COVID-19 – How Close Are We to Chaos and What Does It Mean?
One of our core messages, in our quest to achieve true safety and security, is the need to establish a foundation. While there are numerous elements required in order to establish the foundation for true and security, the most critical element is “believing that it can happen”. Why? Because if you don’t “believe that it can happen” you will never do what is necessary to properly prevent and prepare for it actually happening. Typically, this is what most people are lacking. And then – it does happen; and because we never thought it would happen, we become victims.
Survivalists are “crazy, irrational people!”
Or so many of us always thought.
I want you to consider just how close we sit, right now, to absolute pandemonium, chaos, and lawlessness (or, depending on how far removed you are from March 18, 2020 when I am writing this article, how close we came). Right now, we are teetering on the edge of things turning very, very challenging and, the fact that we are still just teetering, does not mean that it won’t get there.
In fact, what you are likely doing right now is no different than what these “crazy, irrational people” did prior to the actual problem becoming a problem. So, given the fact that you ARE doing exactly what they WERE doing, I guess that means you’re “crazy and irrational”, right? The only real difference is that those “crazy, irrational people” or “survivalists” were prepared in advance of the problem and therefore don’t need to panic when others are. This becomes a significant advantage for them.
So, what was/is the real difference between you, and them?
They “believe(d) that it could happen” and you don’t/didn’t!
And, so it goes with so many things in our lives – “it’s never going to happen to us so it’s not worth a second of our time or effort to prepare”. This is true in both businesses, and our personal lives.
Our Responsibilities as Parents?
As parents, we have some primary responsibilities:
- Love our kids
- Provide for our kids
- Educate our kids
- Keep our kids safe and secure
And….Keep ourselves safe so that we are here and able to perform these responsibilities for our kids. Think about oxygen mask usage on an airplane – we are instructed to put our own masks on first, and then assist our kids, and others with getting theirs on. Why? Because if we don’t get ours on we may not be capable of helping our kids.
Now, this is important to understand:
Think about what you have, or haven’t, done in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has, or might ultimately impact your kids? Depending on your level of response in advance, and as the challenge continues, the impact could be either positive, or negative.
One thing I can be most assured of without knowing anything about you is that, from a few days ago forward, you have likely changed what you do, as a normal course of life. In fact, many of the things these “crazy, irrational people” did, you are now doing and may continue to do forever, although maybe not to the same extent. But, then again, maybe you will do it to the same extent depending on how concerned you are and, more importantly, how concerned you will stay which is critical to understand as well because it presents a significant obstacle – once the problem dissipates, our levels of concern typically die considerably – WE DON’T ALWAYS LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES! My hope is that you will change things; at least to some extent.
The real question that must be asked is:
“have I fulfilled my primary responsibilities as a parent and protected my kids?”
And, even if you have up until now, how long would that continue if this problem continues?
COVID-19 has created highly unfortunate circumstances that are directly related to how we think, in general, and what needs to change moving forward. This is not only COVID-19 and the specific challenge that we now face. It’s about many more, equally important things in life that could, when not properly prepared for or recognized, negatively impact not only ourselves, but those we love and care for most.
What if this continues?
Is prevention and survival of an incident of violence still not worthy of your time and effort? Do you still think it will never happen?
Here’s the deal – Violence is reality and, what is happening now, depending upon the outcome, could substantially increase your vulnerability to violence and victimization.
If you are a parent, how seriously your kids take prevention and survival of major incidents and acts-of-violence will all be based on how seriously you take it. If it means nothing to you, it will assuredly mean nothing to them. If that’s ok with you, then so be it, but understand that as your children go through life, they will have a much higher chance of being victimized than those who learn from parents that were not ok with it.
What to do now?
As we find ourselves in a time where we likely have time to do things that we might not normally have, use it to teach, instruct, and guide your kids. Make sure they understand what is happening, what you did or didn’t do to properly prepare for what we are experiencing, and how you could do things better to prevent and prepare for the future. Its ok if your kids see and feel your concern because this is how they learn – from us. Again, if we aren’t concerned, they won’t be either.
So, start to change the way that you think and feel about preparation, prevention, and survival of major incidents and acts-of-violence. Start to teach and instruct your kids; to establish and build upon a foundation of true safety and security that they can improve upon for the rest of their lives. These are life-safety skills. If they don’t start with you, and are not instilled in them at a very young age, the chances of them being a part of your children are very low.
Blue-U Safe provides the resources that you need to keep your kids and families safe! For more information on how to become a member of Blue-U Safe contact:
Terry L Choate, Jr
CEO/President of Blue-U Defense
tchoatejr@blue-u.com