Best of Both Worlds
Feeding animals with Pa
My kids had a wonderful time with their grandparents on the weekend at the Samford Show. Samford is just on the outskirts of Brisbane. It is close enough for commuting, but still has a country feel (though not sure for how much longer…)
We had such a lovely day. Although the Show had the usual attractions, we bypassed Sideshow Alley entirely and headed for something else. My daughter loved feeding the animals, was fascinated by the woodchopping, cheered the piglets on in the pig races, and didn’t release her grasp on her wool straight from the sheep’s back all day. I have shared a lot lately about raising city kids, and this was a chance for me to give my kids a little bit of country.
If you are raising children in the city, how do you expose them to wide open spaces, animals and dirt? And if you are bringing your kids up in the country, what do you you teach them when you come to the big smoke? I’m interested in how happy, healthy, balanced kids are raised all over Australia (and beyond).
I love seeing my kids with my parents – I did not get to know my grandparents, who all died when I was quite young.
I love to take our kids for a walk on the beach, and just explore …. they love it.
I still remember my early trips to the city, I was probably 5 years old, going into Sydney. Looking up at the buildings they were huge. We would go the the original darrel lea chocolate shop, catch a ferry to manly or the the zoo. Once we caught the train to luna park. I remember the seats could change sides to face the different way the train was going. Now Im the mother I take my daughter and son now on the train to the city, we go to the darrel lea chocolate shop (its not the original sydney one because we live in brisbane). I love recreating my happy childhood memories with my children. Any time there is an animal farm we go. I think miss 3 and master 10 months are a bit little to really appreciate the space of the country at the moment, the local footy field to them is like acerage to us.
Farmer Lil looks very cute in the pic.
We have granparents in Sydney so my kids get a nice mix, I think.
We will make trips right into the city about twice a year and my kids are so blown away by the city.
It’s funny because I grew up in Sydney so thought nothing of catching a train or bus and wandering around Pitt street. I was always amazed with the countryside. It’s a complete reversal for my children growing up.
No matter where you live I think it’s important to expose kids to a wider variety of places and cultures if you can…
I never thought of our kids as ‘country kids’ until we went into a suburban shopping centre one day and my girls remarked ‘wow mum… look at all the cars!’ ROFL
Because we live close enough we spend a fair bit of time in and around the suburbs of Melbourne. We stay with my parents in the suburbs and have been into the central city for various events… so my girls are no longer so impressed by loads of cars or traffic lights. I do wonder how different it will be for them as teenagers tho… not being in the city and having easy access to everything…
From Facebook:
Karen Askey-Doran
I’ll work on the raising kids all over Australia part next year and get back to you!
Loved what you had to say though…I am from the Bush too and do my best to keep it real for our children! Although I must say my Rosa still thinks dirt is “icky” and that going to the toilet on the side of the road is…..NEVER going to happen in her world!!!