Prepare For Storms - Episode 498 As parents, we prepare our kids for many things, but do we prepare our kids for storms? In an uncertain world, there is something we as parents can do to alleviate the fears and help our children cope with the unexpected and sometimes dangerous.

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Storms are a thing, no matter where you live. How prepared are you? As a teenager, I moved to southwest Florida after living up north, New York and even a few years in Canada, to be exact. I lived through ice, hail, and snow storms that kept us homebound for days. I watched as cars skidded off the road during ice storms, and my parent prepared our car with essentials in case we were stuck in a storm. This helped me grow up as I didn't fear the storm as much as I feared being unprepared.

Here in Florida, heavy downpours and lightning storms are the norm in summer. The winters here are mild, with rain storms rare. However, early spring and summer are another story. We had our first near brush with a tornado that barreled down our street and hit a few houses badly but missed ours. We were not as unscathed by previous hurricanes. Most of our previously wooded acreage is now bare, and we had a roof that needed to be replaced after the last hurricane that hit.

Listen to this past episode from Rookie Rescue here. Prepare Your Kids One thing I will say is we are always prepared. Not so much for the tornado, since they are very rare, but we know the drill for hurricanes.

Safety is important, and letting our children know that we are preparing goes a long way toward helping them feel assured. They also go off of our stress. If we are upset or worried, they will know it. Of course, there is a need for concern. Being honest with your children and listening to their concerns is one way to alleviate any they may have. There are no guarantees, but when it comes to preparation, we can do that ahead of time. Allowing kids to help makes them feel productive and part of the family.

As a homeschooler, we turned storms into a science lesson; we studied the origination of storms, picked up a hurricane tracking map from our local news station, and listened for advice from the authorities. The children learned so much about upper lows, fronts, and storm surges. This last hurricane to hit Florida had a record storm surge unseen in past years. Sometimes there is a valid excuse to evacuate. The beach areas and intercostal were all advised to evacuate, and they did. Here is a quick overview to help you prepare:

Identify the types of storms that happen in your area. Do you have the necessary supplies to withstand a power outage? What non-perishable foods do you have on hand? Make a list of things you need, such as flashlights, batteries, and backup power chargers. Check over your list of supplies weeks before whatever "season" begins.

Preparation List:

Batteries and flashlights, battery backup Boxed goods Canned goods Disposable plates, napkins, etc. Water in tubs. Power source: generator (only run outdoors). Extra propane for grills Fill up cars with gas (extra gas cans) Crank radio (or another source that does not need power) A backpack is packed and ready in case you need to leave.

In addition, all important items, such as papers or valuables, should be in waterproof bags and sturdy fire-proof safes. If you need to retrieve these items quickly, it helps to have them packed in a safe in waterproof bags ready to go.

We evacuated a few times during the hurricane season, especially when our children were younger. We turned this into a mini-vacation, with chest coolers full of perishable meats, and headed to visit our North relatives. These times were short, but at least we felt our family's safety outweighed anything else.