Before I had kids, I didn’t have that many views on what I would be like as a parent. One of the few things that I did have a view on was that I wanted to instill into my children an understanding of the broader world around them and to be passionate about injustice.
I have found over the years, one of the best ways for me to do that with my kids is to have them participate in events related to causes that I am passionate about.
There are a number of key events that are held at a similar time each year, so I can schedule them on the calendar for us to go to. This week end sees one such event: The Long Walk. The Long Walk states that its mission is:
The Long Walk is committed to the health and well being of Indigenous Australians.
We believe ALL Australians are entitled to a home, a job and an education.
All the work we do is focused on achieving equality between Indigenous and non Indigenous Australians.
This year the walk starts at one of my favourite places in Melbourne Federation Square and will walk to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
I try to ensure that as well as learning about the world around them, the kids enjoy themselves when we go on these events. Through the fun and exploration they had, they will hopefully remember the key messages of the event.
Some preparation and planning is key and I like to do the following:
Food – pack a snack box and water bottle for each child.
Pram and buggy board – make sure that I have the buggy board on the pram for the preschooler as it can be a long walk at that time of the night for her.
Scooters – My older boys have those scooters that fold down to a compact size. We bring those along as the boys love getting a chance to ride on them in the city. It also makes it less tiring for them.
Public Transport – Catching the train makes it seem much more like an adventure! It is also logistically more practical as you start in one place and finish in another. It is much easier to then walk to the nearest train station, as opposed to walking back to where the car would be parked.
Accessories For The Weather – Saturday’s forecast at this stage is fine and 17, but once the sun goes down (usually before 6pm at the moment) it does get very cool, so I will take along warm jackets for the children and me. Thankfully my pram has quite a bit of storage space underneath it!
Books – I will also ask the kids to choose a small book each. These become helpful to occupy tired children while waiting for and being on the train on the way home.
What sort of events/festivals do you like to your kids to and what are your preparation tips?