Tuesday Tips!

Tuesday Tips!

Get Prepared for Spring's Worst Weather

 The spring weather is upon us and we need to be prepared for bad weather.  Below are some tips to be ready for it.

• The number one thing to buy is an: All Hazards Weather Alert Radio.  They sell for around $30. I have seen them at Hy-Vee, Wal-Mart, Menards. 
•  You set the alert radio for your area. When a weather alert, like any watches or warnings, is around your area, the radio will sound an alarm( you can set the volume on it too).  It goes off before the alert shows up on the tv. It will also tell you when the bad weather will hit your area with a specified time.  Mine has always been right on the money.  
•  It also gives warnings on child abductions too.  
• If you ever want to know what the weather is going to be like that day or the days to come, you can just press a button and they will give you the update.  The alarm may keep going off, if the weather is really bad, keeping you updated at all times. Please do not shut it off.  It will go off at all hours of the day, and you will be able to hear it, if your volume is up high enough.  Make sure to check this out before a storm might hit during the night.  It gives you enough warning for you and your family to make it to a safe place.  
• It has a back-up battery system in it too, so when the lights go out, it will still work.  Make sure to check the batteries from time to time in it.  

• Buy a plastic tote with a lid and store your supplies in it, put things like:

1. Flashlights, a nice lantern one is good for playing games. Kids love their own size lanterns to carry around.  They have the cutest ones with animals on them.
2. Pack of batteries: Make sure to have ones for the flashlights, game systems, book light, radio and cd player. 
3. Cans of food that you can eat when the light go out like: tuna, canned fruit, peanut butter
4. Can opener
5. Bottles of water or water jug
6. Movies you have been meaning to watch (if you have a portable DVD or Laptop Computer with a DVD Player in it.)
7. Toys
8. Board games
9. Children's books
10. Word search
11. Easy Crafts
12. Book light
13. Coloring Books and Crayons 
14. Snacks like fruit snacks, pop tarts, pringles
15. Juice boxes
16. Radio and CD player, CD's 
17. Plastic cups, paper plates, plastic silverware, napkins
18. Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer or baby wipes
19. Candles and Lighter (may sure you watch the candles when you light them if you have small children around.  Don't place them where someone can knock them over too.  You can have battery operated tea lights or candles too.
20. If you have a child in diapers, you may want to put some diapers and wipes in the tote. And an extra pacifier and change of clothes.  

On some of your devices that require batteries, you may not want to have the batteries in them, in case the batteries go bad and start to rust on the inside.  Keep a couple flashlight with batteries in them, but you might just want the batteries placed in a snack-sized bag taped to the flashlight for easy use. 

Put some things in Zip-Loc bags to keep them together and from spilling on something.

Put a piece of masking tape on top of the tote box and write down Storm Tote.  You can even put glow in the dark tape around it, so when the light go out, it will light up.  Keep the tote somewhere handy. You can put a nightlight with a flashlight plugged in near the Storm Tote so you can find it easy.

Make sure to check the tote to replace the food(may come expired) or anything else in the tote.

Put in new movies, games and toys after each lights out, so your kids don't get bored the next time.  

When you find toys and such on clearance it might be a good idea to place them in tote and your child will be surprised to get to play with a new toy and it might make them less afraid of the situation.

If you know a bad storm is coming you can place some cold items in a cooler with cold packs and ice.  Things like: Lunch meat, string cheese, mayo, mustard, fresh vegetables, pudding snack paks, jello snack paks, etc. 

You can pretend you're having a  picnic with your kids and make the situation a little more interesting.

Opening and shutting the refrigerator door when the lights go out is not a good idea, it may spoil the food faster inside there.  

Also, make sure to charge up your devices before the lights may go out.  Things like: cell phones, portable dvd players, game systems(PSP, Nintendo DS, Leapfrog or any other game systems).  Make sure these devices are plugged in when the storm may hit, so they don't ruin the devices.

I have night-lights that come with a small portable flashlight.  When the lights go out the flashlights automatically turn on, so you won't be completely in the dark.  

You can go onto www.weather.com to check up on your local weather.  There is also a sign-up to get alerts on your mobile. This comes in handy when your out of the house shopping or something, you will still know what's going on.  

Being prepared for bad weather is so easy and makes being in the dark fun.  My kids love when the lights go out because of all the fun stuff we do and its in the dark. 

Tuesday Tips!