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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

My first camino with (a) kid(s)--> need help!

Marcel234

“Not all those who wander are lost.”
Time of past OR future Camino
2009/10/11/12/13/14/15/16 and this June 2017
Hi all,

I call myself a camino veteran. I hope to walk my 14th camino this October (fingers crossed with Covid). I know the Frances really well. Walked it alone, with friends, with my father and sister, with a colleague, but now the time has come for a camino with (a) kid(s). Just for a week. To try how it goes.

I have three daughters, ages 5, 2 and 2 (twins). I have three options:
1- Walk alone (or with friends)
2- Walk with my 5 yo daughter
3- Walk with all three of my daughters and my partner

I prefer option 3, but I have no idea how to do it. I don't want my 5yo walk more than 5km a day. My twins cannot walk 1km. So I need some kind of strollers to push, a bag to carry them or like a bigger pull cart or something where all three can sit in.

Can you help me with this. Are there any of you with experience? Do you have tips?

Thank you so much in advance!

Greets Marcel
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I met a Kiwi family a few years back with two small children. They had a brilliant large wheeled double trekking stroller - don't know the make - downside I guess was how much stuff they had to carry with them, including baby food, nappies, etc ,etc - but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

My children are all middle aged now, sort of, but I do wonder - why do you want to do a pilgrimage with tiny children?
I took my ten year old son and his cousin down to Spain in a car for a holiday decades ago ... we went to Gaudi's cathedral in Barcelona, the Dali museum in Figueras, hidden Pyrenean villages and easy rock climbing, and all sorts of other stuff.

When we got back home, thinking he would have stores of memories for years to come, I asked him what was the best moment. He said it was when we were stopped in Barcelona by a policeman with a big moustache and big gun on his motorbike when I went through a red light - so don't think you will give them great memories 😂
 
Hi all,

I call myself a camino veteran. I hope to walk my 14th camino this October (fingers crossed with Covid). I know the Frances really well. Walked it alone, with friends, with my father and sister, with a colleague, but now the time has come for a camino with (a) kid(s). Just for a week. To try how it goes.

I have three daughters, ages 5, 2 and 2 (twins). I have three options:
1- Walk alone (or with friends)
2- Walk with my 5 yo daughter
3- Walk with all three of my daughters and my partner

I prefer option 3, but I have no idea how to do it. I don't want my 5yo walk more than 5km a day. My twins cannot walk 1km. So I need some kind of strollers to push, a bag to carry them or like a bigger pull cart or something where all three can sit in.

Can you help me with this. Are there any of you with experience? Do you have tips?

Thank you so much in advance!

Greets Marcel


Why not just take your 5 year-old on this first family Camino?
(apologies to your partner, who would be left at home with the twins 🙂)

A ‘trekking’ pushchair would be sturdy enough to carry some of the load … which would be far smaller than all you would need if you took the twins as well.

Which section were you thinking of walking?
This would, I imagine, depend upon your choice of companion/s.

If it’s just for a week - as a sort of experiment - on a path you know well, why not give your eldest a solo adventure with her papa? 🥰

Buen Camino!
 
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On the VDLP, I encountered a young French couple on bicycles with three youngsters in trailers and so on. They had been travelling like that for thousands of kilometers already. I was really impressed. On this forum, you will also find threads and links to external blogs by people who were on the camino with small children....

If you like the idea of going as a whole family rather than leaving your partner behind to take care of the twins, I think you will first need to work out what sounds comfortable to the two of you. I have a feeling that there are as many ways to approach this as there are families. You could choose to cover short distances every day with a two seater chariot and backpacks on your backs. (Do search for chariot on this forum, by the way). You could go with more luggage but use a luggage forwarding service and increase the daily distances slightly. You could train your 5 year-old to handle 15k distances. You could do a series of combined walk + transit rides rather than walking the whole distance every day. You could rent a car to use as a support vehicle and share driving duties so that each of you gets to walk a bit every day with no luggage to carry, and each of you does their share of caring for the twins, making runs to the supermarket, preparing meals etc.

Your partner is the only one who can tell you what they have an appetite for, and that will surely be the biggest factor in deciding what you do.
 
My short addition to this conversation: In Zabaldika some few years ago, we welcomed a Basque family, speaking only Euskerra, parents and three young children. The parents were cycling, and they had contraptions attached, with sitting arrangements for the children. Sorry, this is not about walking, but just a sign that there are options...
 
