I have a 9-year-old Great-nephew that I'm trying to make into a Prepper. I have gotten him toy guns, archery set, and other things that might influence him. Last year I gave him a USGI canteen, that is still his preferred drinking vessel. This Christmas I'm getting him a USGI mess kit to go with the canteen. However, the coolest gift will be a full-auto, belt-fed machinegun that fires Nerf-style foam darts made by X-Shot! It's so cool that I'm tempted to keep it myself! PS This summer I'm gonna build him a tree house. I don't want him using rotten boards and rusty bent nails like I did. He likes building stuff and this will encourage him, plus he and I get to spend time together.
You're a GREAT great Uncle! Raising a child to be self-reliant and independent is the first best thing we can do for them.
Baked into my kiddos and G-kiddos. Each got a USGI canteen, cup, canteen cup stove in a dump pouch which also holds an Esbit strove and 4 x tabs. This went with a wool blanket and a 10x10 tarp.
I am 86, my grandfather was 65 when I was born. There were 5 of us kids over time and dad was working full time to feed us all. For ever hour I spent with my dad, I spent at least 20 with my grandfather and his friends. I still remember the 1880's jokes he told and the stories he told of his growing up and of his life. I would like to thank you for passing on your knowledge. In my mind the things that count most are your living experiences. Small things like it was 25 miles to the court house from his house. Before the trains came if you got picked for jury duty, you left Sunday noon and stayed until Friday noon and then drove home. It was a several hour drive with a horse and buggy. Then the railroad came. You could catch the morning train, be there for the 9 AM court date, work until 4 PM and catch the evening train and be home for supper. He told me that the first time I remember when I was about 6. Made me realize then and still do that all time and distances are relative. The train made a trip to California from Minnesota a time of a few days and not months as it was as close as 100 miles had been before the trains came. 20 hours at 30 mph is 600 miles as they could change trains and crews. A stage coach, 5 mph, about 60 miles per day, would take 10 days if you pushed it and the LDS in their move to Utah averaged about 15 miles per day or 40 days for the 600 miles. Now I drive 100 miles each way for medical treatment and allow 3 1/2 hours fro the round trip. The gifts are nice, but the stories and interactions are what create the bonds that pass thru time, I have met 2 soldiers in my life that fought at Gettysberg. One told me that the thing that he was never able to get out of his mind and that still bothered him in his 90's was the smell of the dead men and horses on the last day of the battle and after the Rebs pulled out. Haven't seen it in the history books, but that one fact impressed a 6 year old and he still remembers it and it has stuck harder and firmer than anything I have read or saw when I visit the battle scene.. Another story was a bunch of old men sitting around and talking about the Spanish American war and WW1. WW2 was going on and these men or their friends had fought in the earlier wars. One old man was a Lakota who had been 5 or 6 at Greasy Grass and watched Custer's defeat and touched Custer's dead body. I never did ask if he was scalped as I tended to keep very quiet . He said it didn't matter if the war was right or wrong, you just don't ever want to be on the losing side. Until 1924 he wasn't even an American citizen, but instead a Lakota. That has always stuck in my mind and is part of what led me towards prepping all my life. Gramp's taught me how to hunt, shoot, trap, etc, but I never really used that knowledge or depended on it. His stories shaped my whole life in more ways than I can count.
I am, aren't I! However, it's hard to find the time as I'm still working and he's in school, plays video games, baseball and basketball, etc.
important thing with kids is not to force anything on them - if they got some objection - forcing will do more harm than good .... and - don't get offended if things change as they get older - they'll get their own interests and attractions outside what parents & relatives influence them with .....
Yeah, I figure I got about three good years, maybe 4, before I ain't cool no more. That was about the age when his Daddy figured me out and I was demoted to strange but lovable. So until then I'm gonna be the cool Uncle
Mission accomplished! I am officially the coolest uncle around! He loved the X-Shot machinegun, the toy swords, the USGI mess kit, and the bubble-wrap! Gotta start thinking about next year!
My children are 35-28 years old, four of them. They have all prepped to some degree and I am confident they can survive 90-120 days, until they have to find more food etc. That may not sound like much, but isn't there a statistic that the average dwelling in America has about 7-8 days of food? My kids have firearms and ammo and are decently trained to protect themselves. .........
