting a Ranger Rick subscription for your kids would be a good idea also, its a great outdoor magazine for kids. Fishing, Hunting, sport shooting, any type of outdoor activity that will also benefit your child in a survival situation. Like some smart person on here said that if you keep it fun they wont even know they are learning.