I met a Kiwi family a few years back with two small children. They had a brilliant large wheeled double trekking stroller - don't know the make - downside I guess was how much stuff they had to carry with them, including baby food, nappies, etc ,etc - but they seemed to be enjoying themselves.

My children are all middle aged now, sort of, but I do wonder - why do you want to do a pilgrimage with tiny children?
I took my ten year old son and his cousin down to Spain in a car for a holiday decades ago ... we went to Gaudi's cathedral in Barcelona, the Dali museum in Figueras, hidden Pyrenean villages and easy rock climbing, and all sorts of other stuff.

When we got back home, thinking he would have stores of memories for years to come, I asked him what was the best moment. He said it was when we were stopped in Barcelona by a policeman with a big moustache and big gun on his motorbike when I went through a red light - so don't think you will give them great memories 😂
Thx for your input David!

That's just it David, I don't care too much for the memories. It's the experience you'll give them.

Two examples:
- Noya, my 'baby' of 2yo, says hi and waves to eveybody when she sits in her stroller. I like to think that that's partly due to me, because I say hi to everybody.
- I love to get out in nature with a tent and sleep there for a couple of days. I think Hila, my 5yo, is too young for that. So last year I took her to a 5* camping for a couple of nights. I just took a small tent, two airmatrasses and two sleeping bags. They had everything for kids. Indoor and outdoor swimming pools, huge playground for the kids, air things to jump on, restaurants. When we drove back I asked her "so what did you like most?" and she replied "When you needed to go to the toilet in the middle of the night and carried me with you." We crossed the camping and it was pitch black outside except for the full moon above us.

It's all in the adventure David. And meeting a policeman with a big moustache and big gun is quite an adventure! :D
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Why not just take your 5 year-old on this first family Camino?
(apologies to your partner, who would be left at home with the twins 🙂)

A ‘trekking’ pushchair would be sturdy enough to carry some of the load … which would be far smaller than all you would need if you took the twins as well.

Which section were you thinking of walking?
This would, I imagine, depend upon your choice of companion/s.

If it’s just for a week - as a sort of experiment - on a path you know well, why not give your eldest a solo adventure with her papa? 🥰

Buen Camino!
This made me think.

I could fly on Santiago with the whole family. Maybe bring my sister in law with us. Then take a bus with my oldest to Sarria and walk with her to Santiago, while the rest wait for us over there.

So a trekking pushchair would be sturdy enough?

Hahaha and the apologies are spot on :-D!!
 
On the VDLP, I encountered a young French couple on bicycles with three youngsters in trailers and so on. They had been travelling like that for thousands of kilometers already. I was really impressed. On this forum, you will also find threads and links to external blogs by people who were on the camino with small children....

If you like the idea of going as a whole family rather than leaving your partner behind to take care of the twins, I think you will first need to work out what sounds comfortable to the two of you. I have a feeling that there are as many ways to approach this as there are families. You could choose to cover short distances every day with a two seater chariot and backpacks on your backs. (Do search for chariot on this forum, by the way). You could go with more luggage but use a luggage forwarding service and increase the daily distances slightly. You could train your 5 year-old to handle 15k distances. You could do a series of combined walk + transit rides rather than walking the whole distance every day. You could rent a car to use as a support vehicle and share driving duties so that each of you gets to walk a bit every day with no luggage to carry, and each of you does their share of caring for the twins, making runs to the supermarket, preparing meals etc.

Your partner is the only one who can tell you what they have an appetite for, and that will surely be the biggest factor in deciding what you do.
Thanks! I searched for a lot, but not on 'chariot'!
 
I've met a young american couple (~30 years) with 3 kids (age 1,5 / 3 / 6-ish) with the 1,5years toddler in an all-terrain-stroller, the 3 year old in an carrier on the back (in german it's called "Kraxe") of the father and the 6 year old was pushing a all-terrain scooter. They said, they are making 10-15km per day. Even the 6 year old had a daypack on their back, the most was stuffed into the stroller's transport compartment.

Kids are capable of doing such distances easily.
My family was on vacation on the coast of the north-sea and my son (5 at that vacation) and wife walked 15km on the beach without any trouble, despite the fact that stormy winds were blowing.

