[1]As a parent who advocates preparedness, it is difficult to find non-threatening ways to get my kids on the preparedness wagon. As a family, we regularly camp to help them see the benefits of 72-hour bags, preparing food and living in an off grid environment, as well as helping them learn how use maps for navigation.
Bernie Carr, editor of Apartment Prepper [2] has written a children’s book to raise the importance of kids being ready just as much as the parents. Her recently published book, Jake & Miller’s Big Adventure: A Prepper Book For Kids [3] is story of Jake and his canine best friend, Miller setting out for a big adventure and preparing their supplies for the trip. They discuss the importance of planning out their trip by packing up the essentials to be equipped for anything: water, food, shelter, first aid, flashlights, radios, and for Miller, his favorite dog biscuits.
The book is illustrated with adorable pictures of Jake and Miller preparing for their big adventure. The illustrator, Aja Wells did a great job in depicting the story through images.
I won’t spoil the entire book, but one aspect that I enjoyed is something we all do while preparing. We visualize ourselves using these items in perilous situations and thriving because we had our preps on hand. Another point the book makes is even though adventures can be fun and exciting, they are not without their dangers. We have to prepare for these so that all of the bases are covered and the adventure stays fun. The moral of the book is even when you aren’t far from home, it’s important to be ready. Teaching our children this fundamental skill is essential in helping them take the first steps in being self-reliant.
I read this book to my 7-year-old and 9-year-old and they really enjoyed it. I was delighted when the story opened up a family discussion on readiness. The book helped them see the other side of camping – the preparation side of it. It also became more clear to them why we had our emergency supplies in place.
Jake & Miller’s Big Adventure: A Prepper Book For Kids [3] is an easy to digest tale and a non-threatening way to teach children about the importance of having a plan and being ready. As parents, we know that when we start teaching children life lessons while they are young, they are more likely to adopt those lessons in their adult life. This book is a great place to start and a tool to help young children begin understanding the dynamics of preparedness. I highly recommend parents to read this to their small children.
Carr’s book is available on Amazon [4] and on Barnes and Noble [5].