April 8, 2026·GridPrepped Team
The 15-Minute Family Conversation That Could Save Your Life
We had "the talk" with our kids over pizza. It was awkward for about 2 minutes, then they got really into it. Here's how to do it without freaking anyone out.
My wife and I kept putting this off. How do you tell a 9-year-old and a 7-year-old about emergency plans without scaring them?
Turns out — pretty easily, actually.
We ordered pizza on a Friday night and just casually brought it up: "Hey, you know how we do fire drills at school? We should have a family plan too."
Our 9-year-old immediately asked, "Like for zombies?" (Thanks, Minecraft.) We said more like storms or if the power goes out for a long time. They were surprisingly into it.
Here's what we covered in about 15 minutes:
Who to call if you can't reach Mom or Dad. We picked my brother in Texas. Why out-of-area? Because local phone lines jam during emergencies, but long-distance calls sometimes get through. Both kids memorized his number. We wrote it on a card in their backpacks too.
Where to meet. We picked two spots: the big oak tree in front of our house (if we're home), and the public library on Main Street (if we can't get home). The kids actually argued about which tree. It was kind of adorable.
What to grab. Each kid picked one stuffed animal to be their "go buddy" that stays on their bed. If we ever have to leave fast, they grab that and their shoes. That's it. No decisions to make in the moment.
The part that surprised me: Our 7-year-old asked, "What about the cat?" Which led to a whole side conversation about pet carriers and where we'd take her. He felt really important being "in charge" of the cat plan.
The whole thing took less time than eating the pizza. And now everyone knows what to do. We even turned it into a game — we quiz each other randomly. "What's Uncle Mike's number?" They love getting it right.
You don't need a binder. You don't need a spreadsheet. You need one pizza night and the willingness to have a slightly awkward conversation.
If you want to make it official, GridPrepped has an Emergency Plan builder that walks you through the whole thing, and you can print pocket cards for everyone. But honestly, even without that — just have the conversation.
Turns out — pretty easily, actually.
We ordered pizza on a Friday night and just casually brought it up: "Hey, you know how we do fire drills at school? We should have a family plan too."
Our 9-year-old immediately asked, "Like for zombies?" (Thanks, Minecraft.) We said more like storms or if the power goes out for a long time. They were surprisingly into it.
Here's what we covered in about 15 minutes:
Who to call if you can't reach Mom or Dad. We picked my brother in Texas. Why out-of-area? Because local phone lines jam during emergencies, but long-distance calls sometimes get through. Both kids memorized his number. We wrote it on a card in their backpacks too.
Where to meet. We picked two spots: the big oak tree in front of our house (if we're home), and the public library on Main Street (if we can't get home). The kids actually argued about which tree. It was kind of adorable.
What to grab. Each kid picked one stuffed animal to be their "go buddy" that stays on their bed. If we ever have to leave fast, they grab that and their shoes. That's it. No decisions to make in the moment.
The part that surprised me: Our 7-year-old asked, "What about the cat?" Which led to a whole side conversation about pet carriers and where we'd take her. He felt really important being "in charge" of the cat plan.
The whole thing took less time than eating the pizza. And now everyone knows what to do. We even turned it into a game — we quiz each other randomly. "What's Uncle Mike's number?" They love getting it right.
You don't need a binder. You don't need a spreadsheet. You need one pizza night and the willingness to have a slightly awkward conversation.
If you want to make it official, GridPrepped has an Emergency Plan builder that walks you through the whole thing, and you can print pocket cards for everyone. But honestly, even without that — just have the conversation.