BC
Roland
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
Hi Marcel, I post this reply only because you mentioned Sarria. Having volunteered at the pilgrims' office a few years ago, I draw your attention to the fact that young children are not issued their own compostela even if they present with their own correctly-stamped credential (two stamps per day from Sarria) and parents attest that their child did indeed walk all the last 100km to Santiago. (I can't remember but I think the pilgrim's office adds the child's name onto the compostela of one of the parents; I am not 100% certain.)
Of course, I am NOT suggesting that that is the aim of your taking your child on Camino.
From my limited experience, it appears that children are issued their own compostela, if they understand the reason for the undertaking i.e., devotionis affectu, voti vel pietatis causa (motivated by devotion, votive or mercy), generally accepted as when a child has taken his or her first communion. So I have seen 12-year old kids receive their compostela. Indeed, staff at the pilgrim's office make special allowance to have the child come behind the counter and personally stamp the cathedral's last stamp onto their credencial to mark the event.
This is not a post to debate the right and wrong of the pilgrim office's decision, as posts on this forum can often descend to. Please do not shoot the messenger.
 
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Hi all,

I call myself a camino veteran. I hope to walk my 14th camino this October (fingers crossed with Covid). I know the Frances really well. Walked it alone, with friends, with my father and sister, with a colleague, but now the time has come for a camino with (a) kid(s). Just for a week. To try how it goes.

I have three daughters, ages 5, 2 and 2 (twins). I have three options:
1- Walk alone (or with friends)
2- Walk with my 5 yo daughter
3- Walk with all three of my daughters and my partner

I prefer option 3, but I have no idea how to do it. I don't want my 5yo walk more than 5km a day. My twins cannot walk 1km. So I need some kind of strollers to push, a bag to carry them or like a bigger pull cart or something where all three can sit in.

Can you help me with this. Are there any of you with experience? Do you have tips?

Thank you so much in advance!

Greets Marcel
This may not be what you’re looking for but on certain sections of the Camino from Le Puy to SJPdP it is possible to hire donkeys for a week or so and I have heard of families with small children managing transport for the kids that way.
1626100075005.jpeg


I’ve also seen parents pushing rugged (big wheels and robust construction) strollers but they seem to do best in relatively flat terrain and relatively smooth surfaces (dirt / gravel roads).

Another option would be to wait a few years. We did a week with our grandchildren who were then 8 and 12 and they had no problem keeping up — although the younger one had her pack carried by her dad for parts of each day.

Our kids had a wonderful time!
 
You are one brave man. Just a couple of thoughts:
1) I have been a part of a team pushing a trekking chair with a young man with cerebral palsy. It does take multiple people on the ascents and descents.....dont want a run away stroller. Also, if you want a two wheeled stroller you will need the correct suspension or you definitely risk it breaking.
2)Where will you be staying? Hopefully not in the albergues. I mer/walked with a 9 year old on one Camino and hit was lovely. However, I have been in albergues with small children who were adorable during the day, but kept everyone up at night.
As a mother of 3, I can't imagine this...Good luck and Buen Camino.
 
So a trekking pushchair would be sturdy enough?

There’s this one:


Or a Dutch one 🙂 :



This one can be attached to another one to make it suitable for twins 😉

It is very expensive though …. 😳
 
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I'm fascinated by this thread. I was brought up in India the 1940s/50s by missionary parents, and somehow they managed to take four children to all sorts of places by all sorts of means. It can be done, as that video of the family on Le Puy trail shows, if you're flexible, innovative, and good sports. Also, I've just published a juvenile novel about a family on the Camino Francés--it's fiction with a bit of mystery, informative, realistic, engaging (readers say)--check out--WALK: Jamie Bacon's Secret Mission on the Camino de Santiago. Available on Amazon in all countries. Hope I'm not violating any protocol by letting you know about it here. I think it will inspire intrepid parents to do adventurous things with kids. Childhood is really short. We need to do what we can to show kids the cultural diversity and beauty of our world.
 
I’m really not certain how you will do it, but I think there are some good ideas up-thread. I’m seriously partial to the Donkey for a week… because what an amazing children’s story that would make if you were to turn into a short book for your kids to look back at later.

I also applaud this idea and hope you can make it happen because one of the worst things about North Americans is how much we separate the lives of children from the worlds of adults. We treat children like they are a pain in the butt to be liberated from by nannies and baby-sitters and day-cares, depending on income tier. We treat doing our own “child care” as though it is a poor life-choice and an indication that one has more children than they can care for, ad we have an entire, massive market of ”adult only” resorts etc., for people who are fundamentally hostile to children.

Please may we never pollute the European ethos with our demands for a ”child-free” world.

When I travelled to and lived in Europe when my son was young I knew I could breathe a great sigh of relief about being able to go pretty much *anywhere* with him, at pretty much any hour. He’s polite and sweet; elderly French and Italian shop-owners, restaurant keepers… other parents in parks…. They would talk to him and keep him occupied as much as I did.

