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I agree with Kiwi-family! And if you decide that your kids might not be ok with albergues all the time, maybe take camping gear. Yes, it's more to carry but if you've got a buggy/trailer etc for the youngest make it a little bigger and tents etc can fit in... You have plenty of hands to take turns pushing - character-building work! We have a cycle trailer that was made for two kids - we altered it to fit our 5 stone dog in - and found that the tent, mats, tools, food and water all seemed to fit in as well. It turns into a big pushchair (with brake) when you take it off the bike. Something similar might be useful to you... Two uk pilgrims I knew walked all the way to Sde C from UK with a handcart!
Whatever you decide, do it and enjoy it - you will be giving your kids a life-enhancing experience that will give them tools to live the rest of their lives by - something you may have to remind them of when they are dragging their feet and whining...!!
First time post here. I'm hoping to do the Camino Francés in 2015, but am a little concerned. I have five children, who will be from the ages of 3-16, with one of my children being fairly high functioning, but on the autism spectrum. I know when things get tough he will explode, but he is also developing beautifully. He doesn't 'look' special needs, so we have come across some uncomfortable judgement at his behaviour from time to time. What advice would people have for our family (there would be nine of us we hope) regarding doing the walk with a very young one (are prams or hiking chariots possible?) and my son with special needs (he'll be twelve)? How understanding are the albergues for people who are a little different? (I know we all are 'different'). One thing we are thinking is giving ourselves two months for the walk, with the possibility of another month if we need it. We will also do plenty of preparation before leaving in terms of seeing how they go walking longer distances. Thank you for any ideas!
I think that is a very fair comment. I think I overstated my feelings in my OP. I mean I fear that when things get tough he will explode/ I know when things get tough he may explode. My feelings are that I should keep the options open, as I don't know how he will respond to the rigour of the camino. I concede that you can only comment on what I say, not what I think I say!I have a fairly high tolerance for people who are "a little different," but I do not think it is fair to other pilgrims at albergues to expose them to a child for whom "when things get tough he will explode."
Great !!! Yes, do it!!!!First time post here. I'm hoping to do the Camino Francés in 2015, but am a little concerned. I have five children, who will be from the ages of 3-16, with one of my children being fairly high functioning, but on the autism spectrum. I know when things get tough he will explode, but he is also developing beautifully. He doesn't 'look' special needs, so we have come across some uncomfortable judgement at his behaviour from time to time. What advice would people have for our family (there would be nine of us we hope) regarding doing the walk with a very young one (are prams or hiking chariots possible?) and my son with special needs (he'll be twelve)? How understanding are the albergues for people who are a little different? (I know we all are 'different'). One thing we are thinking is giving ourselves two months for the walk, with the possibility of another month if we need it. We will also do plenty of preparation before leaving in terms of seeing how they go walking longer distances. Thank you for any ideas!
Great !!! Yes, do it!!!!
We walked spring 2012 with 2 babies and a dog in a Croozer .........
Just keep in mind that the Camino is tough on an adult so imagine how it can be on a kid.
Buen Camino!
How lovely of you to write such a nice message, it makes me smileI considered taking my faithful dog who had accompanied me on all my training walks, but decided that I could no without the extra responsibility on my first big trekking adventure. However I did take my baby, but she was thirty years old, and had invited me to join her in the first place! I cannot imagine being responsible for such young children in an unknown environment. I am amazed that a single person could cope, but you obviously had a fabulous experience. Have you written about your camino, other than on this forum? I would love to know more of your trials, tribulations and more importantly your incredible stamina and positive outlook that saw you through your camino. I have huge admiration for you and not a little amazement about how it was possible.
I agree, well putI won't pretend that our camino was without incident (there was one day when we let our youngest lad lag well behind us because he had a bad case of the grumps - just like he gets at home - and we knew he was safe)....but.....on the whole (in my experience) (how am I going for qualifying statements?!!!) kids are less complicated than adults. They don't have the emotional baggage that adults seem to carry. And if they are walking with parents who can monitor their physical capabilities and not stretch them too far, then they will probably do as well as (or even better than) many adults.
