The lights flicker, then go out. The TV goes black, the Wi-Fi drops and the fridge goes quiet. Power outages happen more often than most of us plan for, and they have a way of picking a busy moment, like right after school or in the middle of dinner.
So how would your kids react? Would they know what to do?
What kids go through
For younger kids, an outage can be confusing or a little scary. Older kids lose the TV and video games right away. Younger ones may lose a sound machine or a night light at bedtime. Losing those comforts all at once can be unsettling.
Even when they understand what's happening, the house changes. No lights, no heat or no air conditioning, and if it goes on a while, food and water start to matter. Kids can get restless and cranky, especially if they're uncomfortable or can't reach their friends.
The good news is that kids often take their cue from how the grown ups are acting. So set a good example.
Six things that help
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Build a small kit together. Flashlights, extra batteries, a first aid kit, some easy food, water and a phone charger. Letting the kids help makes them feel part of it.
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Have light that isn't a flame. Outages often happen at night or in bad weather. Keep battery lanterns, headlamps and glow sticks where everyone can find them. We skip candles, since an outage is a bad time to add an open flame.
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Talk through a family plan. Make sure everyone knows where the kit is, how to stay safe and how you'll reach each other if phones are down. You might be surprised how calmly even a 5 or 6 year old can go grab "their" assigned flashlight.
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Keep food and water on hand. Easy food and water matter most during a longer outage. Keep the fridge shut. It stays cold for about four hours if nobody opens the door.
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Set up a no power bin. Games, books and drawing supplies keep kids busy and calm. Keep them in one basket or bin in a closet so you always know where they are.
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Stay calm yourself. If they see you're not panicking, they're much less likely to.
The bottom line
An outage can last a couple of hours or a couple of days. With a little preparation, you can help your family stay calm, safe and comfortable, and it can even turn into a pretty good night together. That's what being a Ready Family looks like.