So, I hope you can find the practical solutions to your trek. I’m sure you will have other holidays with your wife on your own if you want them…

And should my path ever cross with a family on a camino, I will be among those to hold the cranky baby, or mind the toddler while a parent takes a shower, goes into the shop…

*Buen Camino*.
 
Childhood is really short
Thats the whole point isn't it. From our, adult, perspective childhood is really short. Half, then a third and ever then decreasing fractions of our lives. We remember our childhoods with affection or dread depending on how lucky we were. I remember mine with warm affection. Every day was an adventure. Packed with new experiences, new people, new taste sensations. Even the weather was different everyday though it never rained on sunny days and the rainy ones brought puddles to splash in and snow. Oh snow, how much fun was that.

But then I never left my home county till I was 10 or so. I never left my home country till I was 16 or so. I was grounded. I had confidence in myself and was ready for adventure. I'd explored farther and farther from home, on foot and on bicycle gradually extending my range, gradually increasing my life-skills. I'd never been suddenly exposed to bewildering environments and strange technologies; novel regimens of control and restriction or separated from my known and comforting place.

Childhood is short but its all you have when you're a child.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Thoughts: My mother took me and my four siblings hiking on the Appalachian trail and also camping every summer. We loved it. We didn't go abroad because it was expensive (5 children!)-- oh, except to Canada sometimes. -- My own two children could walk a few miles at age 2 and not only did we camp and travel locally here in the Finger Lakes region in NYS; but we traveled abroad to Rome and to Germany. Their security was me and the "nest" we made where ever we ended up. And-- Going to Rome with little ones brings out the best in Italians! Children are welcome and loved in Italy.

One of my husband's colleagues was often traveling with his family; they had a little pop-up tent for their children that they could use in any hotel room or campsite so their little ones had the same secure feeling every night.
 
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Hi all,

I call myself a camino veteran. I hope to walk my 14th camino this October (fingers crossed with Covid). I know the Frances really well. Walked it alone, with friends, with my father and sister, with a colleague, but now the time has come for a camino with (a) kid(s). Just for a week. To try how it goes.

I have three daughters, ages 5, 2 and 2 (twins). I have three options:
1- Walk alone (or with friends)
2- Walk with my 5 yo daughter
3- Walk with all three of my daughters and my partner

I prefer option 3, but I have no idea how to do it. I don't want my 5yo walk more than 5km a day. My twins cannot walk 1km. So I need some kind of strollers to push, a bag to carry them or like a bigger pull cart or something where all three can sit in.

Can you help me with this. Are there any of you with experience? Do you have tips?

Thank you so much in advance!

Greets Marcel
I haven't walked with my own kids (at least not when they were kids; my son turned 16 on the Camino). But I have seen others walking with kids. When I last walked the CF, I saw a Korean family walking with kids aged 5 and 7. Both kids didn't seem to have significant problems with the 20 or so km they were walking each day (although they weren't carrying much, just very small kids backpacks; their parents were generally carrying for them). They still had plenty of energy to run around the albergues in the evening. People with younger children often go with strollers (or with really younger children, strapped to their front or back).

From what I've seen, 2 or 3 should be doable. Not easy, but who does a Camino because it is easy?

For 2: it will deepen and strengthen your relationship with your daughter and provide her with lasting memories. For 3: it creates family bonds and memories.

If you want to do 3, I can think of two ways:
- one double stroller for the twins; another single stroller for the 5 year old. Some luggage carried on the strollers, a bunch on your backs.
- consider having your 5 year old walk with you and not limit them to 5 km or so a day. It may mean some regular rests and shorter days (especially at the beginning), but it is doable for a 5 year old. I;ve seen it. Then you would just need stroller(s) for two, which would be a lot easier, I expect, and think of the sense of accomplishment the 5 year old would get from it.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hi Marcel, I post this reply only because you mentioned Sarria. Having volunteered at the pilgrims' office a few years ago, I draw your attention to the fact that young children are not issued their own compostela even if they present with their own correctly-stamped credential (two stamps per day from Sarria) and parents attest that their child did indeed walk all the last 100km to Santiago. (I can't remember but I think the pilgrim's office adds the child's name onto the compostela of one of the parents; I am not 100% certain.)
Of course, I am NOT suggesting that that is the aim of your taking your child on Camino.
From my limited experience, it appears that children are issued their own compostela, if they understand the reason for the undertaking i.e., devotionis affectu, voti vel pietatis causa (motivated by devotion, votive or mercy), generally accepted as when a child has taken his or her first communion. So I have seen 12-year old kids receive their compostela. Indeed, staff at the pilgrim's office make special allowance to have the child come behind the counter and personally stamp the cathedral's last stamp onto their credencial to mark the event.
This is not a post to debate the right and wrong of the pilgrim office's decision, as posts on this forum can often descend to. Please do not shoot the messenger.
But can they get the distance certificate? No motivation is needed for that, I believe.
 
