by Loreena Walsh | Family Travel
It’s important for every parent to talk to their children about how to keep themselves safe. Should the worst case happens and you’re child becomes separated from you, then it’s vital that they know what to do, and how to keep as safe as possible until they can reunite with you. We get asked a lot for travel safety tips for kids, so here’s our thoughts.
It’s a sad fact of life that kids go missing across Australia, and while it’s easy to teach kids about safety and danger within their own, regular neighbourhoods, as a family travelling in Australia, it’s important for our children to be street smart and really aware of their own safety and have coping strategies to use should they find themselves scared, lost or threatened.
If there is any family that has suffered so publicly and touched the hearts of so many people, not only from Australia, but around the world, then the Morcombe’s are that family. Their son Daniel was abducted and after many years of searching, a man was finally found guilty of his murder. The scary thing is, that the Morcombe family are just like all of us, and I’m sure like so many they never for a single moment believed their world would be turned upside down.
But if there is anyone in the world I admire for their strength, endurance and dedication to changing the world, then Bruce and Denise Morcombe would be those people. The Morcombe’s now spend their time helping to develop programs to teach children about safety, and regularly hosting presentations.
Here’s some tips the Morcombe’s Give to Kids:
“Our son Daniel did not get a second chance. His legacy is that you can learn from this tragic event and make sure it does not happen again. Daniel has given you that second chance.
- When you can, stay with a friend. Even if you have a fight with your mate, don’t go off alone.
- Be observant. Notice who’s around you and what they’re doing.
- Have a family password. Something like your favourite food – lasagne, for example. If a person says they are meant to pick you up, test them on the password.
- With your parents, make a list of 5 adults you trust. If you ever feel uneasy about anybody or anything, tell one of these people and know you won’t get into trouble. If you feel you’re not being listened to, try someone else.
- Don’t share information about yourself, like your hobbies or the name of your school with people you don’t know, online or in real life.
- If something feels wrong, it probably is. Trust the butterflies in your stomach – they could be a sign something’s not right.
- It’s okay to run and scream if you feel threatened. Safety is more important than good manners.”
It’s not a nice subject to think about or talk about, but I know I am super conscious of where my kids are at every second we’re in a new environment, and that’s quite often when you’re out on the road. I’ll be discussing the above strategies with my kids although as we’re not at home some of them won’t be as relevant.
The trick is to be cautious without being fearful, a life lived in fear isn’t a life lived fully is it?
If you’re a family travelling then one thing you will learn is that there are wonderfully kind people everywhere. We seem to be surrounded by amazing, free spirited people who share their stories and experiences with us and others and it truly does open your eyes to the kindness of human nature. But, of course things can happen, whether you’re at home, or on the road and it pays to ensure your children are cautious but not overly fearful.
We set boundaries and use techniques that help our kids stay safe, keep in mind our kids are 11, 9 & 7 and they are mature enough for us to have begun giving them greater responsibility and slowly increase their freedom, if your children are younger, then some of what we do might not apply.
Here’s our tips for child safety when travelling.
- Use small handheld walkie talkies – We purchased these before we hit the road, and they are a great option to give the kids some independence without losing contact of them all together.
- Dogs are great for safety – We have our dog on the road with us, he’s a Kelpie and really friendly, but his best feature is loyalty and I have no doubt whatsoever if anyone tried to harm the kids he’d come straight to their defence.
- Safety in Numbers – Our kids don’t go anywhere alone, if one goes they all go. This helps because of their age and the fact there’s three of them. It would be more difficult with only children of course, but we find this rule works for ours.
- Discretion with Online Info – I rarely post photos or activities that we’re doing on the day or time we’re doing them. Yes, we have a popular travel website and yes we post on social media, but my foremost thought is safety for our kids, so you’ll rarely see us post real time activities unless it’s appropriate.
- Give Guidelines – If our kids are offered something by other travellers, and they often are, then they know they must come and ask our permission first. They know not to enter anyone else’s caravan unless we have approved that and know they are there, and they know to ask before they leave our field of vision.
