Why People with Small Children Won’t Survive the Zombie Apocalypse

I’ve read enough end-of-the-world books and watched enough end-of-the-world movies and shows to know that people with small children generally do not survive.

I blame the children.

I’ve got two tiny ones myself: the Juban Princeling, who is now 5, and the Duke of Juban, who is 19 months. When–not if–the Zombiepocalypse (Zombie Apocalypse) happens, we are goners.

And the Zombiepocalypse is going to happen. I know this because just a few blocks from my house is a cemetery next to a power plant. Do the math, people. I don’t know what bureaucratic asshat allowed this zoning debacle, but I’m going to go on record next election year and say that I fully support any candidate with an anti-zombie platform. I know that’s a harsh thing to say, but even we liberals have to draw the line somewhere.

Lately I’ve been watching The Walking Dead, and I have no doubt my kids and I will not survive when that power plant goes all melty and zaps those pissed off Confederate soldiers back to life. There’s a reason why there are no toddlers or kindergartners running around with Rick & the Gang: they’ve all been eaten. Probably the parents, too.

Why People With Small Children Will Not Survive the Zombiepocalypse:

1. Children Are Slow, and They Slow You Down.
Have you ever tried to go anywhere with a baby? Or a toddler? Or preschooler? Or multiple children at once? It’s Sisyphean. Here’s how a typical morning in our house goes on, say a random Sunday when we try to go out for breakfast:

Me: “Princeling, get your shoes on.”
Princeling: “No! I don’t want to go out!”
Me: “Don’t you want pancakes?”
Princeling: “No! Pancakes are stupid! You’re poop!”
Husband: “You can have bacon, too. And bring a toy.”
Princeling: “No! I hate you! Go away!”
Duke: “NO!”
Me: “You work on getting the Princeling’s shoes on while I get the diaper bag ready to go.”
Princeling: “NOOOO!!!!!” *kicks off shoes*
Duke: *poops*

Forty-five minutes later we may be out the door. Or we may have given up, sent the Princeling to his room, and already be one finger into two tumblers of scotch at 8:45 in the morning.

And it’s not like we can pick the children up and run away from the zombies, either. At least, not run far, or fast, or for long. The Princeling weighs around 42 pounds, and the Duke is clocking in at a healthy 23 pounds. Even if my husband, who is strong, carried the Princeling on his back and I took the baby in the Ergo, how far could we realistically get while running for our lives? And what about supplies?

As my friend Cali, whose two daughters are the same ages as my sons, explained the other day: “My step-father told me about this ridiculous compound he has in Tennessee and said if anything happens we should make our way there, and we’ll be fine. But it takes me two hours just to get out the door to walk across Park Slope. How the hell am I supposed to make it all the way to Tennessee in an emergency?”

Me: “You know, those of us with small children are going to be the first to go in any kind of apocalyptic event. Like zombies.”

Cali: “Well, we all have to go sometime. When you number’s up, your number’s up.”

2. Children Cannot Sit Still. Or Be Quiet.
As anyone who has ever left their home, ever, can tell you: children are loud, and they run around a lot.

Even my kids, who are relatively well-behaved, have only so much quiet and stillness inside them. If we have to hide from zombies, there is no way I can make the Princeling stay silent long enough to let a herd pass us by. Like most kids his age, the Princeling enjoys doing the opposite of what we say. If we said, “Princeling! You MUST be silent and NOT MOVE until we say so, or else zombies will eat us alive!” He will shout “NO!” and run away just to prove we’re not the boss of him. Or, he may try out his latest “game” on the zombies: pointing his butt and sending a well-aimed non-quiet fart their way.

And forget the Duke. He’s just a toddler. Toddlers are cute, but they are also kind of dumb and lack any sense of self-preservation. If he can’t even figure out not to chuck himself head-first off our bed, there is just no way he’s going to survive a zombie attack.

3. Children Are Delicious. SO I’VE BEEN TOLD.
At least twice that I can remember, True Blood–which is nothing if not realistic–has referenced how delicious little kids are. There was that one time Eric and Pam babysat for Arlene’s kids and commented about how much they wished they could eat them, and in an episode last season a guy had been thrown into Authority prison for eating newborns.

And at least once in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a reference is made to finding a nice, tasty toddler for Spike.

Now, zombies aren’t the most practical of creatures, but even zombies have to have enough of a sense of smell to be able to pick out a succulent toddler–and mine is particularly juicy and tender–over, say, a stringy old person who reeks of hemorrhoid ointment and denture cream.

And no, that was not a suggestion to slather your children in hemorrhoid ointment and denture cream.

How about you all? What are your strategies for the imminent Zombiepocalypse? Besides grabbing your neighbors’ babies and throwing them at the zombie masses while you make your escape, YOU SICK PUPPIES.

 

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Why People with Small Children Won’t Survive the Zombie Apocalypse was written by guest writer, Meredith Morgenstern. Another piece by Meredith on Juban Princeton’s (5 years old) first geek con (NYCC) can be found here! If you want to see more like this or from this author, please follow Nerdy Minds on Twitter and like Nerdy Minds on Facebook! You can also connect with Meredith on Twitter!

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