Advice requested

[TyrannyUnleashed]

To set up my current situation, I had decided that later this summer I will be leaving my current job of 18 years. Mainly due to the fact that I am tired of driving 3 plus hours one to two times a week and working 60 plus hours a week. I'm just not happy with my job anymore (I will be looking for a low dollar job, instead of another professional white collar job). My wife was supportive of this decision. I informed her about the job about the same time I found this forum. I then started talking to her about prepping and she was good with that (although she had no idea of what I meant). I have for some time been stocking up on arms, so I think that is what she thought I was meaning (she likes to shoot as well). But I was really talking about the essentials of life, as well as self defense.

I have been using terms around her that she had no clue what they meant, but she just went along. For some reason today she starts to inquire what the heck am I talking about. I started to tell her, and now she is thinking I'm off my rocker (lol). I tried to explain a few different scenarios that could happen (from a natural disaster to our own government, and anything in between) to cause us to need the preps. But that really had no affect on her.

I eventually told her to just continue doing what she has been doing for some time. That is make the most money in our household (needed for my/our prepping), and asked her to just let me do what I need to do. She then dropped the subject and went on. (by the way, she doesn't know it yet, but she will be a valuable asset to our family, once TSHTF. As she is a medical care provider).

Now my question...

What might you suggest a good way to get family members to best understand what and why I'm doing the prepping?

I feel like Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) in "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" right about now. Who would have ever thought!

[MustangGal]

Try to get her to read "One Second After". I had to read the book for my comp class, DH read it while we were snowed in. Then I read it.

DH was reading over my shoulder and said that food prepping could be considered just a hedge against inflation.

[TyrannyUnleashed]

DH was reading over my shoulder and said that food prepping could be considered just a hedge against inflation.

Haha, I tried that one (albeit the truth) as well. She doesn't feel the pain, and is too busy providing for us to keep up with the news of the day. I can talk and provide information until I'm blue in the face, and in her world what I say is "just" way to out there. At least I have got her convinced to convert our old 401K plans to gold. Outside of that, I may just quit talikng about it to her and do what I need to do for our family. the worst that can happen is that I wasted my free time, and a few (many) bucks.
Either way I will be canning, dehydrating, and freezing my own food this fall (provided I can afford all these items). God willing!

I'll take a look at "One Second After" for me (and her).

[Bearman202]

One thing you might try, if you feel adventurous, is to turn off the main breaker to the house before she gets home. When she arrives, act like you have no idea what's going on. Then ask what's for dinner. She will suggest hitting a restaurant, but you nix that. Tell her it's an exercise, to see if you guys can handle a power outage. Let her think about it for a few seconds, then turn the breaker back on. Point out the different things that can cause such an event, such as a tornado, hurricaine, CME, or civil unrest. Ask her pointedly what you would really do if it happened.

If all else fails, you might get a generator out of it. :-)

[meyekey]

This clip from patriot nurse has some really good advice for "talking to women and newbies about prepping"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcy8TW3YNv8

[Klayton]

I would suggest have them look at the photos (to start) about the great depression, people starving, mile long soup lines just to get some beef flavored water with a few noodles in it. Then research all they had to go through. If they haven't caught on that it is a good idea to prepare for the worse, because the government wont help, then read the current books (mentioned above) about possible scenarios. Good Luck.

Long Live the Republic!!

[610Alpha]

Not sure where you guys are at spiritually but I had posted a similar question about my wife and us being Christians she gave me the 'ol "God will provide" to which there is the example of Joseph and the 7 years of Plenty followed by the 7 years of famine (Veggie Tales has this story for kids even) and there is also Noah and the flood as an example. Modern Day we have Katrina, Ice Storms - this happened to us we were without power for a couple days and in some areas it was a week. I also like this video from Analytical Survival:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnENYaKJUV4

and this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW8iChA0Z5Q

You may or may not like his style but its worth listening to.

[Klayton]

I actually like his videos a lot. =)

[tarheelsman71]

I have given up trying to convince my wife. She is a sheep. No changing that. I still plant seeds but she is a sheep. There is nothing wrong with her being a sheep. Without sheep there would be no reason for the sheepdog (preppers). SO long as the sheep doesnt resent the sheepdog or commit him to a mental asylum then you can just keep prepping. That what I do. I went to a campout this past weekend. A "preppers" campout held here in NC. It was at a state campground, very nice, and my wife had a great time. I got her to go up the hill to the the meet n greet, and after 5 minutes she took the kids and went to the playground. I know her makeup. Her mindset is that I will take care of her and the kids no matter what. When I returned to our campsite with 300 lbs of wheat she just smiled at me and said what are you doing with that making a bomb? But for the most part she just lets it happen. We have the means, and the space for preps so it just will be there. she is already a better shot than me so we got that covered. :) Just prep, and she will thank you in the end.

[TyrannyUnleashed]

One thing you might try, if you feel adventurous, is to turn off the main breaker to the house before she gets home. When she arrives, act like you have no idea what's going on. Then ask what's for dinner. She will suggest hitting a restaurant, but you nix that. Tell her it's an exercise, to see if you guys can handle a power outage. Let her think about it for a few seconds, then turn the breaker back on. Point out the different things that can cause such an event, such as a tornado, hurricaine, CME, or civil unrest. Ask her pointedly what you would really do if it happened.

If all else fails, you might get a generator out of it. :-)

Great responses from all, thank you!
For the asking her what's for dinner question when the power is out... She works two full time jobs and still makes sure my son gets where he needs to be for his baseball team (during the week (she is TYPE A+)). I do most of the cooking around the house. We also live in an area if the weather even thinks about raining, the power goes out. Sometimes for hours at a time. And other times over night isn't uncommon. She knows I love to grill outside, so everytime the power is out and it's time to eat she knows I go out and fire up the charcoal (I keep tons of those bags around at all times). Oh and at least she has went out and bought a ton of candles bettery lanterns to keep close by. So with your thought she has kind of done her own prepping for her world. Now I just need her to think much bigger.

And I'll also be taking a look at the link and the vids that were posted here.

Thanks again!
Mike