- It’s important for us to let go as parents. I’m mindful that I’ve always been unapologetically careful of where my kids are and what they’re doing but they are getting older and part of growing up is learning how to operate safeul in the world
by Loreena Walsh | Family Travel
I’m not quite sure when I realised my parenting choices were starkly different to most of the other parents I knew.
A memorable one, that perhaps shows deeply our philosophies on family travel is where we had three weeks and $10,000 to spend on a holiday, and we were given the advice by most people we knew to go on a cruise, because “there’s always easily accessible childcare there so you can enjoy yourselves”. We both where aghast that people so readily wish to dump there kids for a holiday and could think of nothing worse, so we set off in a tent to explore from Darwin to Adelaide. The kids were 5, 3 and 18 months, we were covered in red dirt for almost the entire 3 weeks, and they probably don’t remember much of it, but we don’t regret that choice at all. I am still sure my spirit wouldn’t have been fulfilled on a cruise nearly as much as it was making those memories with our young family in some of the most breathtaking regions of Australia.
So, it probably came as no surprise to our friends, when we first dragged all three children along to a weekend music festival. In the rain.
Rugged Up at Deni Ute Muster
Our introduction of live music to our children started quite early. Our eldest spent the night, right through until after midnight tucked snugly in his pram when we went to dinner as new parents, only to discover a wonderful singer, and not wanting to go home, figured as long as he was sleeping and happy, then there was no harm in staying to enjoy the tunes. In fact, all three children danced wildly in my belly at concerts, the first at riverdance when I was around 8 months, the second at dirty dancing the musical, and the third at a Robbie Williams concert. Their love of music was nurtured in the womb.
Hanging with Xavier Rudd at FOTSUN
I respect that for many people, taking their children to live music events isn’t something they’d feel comfortable doing, and that’s OK. Like with everything in parenting, the choice is an individual one. For those people who have considered it and just aren’t sure it would work, then we hope to inspire you to give it a go and hopefully you’ll have as much fun as we have over the years, and plan to have for many years to come, enjoying live talent with our kids. At Deni Ute Muster we got to take part in the Guinness Book of World Records Blue Singlet Record in 2009…. The crowd of 2010 currently hold the record and we’d love to get back there to give it another shot!
Meeting the Sunny Cowgirls
Key Points for Taking Children to Music Festivals.
- Dress Appropriately – Our weekend in the rain at FOTSUN meant ensuring the kids had great rain jackets, gumboots and plenty of changes of clothing for the guaranteed mud play. For sunny festivals, hats and sunscreen, and layered clothing works well if you’re not sure quite what the weather will do. DENI UTE MUSTER was freezing when we were there, and there were night concerts we wanted to see, so again, warm clothes, waterproof gear and plenty of layers were essential.
- Know the Food Rules – It’s a great idea to check before hand if you’re allowed to take food into a festival. Lots of places expect you to buy food while you’re there. Packing a couple of snacks probably isn’t going to get you in trouble, or if there’s certain things your children are fussy about, or have allergies etc, but don’t plan on packing eskies of food for venues that don’t allow it. Similarly, you’ll likely be able to take a drink bottle in for the kids, but some places don’t allow this either, so always check ticket conditions and FAQ on websites and pack accordingly.
- Don’t Expect to Re-live Your Youth – Yes, music festivals with your children are a great way to expose them to music culture, but don’t expect to be right up front of stage in all the action. Kids will get fussy, sooky, and all the other things kids do, so always do your best to find a comfortable vantage point that allows you to make easy escapes to toilets or to top up drinks and other requirements. Similarly if the kids become rowdy or boisterous, have some respect for fellow concert goers and move to another area where people won’t be inconvenienced.
- Stay in the Family Area – Festivals like FOTSUN and DENI UTE MUSTER offer family areas that restrict alcohol consumption and are made to provide a safer environment for people with children. It’s always a great idea to stay in these areas for overnight festivals where such a section is provided.
- Buy the Correct Tickets – Some festivals and concerts allow kids to enter free with paying adults, others have cheaper pricing for children, and others have age restrictions. If in doubt, always contact the promoter to be sure you won’t be disappointed and not allowed entry on the day.
Mostly, just get out there and enjoy the live music as a family.
