Tiny Humans, Big Feelings, No Power
When the power goes out, everything’s a little harder. When the power goes out and you’ve got little kids bouncing off the walls? It’s a whole different beast.
The good news: surviving a blackout with kids doesn’t require perfection. You just need a little foresight and a focus on what actually matters: keeping them (and you) reasonably calm, safe, and fed. and somewhat sane.
Prepare your script ahead of time
Kids take their emotional cues from you.
When the lights go out, have a simple line ready: “The power’s out, but we’re safe and we know what to do.” That’s it.
Acknowledge the weirdness without panic. Reassurance matters way more than explanations. This is way easier said than done to exude calm during a stressful time but it’s worth it to try for their sake.
Build a boredom bag
In an outage, boredom can spiral fast.
Keep a small stash of lightweight, no-power-needed activities: sticker books, card games, flashlights, glow sticks, anything they don’t see every day.
You don’t need a toy store. Just a few surprises they can grab when the novelty of a dark house wears off.
If you like board games or card games, there’s some suggestions here for options that are pretty flexible depending on the ages of your kiddos.
Stock easy comforts
When everything feels off, familiar comforts can be everything.
A favorite stuffed animal, a cozy blanket, a handful of shelf-stable snacks – small things can make a big emotional difference. When it comes to the shelf-stable snacks, definitely consider your family’s feelings and preferences as to what you stock up on in advance if you know potential brownouts or blackouts are on the horizon.
Pack a few items where they’re easy to grab without rummaging around in the dark.
Again, all of this is way easier said than done! But a little advance planning can go a long way when it comes to navigating those big feelings in lil bodies.
3 Takeaways
- Have a calm, simple script ready for when the power goes out.
- A boredom bag can be essential survival gear for everyone’s sanity.
- Keep favorite comfort items and snacks easy to reach.
Feature image courtesy Tatiana Syrikova/Pexels.
