By Brian Duff How to Make Your Family Safer Have you wondered how to make your family safer in this constantly changing world? The 24-hour news cycle and the internet bombard you almost non-stop with troubling stories. Your children see and hear things you would never have imagined at their age. Does what they see and hear as children trouble you as parents? If you are the good parent that I know you are, it probably does. After all, you just want them to have a safe and happy childhood, right? One way to make that happen is to follow these four steps. They are simple steps that involve proactively spending time together. Then, working to pass on your safety, security and preparedness information slowly, in a controlled and positive manner. Spend Time Together The American family changed as TV’s reduced in size and cost, and more parents left home to join the workforce. The changes are even more dramatic with the fact that many kids and parents practically live on the Internet. As this has happened, families spend less and less time together. Gone are the days when families eat, play and watch TV together. It is that separation that families who desire to be safer should overcome. After all, by being together, your family will learn from one another. And learning from one another is better than learning from some stranger on the computer, or the TV, right? By spending time together, you impart many views and values upon your family. Those include your views on safety, security, preparedness and the world as a whole. Many families have forgotten what it’s like to go outside and play together. So, why not read a book, or do something educational together? Go on a hike, skim through a book on local wildlife, play a board game, build a puzzle, etc. I don’t know about you, but it’s the times spent together as a family that I remember most fondly from my childhood. Why not give your kids the same fun memories? Be Truthful With One Another “Honesty is the best policy.” ~Benjamin Franklin. Trust is a key part of any relationship, even with your family. When your family asks you questions, be honest with them. That honesty doesn’t include telling them an EMP is going to wipe out the planet. That is over exaggeration and not how to make your family safer. Stay with what you know is fact and avoid adding drama. Will an EMP wipe out the country? Who knows? What we do know is there is a potential for a grid down situation to happen. So, why not be prepared? Will they be attacked by a terrorist? Probably not, but there is a chance, just like there is a chance of being targeted by a criminal, etc. So, explain that bad people are out there. Explain that they should be observant and keep an eye out. Explain what they should do if something happens. Let them know that they will be okay because you have taught them what to do. Be Positive As preppers, we understandably tend to focus on events that are negative. While we don’t usually intend to be negative, others think we are. Those others can include our family members. Therefore, we should make a conscious effort to be positive as often as possible. When we’re positive, we’ll attract others who may be more willing to understand why we prepare. In the end, there are a lot of wonderful things that happen in our lives. Take the time to focus on and reinforce them to others. Being positive will help everyone come together, be happy and learn in an encouraging environment. Don’t Scare People We all know that the world can be a scary place. That is especially true for children and people who may not be exposed to potential problems like many preppers are. As a result, knowing how to make your family safer can be difficult. Because it’s a scary place many people ignore what’s going on, or put it out of their mind. Often times, when reality hits, they don’t deal with it well. Therefore, it is important to not scare people. When dealing with children, read this earlier blog post for some ideas. If there is something going that should be addressed, parents should take it out of earshot of the kids. Try to not be dramatic and say bad times and bad events are certain. Telling people who are not ready to hear something bad that it’s definite may be counterproductive. Instead of telling people the economy is going to crash, say we could be in for tough financial times. Doing so plants the seed and lets people get used to the idea. Then, as you slowly help the seed germinate, they’ll eventually develop an understanding. Lastly, never forget, you’re just one prep away. If you have any other information, suggestions, or thoughts about how to make your family safer, please leave a comment below. Stay safe, secure and prepared.
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By Brian Duff What Is the Gray Man? The term gray man describes a way of dressing and acting so as not to draw attention to oneself. The goal of the gray man is to go unnoticed by blending into the environment by being as average and inconspicuous as possible. Why Be the Gray Man? People will want to be the gray man for a variety of reasons. In today’s world, being the gray man will help divert attention from you to others. By diverting the attention of bad guys, you have a better chance of avoiding a confrontation. Think about it—if a bad guy wants to rob someone, will he focus on the plain Jane person, or the person with expensive-looking jewelry and designer clothes? For example, if you wear a “Kill ‘em All” t-shirt, a bad guy looking to steal guns could target you. Does the Grey Man Concept Only Apply to People? No, the gray man concept applies to people as well as things. Driving your car with little stickers of each family member on the rear window is likewise not a good idea. Sure, it’s cute, and you’re proud of your family. Unfortunately, it also tells the bad guys how many people and pets are in your house. Why make it easier for the criminals? In a grid-down scenario, if you are cooking when others are starving, you are asking for trouble. Starving people may be able to smell your cooking and could decide to show up looking for a meal, or more. How Do I Become the Grey Man? You become the gray man by first, paying attention to your surroundings. In other words, engage your situational awareness. Look for what other, regular people are wearing. What people wear in the city is often different than what people wear in rural areas. Don’t just focus on clothes. Think about accessories and personal items. Do people in the area smoke? If most people don’t, you won’t want to either because doing so attracts attention. How are they carrying themselves? Do you walk in an aggressive or nervous manner? What do they do and how do they act when they talk with others? Do they shake and introduce themselves when meeting? Concentrate on not doing things that make you stick out. Again, you have to pay attention to notice what to do and what not to do. Think it Through What it takes to be the gray man changes with the environment. Are you going to a rougher part of town or to an area you don’t usually go? If so, what do the people wear there? If a significant event is happening and you decide to bug out, how can you tone yourself down? If you decide to bug in, what should you do to look less appealing to the bad guys? In the End Being the gray man is something that should be thought about and planned for. When you do, you lower the chances of becoming a victim. So, talk about it with your family and your trusted circle. Play a game with it. See who can become the most unassuming gray man out of the group. Test it out. Evaluate yourself. Adjust your actions and try it again. Lastly, never forget, you’re just one prep away. If you have any other information, suggestions, or thoughts about the gray man, please leave a comment below. Stay safe, secure and prepared. |
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