Hurricane preparedness is important, but even more so when you've got kids. We've got tips to help your family prepare for a big storm with children.
I've teamed up with Allstate for this post about hurricane preparedness for families with kids.
The 2015 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 2015, and although it's expected to be a rather mild storm season, you really just never know. It's been a full decade since a storm has touched down here in Florida - which is almost a record - but that doesn't mean you should get complacent, especially if you have people with special needs in your household - kids included. I think a lot of us know the routine during storm season. The meteorologist predicts a storm, then everyone heads to the store a few days before to gather supplies. Nothing like waiting until the last minute right? Well, now that we have two kids in our household, I realize how important it is to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster. That's why we started early and I put together some tips to ensure you're ready to face the storm if you have young children in your home.
Hurricane Preparedness For Families With Kids
Tip 1: Sure, we all know to gather flashlights, batteries, candles, matches, canned and nonperishable foods, and bottled water (remember, 1 gallon per person/per day), but what if your child is still in diapers? You'll definitely want to have a small diaper stash ready to go in case of an emergency. If you use disposable diapers, having a supply ready at all times may be a challenge as your child grows and you are periodically switching to the next size. Another challenge might be if you're left without power for a long period of time. Perhaps diapers won't be readily available, or you won't be able to travel to get more. This is why I'd recommend having a small stash of cloth diapers on hand. All you'll need are some flats (or flour sack towels) and waterproof covers. The reason I'd suggest flats (which are really just a large, thin square of fabrics that can be folded and laid into a cover to use as a diaper) is because they can be easily hand-washed and they dry quickly just when hanged. Flats and one-size covers can fit most babies from 8-35 pounds, so this will certainly be easier and more cost effective than having a stash of several sizes of disposables in your emergency kit. Just remember to account for washing and have extra water on hand to do so. It's a good idea to fill a bathtub or new garbage can with water to use for things like washing diapers or to flush toilets.
Tip #2: Talk with your child, have a plan, and make that plan a visual aid. If your child is old enough to communicate, it may put their mind at ease to physically see what the plan is, rather than just hear about it. Purchase a poster board or display board and create sections with important/emergency phone numbers, a hand drawn map of where your family will go to take shelter within your home, or where you'll go in case of an evacuation. If your kids are old enough, it may be helpful to assign jobs to each member of the family. That gives everyone something to focus on during an emergency (dad is in charge of food and water, mom is in charge of medications, sister is in charge of gathering flashlights and candles, etc). Another thing to think about is what you'll do if an emergency situation happens when your family is separated. Designate an out of state family member to be a "home base" where everyone calls to check in. Remember, during a storm it may be easier to reach out of state friends or family members or communicate via text messaging as local lines may be tied up.
Tip #3: We live in a technologically crazed society. Most older kids (and even some younger one too!) have their own smart phones or tablets and spend quite a bit of time playing with them. During a storm and possible power outage, your child or children will likely get really bored - especially if it's a prolonged power outage. I'd advise you to create a "busy bin" for your children to keep their minds distracted. Include everything that you can think of to keep them occupied. Some ideas include: crayons and coloring books, construction paper and safety scissors, puzzles, books - maybe even a series of books for older kids, activity pages, board games, flashcards, and building blocks. Don't forget the batteries if your board games require them. The length of time you'll be without power will be unknown, so the more your child has to do to stay busy the less worried they (and you!) will be!
Tip 4: Most importantly, you'll want to stay calm in front of your kids. When you've got small kids to worry about, the last thing you want to do is panic in front on them. That's why you'll want to have everything in place and a plan prepared ahead of time, then you can focus on more important things, like ensuring everyone in your family is accounted for and safe.
Have you experienced a storm with a child?
Do you have any extra tips to share?
This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held insurance company, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day. Image credit: copyright cromary/Dollar Photo Club.
Carissa Joslyn says
Although I don't live in a area that really sees many natural disasters other then Blizzards, we are still well prepared for anything that may happen. I am a Local Storm Spotter for my county & have always been into storms, and also learning new, improved ways to stay safe, and try to help educate others!
Stacy Renee says
Thank you for sharing these tips! It's been so long since we've had a good storm that I've forgotten all those little things to stay safe and prepared! Now that I have a baby I've started an emergency stash of water and other things but I'll definitely be adding a few extra things just in case and creating a family plan!
Lori pouncey says
Such great info! We live on the coast so I have grown up around storms all my life but you can never be over prepared or have enough supplies and a plan. Thank you for your info, so great 🙂
Lisa Garland says
Some really good tips, I need to put to use! I live where the are more tornado warnings, both scare me though!!
Jessica Cali says
This is great information to know. We are going to Florida on vacation in July and will be right on the beach in a house we're renting.
Heather in VA says
I really like that you point out to have things to do for the kids that don't involve gadgets! We are so technically obsessed these days that I'd bet many kids don't know how to pull out a deck of cards and play go fish!
Meredith says
This post is a good reminder that I need to put together an emergency/disaster preparedness kit! I've been meaning to for ages but I always forget.
