When Your Family Isn’t On Board | Episode 490

Author: Survival Punk
Published: Fri 29 Aug 2025
Episode Link: https://www.survivalpunk.com/when-your-family-isnt-on-board-episode-490/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-your-family-isnt-on-board-episode-490

When Your Family Isn’t On Board | Episode 490

Prepping Alone in a House Full of Doubters

Prepping is hard work. Stockpiling food, learning new skills, staying ready for anything—it takes time, money, and energy. Now imagine doing all that while the people closest to you think you’re crazy. Welcome to the world of prepping when your family isn’t on board.

It’s a problem more common than you’d think. Some of you listening know the eye rolls when you bring home a stack of canned goods. Or the comments like, “Why waste money on that?” Or maybe they laugh when you mention being ready for grid-down. It’s frustrating—but it doesn’t mean you give up.

Why Your Family Doesn’t Get It

First, let’s be real about why your family might not be on board. Thinking about collapse or disaster is scary, so most people avoid it. Movies and media don’t help either—they paint preppers as weirdos in bunkers, not everyday people trying to keep their families safe.

And then there’s the comfort zone problem. As long as the store shelves are full, people assume they’ll always be full. Add in the cost of prepping and you’ve got a recipe for resistance. To them, it feels like you’re wasting money. To you, it’s insurance.

Keep It Small, Keep It Real

Here’s the trick: don’t start with the apocalypse. Start with what they’ve already lived through. Power outages. Job loss. Supply chain hiccups during COVID. That’s your in-road.

Instead of saying, “I’m prepping for collapse,” say, “Remember when the power went out last winter? That’s why I keep flashlights and extra batteries.” Boom—suddenly it’s practical, not paranoid.

Lead by Example, Not Lectures

Nobody likes a sermon. If your family rolls their eyes at “prepping talk,” stop talking and start showing. Cook a dinner entirely from food storage. Rotate your water jugs without making a scene. Head out back and practice skills.

When they see you living it—not just talking about it—they’ll notice the difference. Prepping makes life easier in small emergencies, not harder. That’s the proof they need.

Focus on the Benefits, Not the Fear

You don’t have to scare your family into prepping. In fact, that usually backfires. Instead, show them the positives:

Prepping saves money when you buy in bulk.

Gardening means fresh food, not just survival calories.

First aid kits mean fewer late-night pharmacy runs.

Frame prepping as family security, not paranoia. You’re not stockpiling because you’re scared—you’re stockpiling because you care.

Pick Your Battles

Here’s the hard truth: some family members will never be fully on board. And that’s fine. You don’t need to win every argument. Focus on what you can control: your own preps, your kids, your household.

At the end of the day, you’re prepping for them too—even if they don’t see it right now. One day they’ll be glad you did.

Final Thoughts

Prepping when your family isn’t on board is tough, but it’s not impossible. Stay patient, stay steady, and keep showing the benefits in daily life. You’re building a safety net, and whether they admit it or not, it’s for them too.

This has been James from the Survival Punk Podcast. Keep stacking, keep learning, and don’t let the eye rolls slow you down.