During our travels across Australia, there are hundreds of music festivals we’ll be taking the kids to, everything from Jazz, Aboriginal Culture Festivals, to Gympie Muster and Blues Fest which I’ve somehow never quite made it to despite planning to go many years over. Our plans are to attend any festivals that are accessible to us, and to bring to you, how to head out there with your own kids and enjoy each one. We’ll be aiming for hints and tips specific to music festivals, and sharing our love of music within Australia.
As you all know, we’re very inspired by our love of Australia, so hopefully on the way we’ll get to ask some wonderful performers if anything in particular about Australia inspires them!
Have you taken your kids to music festivals? Got any advice to parents considering it? Anything you’d like to know or any festivals you’d like us to cover? Let us know in the comments below:
by Loreena Walsh | NSW Destinations & Activities, Slider Features
If you’re looking for the best family attractions in Sydney so you can have a great day out with the kids, then we absolutely must recommend Taronga Zoo. We recently visited Taronga as part of our 2 day holiday exploring the best family activities in Sydney and wow did we have fun!
Our Family Day Out at Taronga Zoo.
The day started with excitement and suspense with an early morning start and drive down the highway to Sydney. As we approached the grand entrance, the kids couldn’t control their excitement, trying their hardest to guess what animals they might see inside. The kids spotted the sky-lift first up just outside the main gate, so we jumped aboard and did the round trip “WOW” the view was breathtaking and gave us a good idea of where we wanted to go first, with views over the harbour and over the zoo. The sky-lift is used for ferry access too and from the zoo.
After taking in the view, we headed straight for the seal show which was amazing!
Here’s an insider tip, if you’re going to sit down in the front row, you might want to bring a towel with you 🙂
The keepers are really great with these amazing animals. The seals showed off their amazing speed and acrobatic abilities whilst simulating their hunting techniques and teaching us about the man-made threats they encounter in the wild, with one of the biggest threats being ocean pollution.
Next on the list was the mountain Gorillas, who were active, especially the babies, as feed time was approaching. The overwhelming size of the male demanded respect and the way they interacted with each other was humorous and cheeky.
The keeper gave an informative talk about their natural habits and environmental dangers affecting them which shocked us when we heard that the biggest threat to these amazing animals is coltan mining, a substance that is used in all mobile phones!
This information left us with a great message to recycle our old mobiles, something we all need to remember.
A short stroll up the hill was the Giraffes exhibit where they enjoy one of the greatest views of the harbour ,the kids spotted the reptile section which was amazing then we headed down to grab some lunch at the food court which had a great variety of food and over looked the majestic elephants . After lunch we headed down to see the penguins and leopard seals , another amazing exhibit with under water viewing .
There’s just way too many animals to list but it was an a day we won’t forget .
How to Get to Taronga Zoo Sydney
Taronga Zoo is located in Mosman on the North Shore of Sydney. To add some fun to your day out, you can consider taking a ferry from the city which is a super exciting family experience, and a great way to see the harbour. Buses are also available, but will take longer, and if you prefer, there’s plenty of parking and finding your way there via car is pretty easy, using either your own GPS or maps on your phone which is what we did. The car park is an easy walk to the entrance, there is a parking fee, so remember to take your ticket with you so you can pay on your way out back to the car park.
Tips for Visiting Taronga Zoo Sydney with Kids.
- Spending the day out at the zoo with kids is a HUGE day, and we mean HUGE!! There is so much to see, that you’ll be kept busy for an entire day. Here’s our tips for making sure you have a great day out.
- Good, comfortable walking shoes are essential
- Be sure to pack a hat and sunscreen
- Pack plenty of bottled water, there are cafe’s there if you forget, but you’ll need to keep hydrated.
- Pack your own lunch and snacks if you’re on a budget. Again, there is food available, and there’s a good variety of choices for what to eat, but as any parent will know, eating out with kids can be expensive and packing your own will save money.
- For young children a stroller would be a good idea (The zoo offers them for hire if you need to borrow one).
- Download the free iphone app for a bit of extra fun.
- Buy your tickets online before you arrive to save time.
- Plan your day, but be flexible, The map provided is a great resource and the show times will all be provided, plan accordingly so not to miss the informative keeper talks.
