Tim: (dictated to mum) I am Tim and I am 5 years old. I am in year 1 at Te Waotu School and I did the Tongariro Northern Circuit in the snow! Biggest challenge: When it started snowing from Waihohonu to Whakapapa, lucky I had my raingear on! Coolest thing: Building a snowman with mum at Oturere Hut and walking through the deep snow Funniest: When mum got stuck in the deep snow and I threw a snowball in her face. Best part: Jumping down Red Crater in the deep snow and playing Chess in the hut Tips: - Stay in other people’s footprints - I might be small, but I can do a lot - I need more snacks than an adult, I make lots of little steps Learned: Slow but steady wins the race In my bag I always have snacks, water, spare clothes, my jacket, my raingear, my pj’s, spare socks, my crocs, my sleeping bag and liner (but sometimes mum or dad will carry it for me if we have a long day) a book to read, emergency blanket, my compass and my whistle. Above: Tim stuck in the snow Below: Tim climbing the last few meters to the top of Red Crater Tips for parents: - Bring plenty of snacks. Our boys have a bag with nuts, lollies and dried fruit in their pocket/bag and they can grab something whenever they want. In the beginning we would walk for a while, and they had to wait till we sat down to eat but know they just can eat something as we go. If that means they’ll eat a jellybean at 8:05AM, 5 minutes after you started, so be it. If they’re happy, you have a fun trip! - Plenty of layers. Our children are never cold, but they wore a lot of layers. It’s always easier to take a layer off than to have a cold, grumpy child. - Raingear. Although it was sunny, the boys both wore their rain pants and jacket, with gaiters, a fleece jumper, long johns and shorts. Their down jacket was too hot, the raingear protected them from the cold, and they didn’t get wet after falling/playing in the snow! - Try to find out if the hut has firewood! After being in the snow all day, it’s nice that socks/shoes/clothes can dry so they don’t have to put their wet gear back on the following morning. - Make sure they know where they sign up for. It’s a challenging track, even for some adults, although my children show me every time that they are more versatile than we think. - Know their limits! Be aware that your children can do a day of the track in a certain amount of time and don’t make it into 10hour days. That way they can enjoy some downtime at the next hut and you’re not stressing about getting to the hut before dark. Stressed parents and grumpy children are not a good combination. Our longest day was just under 5 ½ hour from Waihohonu to Whakapapa and it could’ve been faster if Mick didn’t hurt himself. On the other hand, don’t think they can’t do it. Most times, our children surprise us in what they can do, but better try to find out on an easier track and not in the snow. - Don’t let other people tell you, your children can’t do it. Especially those children that have been out and about for years can do more than the average adult. - Always bring enough supplies, so if you’re stuck an extra day, you have enough food to keep your children and yourself warm and fed. Low weight backpacks will come again once they’re old enough to take half of your gear. - Most of all, enjoy! We are lucky to have this amazing scenery on our doorstep and to share this with our children is definitely a privilege! - Both boys always carried a laminated paper in their backpack with their name, date of birth, address, phone number and emergency contact number, in case of emergency. 46//WHERE ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#<strong>234</strong>
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