What if we had a catastrophic event, so devastating, that over half the population was gone? What would you do?

For a long time, I have been contemplating this possible event and have been trying to wrap my head around it. We are so comfortable in our surroundings that we’ve lost a lot of those survival skills that may keep us alive someday. We want more and more laws and rules to protect us, yet we don’t know how to protect ourselves.

If civilization breaks down as we know it – no TV, cell phones, no computers – how will society break down? Will we all just panic and run in the street, only to be killed instantly? Or would a community buckle down and pull together?

Just recently, I saw a news cast where local authorities were teaching school workers how to defend themselves against an event like the attack that happened in Connecticut. I shouted, “Hooray! It’s about time.” My very next thought was, “Wow! How did we ever lose that survival instinct in the first place?”

I’m no survivalist, but I remember all the lessons that my parents taught me, which I hope I have been passing on to my child. We talked about what happened to the kids, and that it was not like a video game, that it was real. We talked about things we would do it something catastrophic happened in our town. I don’t know how much he learned from this event, but I do know that he is quite the leader, and my hope is that he would think rationally and get his classmates and himself to a safe place. It is also my hope that I could get to him in time and help out.

I am concerned that the people (and the media) are now screaming for more laws and rules that take away another right for the individual. We are now contemplating yet more gun laws when we haven’t fixed the old ones, many non-enforceable, on the books. Is this going to keep us safer? Is this going to keep illegal guns away from criminals? I don’t think so. People want to feel safe, but don’t want the responsibility. This “Let someone else take care of it” doesn’t keep us any safer. We have to strive every day to understand how the world ticks and keep ourselves safe. One more law, (or one more school rule) won’t change the fact that there are always going to be crazy people out there who want to harm us. Taking away guns from all citizens won’t keep them out of the hands of criminals. We need to just take responsibility for our own safety. And, we have to talk to our children in a logical manner about safety and how they can protect themselves.

Yes, we need rules and regulations, but not to the extreme that we are going to pass another school rule about what we can bring for holiday snacks!  Parents can take the responsibility to teach their children what to do and what to eat. They can teach them by doing. They don’t have to rely on one more rule that supposedly protects their children. I am happy that we have changed the lunch room menus to reflect healthier choices, but I am opposed to the thought that we can’t bring an occasional treat to our child for their classroom or for their birthday. Now, I’m not saying that we go to the grocery store and buy a sugary, full of weird ingredients, snack. I’m saying that we have to plan ahead and prepare it – you heard me – prepare a snack. I made a lovely snack for my child – cookies we made together from scratch with healthy ingredients and fruit kabobs. My son’s birthday is near a holiday, so we had a theme. We had a great time making them together – putting monster faces on some of the cookies, decorating the cutout cookies (yes, we did Christmas designs-not holiday neutral designs), and enjoying the moment. And, he loved that his friends enjoyed everything. And, yes, there is some sugar in them, but not the kind and amount that you would have when you buy them.

It just takes a little more effort, but we can all do it. Even if you are a single parent, a working mom (or dad), or just a busy person, you can carve a little time out each day to cook a nice meal, and make a nice snack. It is the best survival skill you can learn. And, it provides quality time to spend with your child. So, turn off the TV and video games, turn up the radio and dance a little dance. Enjoy the moment. Even if the powers that be decide to pass more rules about snacks, you can be proud that you aren’t one of those people who need more rules, just a little life change.