- Allow yourselves plenty of time so you have time to stop, relax and enjoy.
Do Something for the Benefit of the Planet.
Remember, that by visiting the zoo, you’re doing great things to contribute toward research and breeding programs that support endangered animals worldwide. If you’re feeling generous and want to do something unique, think about adopting an animal. We adopted the Bilbies, and it was great to see them up close knowing our donation had helped even if just a little toward helping the zoo do great things for Bilbies.
So if you’re looking for the best family fun in Sydney, consider heading to the zoo, you won’t be disappointed.
Have you been to Taronga Zoo Sydney? What was your favourite animal?
by Loreena Walsh | Camping
As a a family who’s always gone camping with kids, we often forget that for other families, camping isn’t their first choice of holiday, and perhaps they’ve never been camping before and aren’t sure where to start. It’s easy to overlook the basics of family camping, and we often get emails asking for advice, so here’s our rundown on getting started with camping with kids.
Why you should go camping as a family.
Budget, freedom, fun. Those 3 words describe the family camping experience perfectly. If you’ve never headed into the wilderness with your children, and are a bit worried about the logistics or doing things the right way, the first piece of advice is to relax. Half the fun of camping is that you get to leave the stress and worry behind and enjoy spending time with nature and with each other. 5 Reasons to go family camping:
- Time together
- Time with nature
- Freedom
- Exploring
- Inexpensive
What gear you need to go camping with kids.
Over the years we’ve collected all kinds of wonderful camping accessories to improve our camping experience, but I can honestly say that the best camping trips are often the most basic ones. The problem with collecting lots of gadgets to use and then dragging them all with you is that you have to unpack them all when you get home. It will take a bit of time to figure out what suits you as a family, so trial and error will occur, but it’s best to start basic with things that you really need, and then build up from there.
- Accommodation – Tent, Camper or Caravan etc
- Water – Take plenty of fresh water if you’re camping in National Parks or remotely without water supply
- Food – Easy food is a great idea, some snags for the bbq, plenty of snacks that keep well, like nuts. Fruit and drinks.
- Food Storage – You’ll need an esky or portable fridge to keep things cool, and plastic tubs work a treat to store food in and stop ants and wildlife getting to food.
- Cooking Gear – You’ll need a way to cook, either gas cooker or use of a fire if allowed are the usual choices.
- Supplies – Clothing, towels, a camp shower or bucket for bathing, first aid kit for camping, sunscreen, hats etc.
One thing is definitely DO NOT pack too many toys, they’ll just get in the way and be pushed aside most likely, or get lost and cause tears!
Where to go camping with kids.
If you’re struggling with the idea of camping remotely, then the first step is to head off to a caravan park, to experience the joys of camping with the conveniences you need still available to you. Choose somewhere a little special, preferably a park that allows you to be close to nature and have a great first run on “roughing it”. Once you’ve got your confidence and are feeling a bit more adventurous, try places like National Parks that often have toilets and (cold) showers and some facilities such as ice and firewood. You’ll still be camping in nature, but have the essentials you need. Over time you’ll figure out the best gear to suit your family and can adjust to suit your needs and experience.
What age to first go camping with kids?
We get this question a lot! The best answer I can give is any time! All of our kids went camping as small babies, were bathed in buckets, and crawled around in the bush eating grass and getting covered in dirt. That won’t suit everyone of course, but it’s definitely an experience! Of course, toddlers and preschoolers can be a little bit of hard work when camping as they’re eternally curious and have little sense of fear, so you’ll need to keep a close eye on them. We would often build temporary fences to keep our kids in the campsite when they were at difficult ages. Now, they are almost 6, 8 and 10 so they love the freedom and adventure of camping and are very easy going.
I hope that answers some of the questions we’ve received. If you have any more thoughts of questions, please don’t hesitate to drop us a line via email or in the comments below.
Happy Family Camping!
by Loreena Walsh | Thoughts & Ideas
Wishing you all a wonderful 2013 from our family to yours. May your 2013 be full of amazing family holidays!
We thank you so much for taking this journey with us and we are looking very, very forward to what 2013 has to offer. We look forward to sharing the New Year with you all xx
