If you're a parent, or know DGI parents, please read..

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread

At the company's IS/IT hoilday luncheon yesterday, the topic of Y2K preparations came up. Most of the table remained quiet, but one of the (non-Y2K) project managers related a recent experience with his son.

One evening last week after dinner, his eight year old son asked "Dad what are we gonna do about Y2K". His DGI dad, asked "What do you mean?"

The son responded, "Well, the other kids at school say their parents have bought lots of bottled water and food in case 'things get bad', so what are we gonna do for food and water?".

The dad told his son, "Don't worry kiddo, we'll be picking up some things this weekend. We'll be fine."

DGI-dad told us all then how disgusted he is that all 'those morons' out there have created such a rukus about Y2K that the kids are scared and now he and his wife have "to go spend more money, on top of Christmas just so my kid will feel safe".

Thanks God for the children! Seems that in many ways these days they are the ones taking care of their parents, and themselves.

I wonder if whether in a few weeks the dad will remember what made him decide to lay in a few provisions.

And of course, the underlying message here is that at least in Orange County Califorina, there are apparently a lot of families at least DOING SOMETHING! YES!!!

Perhaps relaying this incident to a friend or family member, you might be able to cause them to at least grudgingly prepare to some degree.

Good luck to us all -- we're gonna need it.

-- TA (sea_spur@yahoo.com), December 11, 1999

Answers

TA, Is this sad, or what? Just to placate, rather than protect the children!

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), December 11, 1999.

Yea, pretty sad, Mara. But if this DGI-dad makes good on his promise, they might at least have some basic supplies.

The parents that don't bother to prepare are at best send a very poor message to their kids: "Regardless of whether there's possible trouble coming your way, ignore it. And by the way, you don't need those survial instincts. Ignore those fears -- you're invincible!".

And if by some miracle we have a BITR scenario, these kids will take that ill advised approach to life with them into life. How very sad, indeed.

I worry most about the kids throughout the coming aftermath. Who will they ever be able to trust again? I would hate to think my son saw me as being such a worthless idiot that I didn't take care of my family.

I just hope that most of them are in contact with adults who really understand, can, and will protect them.

I'll have very little sympathy for greedy, self serving adults as the future unfolds. It's the kids we have to think about, whether our own or not.

-- TA (sea_spur@yahoo.com), December 11, 1999.


Amen.

-- Satanta (LookingAtABle@kfuture.com), December 11, 1999.

Greetings TA and all!

Thanks for your input. For the record, Jonah (8.5yrs old) has been asking some very pointed questions and has been very reassurred when we involve him in the preparations (I'm teaching him how to stack wood, etc.) He gets worried and welcomes discussion (appropriate level, of course).

Callum (2.5yrs old) loves to help and frequently says (rice heavy Daddy!)

I love my family!

-- (Kurt.Borzel@gems8.gov.bc.ca), December 11, 1999.


Hey Kurt,

Enjoyed your feedback. Sounds like you have quite a family there, and are doing a great job raising the kids. Hang in there -- your example of leadership in the times ahead will sink deeply into there memories and guide them through their lives.

May God bless you and your family!

-- TA (sea_spur@yahoo.com), December 12, 1999.



It DOESN'T MATTER if they GI, as long as they prep.

-- Servant (public_service@yahoo.com), December 13, 1999.

Ain't THAT the truth, Servant. Good point!

-- TA (sea_spur@yahoo.com), December 13, 1999.

TA:

This is REALLY sad. I've been preppen' for 18 months now and my 2 sons have a ball making sure we got what we need. I actually couldn't imagine if I had to start preppen' at this late date. The stores are bound to be packed after Christmas.

Hard to believe that if you don't prep for yourself, at least do it for you kids. Why should they suffer at the risk you're taking.

-- Familyman (prepare@home.com), December 13, 1999.


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