You are absolutely correct. As for preparing for the coming collapse, I would suggest the best thing to do is build up your local community. Start with your neighbours and work outwards. When the greater society collapses you will need to rely on neighbours and friends to get you through. After all you can't stay awake 24 - 7 guarding your property and children. If your neighbour grows too many beans you would hope they will share them with you. IF your kids get sick it might be good to be friends with the nurse down the street or the doctor across the road.

One of the major problems that Americans face is that it adopted the automobile too thoroughly and spread out across the country. If you live in the suburbs all your amenities and shops are a car ride away. Worse still those big megastores that have replaced the local shops are supplied by mega-distribution chains. When the supply chain breaks down, there will be no use trying to drive to an alternative megastore, it will just as empty and surrounded by desperate shoppers. And where you gets large numbers of hungry and outraged people trying to get food you get mobs and looting. So you want to stay away from that scene.

The alternative is to start developing a self sustaining community and that requires making strong connections with the people around you. Luckily for you Jessica, you have good communication skills and a profession that is going to be in short supply when the sh1t hits the fan.