Dana Rodriguez says
These are all great tips.I lived in Florida for years and storms can be really scary.Where I live now it is not as common but we do have some items stored in the spare closet in case something was to happen.
Linda Mannst says
These are some very good tips. We live in Florida and I live with my son and two young grandchildren. Thank you so much for sharing this
laurie murley says
I think its very important to prepare for any suitation that my ocuur.
Amy L says
These are great pointers. We have a toddler and she is definitely more "aware" than she used to be. Last year I didn't even have to think about what extra preparedness steps to take being that we nursed. Now I've read this I think I'll need to put a little more thought into what I have set aside incase we were ever really stuck without power for awhile. I also like the idea of a busy bin to keep the baby occupied. Definitely going to have to put that on my "to do" list.
Lily Kwan says
I haven't experienced a major storm before. Thanks for sharing these helpful tips!
Pamela F says
Thank you for these great safety tips. While we don't live in a hurricane-prone area, we often visit these areas, and it's really good to remember these tips.
Kristy Ferrante says
Great Tips! I panick every time we hear about a hurricane approaching our area since we lost everything we owned in Sandy! Being homeless with a 8 month old, for 9 months, was not fun.
sandra says
we used to have emergency supplies and kits but no longer. need to prepare one soon
Naomi J says
I have experienced many storms with my kids, something that really helped my boys was to explain the science behind the weather. Knowing how the weather was working helped to calm their fears and made the storm cool instead of frightening.
Deborah D says
It is good to have practice drills
Rosie says
I've been through several hurricanes - once at work on the 20th floor, and the building swayed and the wind howled so loud down the elevator shafts the window bulged in and out! at home it can be scary, too. These are good suggestions - some people make sure they have a mattress they can get under and stay in a hallway where if the roof comes off or down they are safer.
kim vh says
A lot of great ideas! Very informative and helpful! It's the season!
Alejandra Carreno says
Great information. I'm so glad I don't live in a state on Hurricane Alley. But travel to FL year round to visit family. Good tips to know!
Ashley Chassereau Parks says
We live on the coast of SC and are pretty familiar with this too. Before we had children, we had a snow storm here. lost power, and were pretty unprepared because its so rare here! Thankfully, things didn't last longer than 2 days, but we learned our lesson!
barb l says
Great tips! All very helpful!
Sarah L says
No kids. Good suggestions. We had a tornado in Aurora on Wed.
Robin Creager says
Hurricanes can be so stressful for families with small children. I can just imagine what the little ones must be thinking and feeling when something like this occurs . But, having a plan in place along with drills and dry runs is always helpful..keeps them focused when the time comes. Great review!
ellen schull says
I have to admit that I am not prepared. These are good tips and I feel the need to prepare after reading this.
Sara Sturges says
I grew up in Maryland dealing with hurricanes till I was an adult. I live in Arkansas now, but may be moving to Georgia right before the peak of hurricane season and my husband has never lived near the coast. This is perfect for us to be prepared, thank you so much for posting this. We already cloth diaper, so we are set there, but I love the busy board idea!
Deborah D says
These are great tips!
Danielle G says
Luckily we don't live in an area that's directly affected by hurricanes, but this is nice to know for vacationing!
Haley Cook says
Thank you for all these tips. Its a great reminder for people who don't experience a lot of natural disasters.
Sarah L says
I think the books/coloring books is a great idea for weathering a storm.
Fee Roberts says
These are great ideas. Living in Florida, you have to be prepared.
Nikki Strong says
This a great post. My middle daughter is scared to death of storms. Thank you so much for this advice.
Nikki from www.FrugalMomub.com
Cindy Merrill says
One more thing I would add- teach your children survival skills: There was a story in the news a few months back of a child named "Sailor", sole survivor of a plane crash that killed her parents, If memory serves me, the girl was 7 or 8 years old, yet somehow she managed to walk 2 miles through the woods with one shoe to find help. Don't under estimate your kids! Correctly taught, they CAN learn how to make an emergency shelter & camp fire as well as first aid skills.
Michelle webb says
Thanks for all the great information I know my family will be safe after reading this I will past this on to family & friends
Cindy Ramirez says
Living in Texas, specifically North Texas, I have never experienced such a disaster before but the fact is, I won't always be living in Dallas, so reading this just keeps the thought in mind to always be prepared.
Christina Strapp Lambert says
Thank you for all the great tips! These will come in handy being in Texas and will have to deal with hurricanes.
Karen Nadeau says
Thanks for the great information. It is always best to have an emergency kit.
Sarah B. says
We have to worry more about tornadoes than hurricanes here, but a lot of this still applies!
Jerry Marquardt says
I like everything to do with weather, so I know you can never be to ready for weather.
Lite Brite says
This comes in perfect time for the anticipated rainy season they say is coming upon us. And these tips aren't exclusive for hurricanes. These are great tips to have in place in case of any type of emergency. Thank you for sharing.