So, you are a teenager. You want to survive the zombie apocalypse. Only, you can't drive, you can't buy guns, you probably don't have a job, which means you can't really buy anything, outside from your allowance. You do, in fact, rely quite heavily on your parent(s)/guardian(s) for your survival.

And it seems every teenager who visits the site is intent on cutting this lifeline the first chance they get. Why?

The first mistake, is of course the common one: only acting when the disaster strikes. But here the crucial difference is that rather than stockpiling, planning and preparing, you have just one task. Talk to your parents.

Now, obviously you can't go up to them and say "We need a zombie plan." Few parents will react well to that. But perhaps subtlety might help? Something along the lines of "I've been watching the news, and I think we need a disaster plan, just in case. Nothing major, but it might help to know we are prepared in case [disaster] happens."

The disaster you name will depend on your area. Hurricanes or tornadoes are the big ones, earthquakes if you are in the region. Fire, flood, possibly riots (some areas are more likely to suffer this than others) or even the more temporary and mundane such as power cuts and heavy snow.

Now is really the best time. Few people prepare for bad times during the good ones. Whilst money might be tight, and jobs might be scarce, this is the time when people are going to be open to the idea that things getting worse is a possibility.

So what can you suggest to ensure they take your ideas seriously, and what topics should you avoid?

• Start small. Buying a few extra groceries each week is the kind of first step that will make sense. An extra bag of pasta or rice, a few more cans of soup. Nothing expensive, nothing out of the ordinary.
• Don't mention guns if your home doesn't already have them. Opinions on them are quite polarised, so if they aren't there, it's probably for a reason.
• Find information on first aid courses, self defence, or anything that you might find useful for your area. A few flyers would help bolster your argument a surprising amount.
• Don't push too hard. State your case as calmly as you can. If you meet with resistance, DON'T argue. Note their points, go away, work out how to solve the problem, and go back in a week or so.

Finally, when making your plans, don't discount these people from your plan. They have skills and knowledge, even if it isn't immediately apparant.apparent. Even if they are completely unskilled in anything, they are able to carry a load, and keep watch when you sleep.