Moving West

[kirikasmum]

Hi,

I was just wondering what it is like living on a property with young kids. I have a three year old girl and a 8 mth boy and we are about to move from a large city to a large property in western NSW, to help out my father in law. I come from a farming family but have never lived on a property myself and as a result i'm a bit nervous about the move. My little girl is such the social butterfly and i'm not sure how she will go with the limited contact with other kids.:confused:

Romana

[Kazamataz]

Personally I think living on a farm is a great lifestyle for kids.

My grandparents had a massive sugar cane farm when I was growing up lots and lots of fun.

If there is a town near by to where your moving I would try to see what sort of social activities they have young one.
Even in one horse towns they usually have at least a playgroup.

Good luck with your move :thumbsup:

[funnyfarm]

I agree with Kazamataz, if there is a small town nearby, they usual have a playgroup, mothers group of some sort that would be fun for you and the kiddies.

Where abouts are you moving near. There might be some other mums on here out that way.

[kirikasmum]

I'm moving about 3/4 hour from Walgett. I believe that there are playgroups out there. I guess that i really can't get a true idea of what is out there until we move. My husband is currently commuting the 615km between here and there every few weeks( he just left again this morning for the next stint:( ) until the extension on the kit home is finished. It currently is set up for one and will not cope with a family of four.

Another thing any ideas about educating kids about snakes. My three year old keeps seeing an ad on SBS and the kid says snakes tickle me as a snake slides over him. She has always loved snakes and now she thinks that she can play with them. I can not see the browns being too happy with the idea.

Cheers Romana

[Emma87]

Ive been out to walgett and its an average size town so ur dd should be able to make friends... there where lots of kids wondering around the streets.. i think they all knew each other... have u been out there before? i also know that it gets extremely hot!!

[kirikasmum]

I've been out there a couple of times, but i have spent most of the time on the property. I'm sure she will be able to make friends out there, i guess it is just all the unknowns of such a big move that is getting to me. Lots of tears have been happening.

[Kazamataz]

Another thing any ideas about educating kids about snakes. My three year old keeps seeing an ad on SBS and the kid says snakes tickle me as a snake slides over him. She has always loved snakes and now she thinks that she can play with them. I can not see the browns being too happy with the idea.

Cheers Romana

Well were always told to just stay away, but if she has an interest in snakes and your worried she may try to be friendly with one.

Maybe try taking her to a reptile park and get her to have a chat with a handler.
They could explain that when snakes are in the reptile park you can pat them and be friendly with them but out in the wild we leave them alone.

If there is no reptile park near you look up snake handlers on a google.

When I worked in bush regeneration, the local snake handler came and did a snake awareness course with us he said he went around to schools and all sorts of places running the courses.

Sometimes they just need someone else beside mum or dad to tell them something before they will listen.

Good luck with that one, sometimes I think TV can make things very confusing for little ones.

[Kazamataz]

I've been out there a couple of times, but i have spent most of the time on the property. I'm sure she will be able to make friends out there, i guess it is just all the unknowns of such a big move that is getting to me. Lots of tears have been happening.

:hugs: I know exactly what your saying.
We are looking to moving out to a mining town in the middle of nowhere and it's worrying not knowing what it's going to be like.

But moving means DH doesn't have to be away from us ever and we get to see him every night :smiliedance:

The unknowns is always the hardest part, but you'll all be together as a family and thats the most important thing.
There is strength in numbers :hugs:

[kirikasmum]

:hugs:

But moving means DH doesn't have to be away from us ever and we get to see him every night :smiliedance:

The unknowns is always the hardest part, but you'll all be together as a family and thats the most important thing.
There is strength in numbers :hugs:

That is exactly it. DH and i hate spending one night apart let alone the weeks that it is at the moment and if we are not out there by harvest he could be away for up to 8 weeks. Not to mention if his dad has to have the heart bypass then he will hardly be back at all. (his dad had his second heart attack a couple of months back and that is why he is out working on the farm in the first place)

I hope that the move goes well for you, do you know how long till you go?

There is a reptile park on the central coast i could take her to. That is a really good idea! Thanks Heaps!

Romana

[trouble]

I dont know if your 3 year old like the wiggles or not, but my kids do, and they seem to watch one of the dvds over and over again, the one they are into atm, is the one with the crocodile hunter, its called wiggley safari, (i think)

And it has a sone in there called "you can look, but you musnt touch" it is a sanke song, and they go on about not touching snakes, might be worth it if your 3 year old watches the wiggles.

[kirikasmum]

She does love the wiggles actually we will have to come back in December as my mum got her tickets for Christmas. I will definitely look out for that dvd. Cheers.

[westketeers]

He Kara,

we are thinking about the same thing, moving up to a mining town so we can be with DH (and v.v) Anywhere in WA ? It beats the FIFO situation for sure as we have only moved back from Europe last year and now have moved to the northern burbs, so finding it hard to make friends in the new community atm.

It's though decision, isn't it ? Moving to an unkown place in the middle of nowhere...keeps going thru my mind. :confused:

Love to know how you are getting on..maybe we'll be moving near to each other ?

[lizzo]

Hi Ramona...and welcome to world of being a country mum.:)

I live on our family farm about 30 minutes from a town close to where you are moving to....

And I agree with one of the other posters on this thread, the country lifestyle is perfect for raising a family.

Ive found that the more isolated the communities the more social they are. There always seems to be a BBQ, or playgroup or other things to go to. I think its easier to settle in to a country community as the isolation tends to motivate everyone to go to parties and bbqs - my advice would be to get involved in as much as you can. But, prepare yourself to be driving alot!!! and get a 4wd (not a pretend one like a territory or captiva....you need either a landcruiser or nissan patrol)- its a necessity in some of the more isolated areas as a normal car will fall apart and some reoads get cutoff when it rains

Walgett is a great area, the town has it problems with alcohol etc but that wont affect you. Walgett is not far from Coonamble which is also has a great community.

Make sure you have a huge freezer as you cant nip to the shops for bread and milk everyday. I know alot of people from Walgett and Bourke actually go to Dubbo to do their shopping and other jobs and stay overnight, 1 day just isnt enough time usually.

Kids and creepy crawlers.....if I saw a dead snake on the road(which is pretty typical) I would pull up and get the kids out and show them then reinforce that they are dangerous and to always find mum, dad or and adult if they see one......make sure the snake is dead of course, I did it once and the bl**dy thing moved :eek:- you haventt seen 4 kids and a mother run so fast:laughing:

And one last thing, if you are in Walgett when your kids go into high school, prepare yourself for the fact that boarding school maybe the only option.I think Walgett or Coonamble have a public highschool, however, unfortunately, because the town has so many problems with its youth that are directly related to alcohol, drugs and disfunctional home lives youll find the school isnt going to be the best enviroment. So, most families send their kids to Sydney...my 2 eldest boys are away at school atm, its hard but at least we know thay are getting the best education possible....

Anyway, so sorry for the long post!!!!...youll enjoy it once you settle in and the kids will love it! GOOD LUCK, and I hope the harvest is going well....