Maybe I'm blessed to have adaptable kids (I am - but I think a lot of it is training too), but I do think a child picks up on an adult's expectations and if you are positive, your kids will mostly follow. Especially young ones - they are just happy to be wherever their family is. Whether we were in Cambodia, Mongolia or Greece....what mattered most to our kids was our relationships as a family.
Thank you so much for both thinking of us, and for considering specific options that would be better. That's so nice of you.As I was out walking today I was thinking of you guys. I wondered whether starting in Bayonne might be a good idea - Bayonne to Arre/Pamplona and join the Frances there. I'll be walking it in May '14 so I'll let you know how it goes if you like.
Thank you so much for thinking of us and offering this post. I also thank you for your prayers.Paul-L I read your initial post and did not read other responses but wanted to share a twitter account and face book account of a non-verbal Autistic young lady currently walking the Camino. The Twitter account is https://twitter.com/FthHopLovBritt. If you are connected to face book search for Faith Hope Love Brittany, You may find the post interesting and possibly some insight on what your son could experience . Such a wonderful experience awaits your family.
God bless you and your family, Prayers that you hear the calling you are to follow and the strength not to let other deter you from it.
Thank you so much for thinking of us and offering this post. I also thank you for your prayers.
My autistic son is coping beautifully with the walking, however he isn't enjoying it very much. He has good moments though, and is not unpleasant at all.
Really??!!!! You too lost all your photos due to being robbed?! Yes we were OK. Just so annoying and pointless, the camera was even broken, the sim card however... ahhhhh. Where were you robbed, in Santiago? ANd yes, sure do it again, good idea!How awful Wildroverwild! It is horrible being robbed - but it is losing the photos that is the worst! Everything else is replaceable (as long as you were all ok) People are gits! I hope all the nicer people do contact you with photos - they'll be all the more precious for it. We also got robbed - the passports, money and cards were missed at the time, but after getting replacement Compostelas - it was the loss of the photos that rankled, all those pilgrims we had met, the memories, the smiles... Just means we'll have to do it again I spose...
Ok, so not high season ;-) Additionally to what others have said, and assuming (sorry if I am wrong) that you are not fluent in Spanish I would also suggest that you get a laminated card made that explains in Spanish your circumstances - to show to the hospitaleros. Most of them will be quite helpful if they understand the situation. To put it brutally: a child that is perceived as badly educated is treated differently from a child that has inborn difficulties to behave differently. Sorry, English is not my first language, so please don't be offended if I am not 100% politically correct.We are planning on April, May, June 2015. That time frame roughly.
We were in Mimizan Plage on the Voie Litoral, on our way back home. It was our own fault really - we were tired and hungry, so just lumped everything into a bag, to walk into town, my husband's foot was sore, so we jumped back on the bikes without decanting our stuff, just slung the bag on the bike. Some muppet must of whipped it away whilst we were salivating over a menu!!Really??!!!! You too lost all your photos due to being robbed?! Yes we were OK. Just so annoying and pointless, the camera was even broken, the sim card however... ahhhhh. Where were you robbed, in Santiago? ANd yes, sure do it again, good idea!
First time post here. I'm hoping to do the Camino Francés in 2015, but am a little concerned. I have five children, who will be from the ages of 3-16, with one of my children being fairly high functioning, but on the autism spectrum. I know when things get tough he will explode, but he is also developing beautifully. He doesn't 'look' special needs, so we have come across some uncomfortable judgement at his behaviour from time to time. What advice would people have for our family (there would be nine of us we hope) regarding doing the walk with a very young one (are prams or hiking chariots possible?) and my son with special needs (he'll be twelve)? How understanding are the albergues for people who are a little different? (I know we all are 'different'). One thing we are thinking is giving ourselves two months for the walk, with the possibility of another month if we need it. We will also do plenty of preparation before leaving in terms of seeing how they go walking longer distances. Thank you for any ideas!
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