[Lumpy]

This is a serious, difficult, scary question.

What do we ANTS (who have made preps) do for love ones/family member GRASSHOPPERS (who have made no preps) ??
(In case you don't know the old fable, ant worked hard all spring/summer/fall PREPARING for winter, while grasshopper played. Ant was ready when winter came. Grasshopper was cold, hungry, and wanted in on ant's 'preps.')

Here's what I'm facing:

Tried to talk grown kids (two sons - both professional commercial/residential painters --- plus at home wife of one of them, and their two sons 4 & 2) into moving to near the farm place here in rural Idaho about 3 yrs ago -- getting whatever work they could (didn't have to be "fulfilling" -- just had to make $$), and working on the farm place every moment they could to build it up faster ... so that it could support everyone "in time."

They showed up but didn't "get it" about the need to "make hay while the sun shines" in terms of making bucks while the economy would pay them ... while putting sweat equity into what would sustain them long-term. They just wanted to play farmer -- without the SLIGHTEST clue as to what needed to happen on a farm ... and without ANY thought for the fact that it costs MONEY to support more people. (i.e. -- NEED TO WORK -- wherever, doing whatever, as long as it's legal, in order to support selves until time came that the farm became primary source of support - by necessity).

So they left again. Now they have all been increasingly living in a world of hurt, and it's getting worse all the time. I.E. Work is scarce. Work, money and food harder to come by.

If a 2X4 up the side of their heads would have convinced them 3 yrs ago that BAU was going away, I would have used it!!!

So, what do all of you with preps plan to do about loved ones without preps as things get harder and harder?

I'm an ant. A WORRIED ant.

Lumpy

[ian807]

Unhappy truths

1) You can't save everyone (This isn't TV).

2) You may not even be able to save yourself.

3) An open giving heart in a TEOTWAWKI situation could well prove personally fatal.

[Lumpy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ian807', 'U')nhappy truths
1) You can't save everyone (This isn't TV).
2) You may not even be able to save yourself.
3) An open giving heart in a TEOTWAWKI situation could well prove personally fatal.

[scas]

I used to worry about this issue a bit, but since i've discovered the scale of the problem of oil decline/water depletion/runaway climate change/methane extinction I realized that homesteading or farming won't necessarily make any difference. So maybe encourage people to learn to grow some basic foods and save water/energy but that's about it.

[ian807]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Lumpy', '
')But seriously -- do we save the two grandkids??
(They were not in a position to influence their parents' bad decisions - said decisions are rapidly putting the grandkids in peril. I.E. - It wasn't the grandkids' fault. Plus they could actually provide good farm labor as we (and they) grow older. Heck, the 7 year old is a strapping big boy already -- close to 100#, and STRONG!)

What are the rest of you in similar situations going to do???

Lumpy

[eXpat]

Outside my front door I ám dull grasshopper, so no one is going to knock here

[Fishman]

Lumpy
You ask a theological question. You're asking the logistics crew however. Prep as best you can, have the tools needed when/if they come back. You've presented them with the facts as you see them. Now you pray if that's in your theological viewpoint. You are the ant and YOU will have to make the call. Asking here is the wrong place.

[the48thronin]

Answering your question with a question.. ( sorry but it works that way).

I did this one many years ago, so the important question is WHY are you prepping? To save yourself? Wat value has family connections in survival?

PS my grand children are just now beginning to get an interest in what my Children rejected as usless farming work years ago. BUt as a demonstration of my decision, my home place has 4 houses and 3 emergency convertable shelters now..... 3 of the houses are being lived in at this time.

You draw your own conclusions.

[americandream]

There's not much you can do for them. By the time they decide it's time to run for shelter (that's assuming they are remote to you), you will be battening down your hatches to fend off your equally crazed neighbours.

[Pops]

This may sound flippant but it really isn't, my main preparation was buying the farm, whoever might need to is help is welcome to come stay, we have lots of room - with the understanding, that they either need to find some kind of paying work or be ready for "chorin'". It's that simple, no buried bullion, not really that many cans of pork n beans, just lots of grass and a pretty good garden plot.

The boys are in the service (son-E6, SIL-E5), and a couple of times over the last couple of years have grumbled about their jobs, they are both instructors, I informed them they should practice being very happy where they are because it's tough out here right now.

I'm thinking it would be a pretty "rough winter" for those (or any) grasshoppers to come out to the farm, and I' don't really expect it anytime soon. But that's OK, they have a back up, just not one too tempting.

[Lumpy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Fishman', 'L')umpy
You ask a theological question. You're asking the logistics crew however. Prep as best you can, have the tools needed when/if they come back. You've presented them with the facts as you see them. Now you pray if that's in your theological viewpoint. You are the ant and YOU will have to make the call. Asking here is the wrong place.

[Lumpy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('americandream', 'T')here's not much you can do for them. By the time they decide it's time to run for shelter (that's assuming they are remote to you), you will be battening down your hatches to fend off your equally crazed neighbours.

[Lumpy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('the48thronin', '
')I did this one many years ago, so the important question is WHY are you prepping? To save yourself? What value has family connections in survival?

PS my grand children are just now beginning to get an interest in what my Children rejected as usless farming work years ago. BUt as a demonstration of my decision, my home place has 4 houses and 3 emergency convertable shelters now..... 3 of the houses are being lived in at this time.

You draw your own conclusions.

[Homesteader]

Well, for me the prepping that my wife and I do are as much in order to give our kids a chance as it is for us to scratch out a few more years if TSHTF.

I'm 50 and lived a pretty darn full 50 years. The kids are mid-teens to mid-20s. We have been forthright and direct with them as to why we spend our time and money doing what we do. If they are smart enough or lucky enough to get to our place when it gets bad then good on them.

If they choose not to come or are stuck thousands of miles away we will keep them in our hearts and wish them the best.

Family is family, however they know if they come that there will be no free lunch.

[Cloud9]

The only way I can project myself into the future is through my children. I expect my kids to come back to the farm when the balloon goes up. They are the reason I do what I do.

[vision-master]

A spirit told me to.........

Worry for others

Pray for everyone

Forgive your transgressors

Whatever you do, do it out of love and kindness.

[Ludi]

I'm prepared to take in my immediate family members whether they have prepped or not - my mentally ill sister, diabetic bro-in-law, and 80 year old father. Brain-damaged step-aunt is no longer a worry because she is dying of cancer .

[Ferretlover]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ian807', 'U')nhappy truths
3) An open giving heart in a TEOTWAWKI situation could well will prove personally fatal.

[rangerone314]

Planning on being able to have the kids live here when they are older if need be... not on the inlaws or parents... too set in ways and not enough room...

[Ludi]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ferretlover', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ian807', 'U')nhappy truths
3) An open giving heart in a TEOTWAWKI situation could well will prove personally fatal.