Thats the whole point isn't it. From our, adult, perspective childhood is really short. Half, then a third and ever then decreasing fractions of our lives. We remember our childhoods with affection or dread depending on how lucky we were. I remember mine with warm affection. Every day was an adventure. Packed with new experiences, new people, new taste sensations. Even the weather was different everyday though it never rained on sunny days and the rainy ones brought puddles to splash in and snow. Oh snow, how much fun was that.

But then I never left my home county till I was 10 or so. I never left my home country till I was 16 or so. I was grounded. I had confidence in myself and was ready for adventure. I'd explored farther and farther from home, on foot and on bicycle gradually extending my range, gradually increasing my life-skills. I'd never been suddenly exposed to bewildering environments and strange technologies; novel regimens of control and restriction or separated from my known and comforting place.

Childhood is short but its all you have when you're a child.

Number 2 son insisted on walking up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) when he was 5.
Via Bwlch y Moch ..
He made it too!!
(and no blisters 😉)
 
Please, I would discourage you from walking any Camino with your small children in October, ‘ 21 - even if it is physically doable!

Your children will not be protected from The Delta Variance. Children are dying from it! And Spain is heading in the Wrong-direction with the Delta variance. Wait another year! Hopefully, vaccine will be available to them by then!
 
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Last 2017, I saw a family of 4 i think on the way to Zubiri, kids were probably 2 & 5 yrs old. The 2-yr old was on a stroller but the 5-yr old was on a small bike. Dont know how far they went but it was quite interesting. But I agree with @Marbe2 this might not be the of times to walk with kids but when and if you decide to walk with kids, it might be possibel in fact, I watched a video of a young family with a toddler in tow using a stroller who walked from Porto in Youtube.
 
Wow, this is going to be a blast!
YOU will enjoy a Camino together with the kids, as YOU don't want to walk alone.
YOU will enjoy passing peregrinos smiles, delight, and admiration when they see your kinds
YOU will take tons of pictures of your kids, for the memory and to show to your friends
YOU will enjoy the spotlight and the bragging rights of walking under extenuation conditions.
YOU don't write much about what your wife/partner thinks about all this.

It's YOUR Camino.
 
Wow, this is going to be a blast!
YOU will enjoy a Camino together with the kids, as YOU don't want to walk alone.
YOU will enjoy passing peregrinos smiles, delight, and admiration when they see your kinds
YOU will take tons of pictures of your kids, for the memory and to show to your friends
YOU will enjoy the spotlight and the bragging rights of walking under extenuation conditions.
YOU don't write much about what your wife/partner thinks about all this.

It's YOUR Camino.

Ye gods!!!!!!!

Does every thread concerning walking a Camino this year have to degenerate into this???

You may feel that the OP shouldn’t walk, with or without his children … but can’t you just keep this to yourself?
Do you imagine that the OP will find your post (which might possibly say more about you than him) helpful?

I won’t walk this year but that’s my decision/concern.
I have no right to judge another’s motives/feelings/judgement.

Please - let’s live and let live… 😉
 
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Please, I would discourage you from walking any Camino with your small children in October, ‘ 21 - even if it is physically doable!

Your children will not be protected from The Delta Variance. Children are dying from it! And Spain is heading in the Wrong-direction with the Delta variance. Wait another year! Hopefully, vaccine will be available to them by then!


Thank you @Marbe2 .
I also would suggest waiting a year, not so much that I'm worried about the children's health ( although I am too of course ) but most of all because for fear of dad's health.
Can you imagine what kind of practical and emotional ordeal it would be if dad got Covid ( even without hospitalisation the virus can hit you hard ).
 
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I've met a young american couple (~30 years) with 3 kids (age 1,5 / 3 / 6-ish) with the 1,5years toddler in an all-terrain-stroller, the 3 year old in an carrier on the back (in german it's called "Kraxe") of the father and the 6 year old was pushing a all-terrain scooter. They said, they are making 10-15km per day. Even the 6 year old had a daypack on their back, the most was stuffed into the stroller's transport compartment.

Kids are capable of doing such distances easily.
My family was on vacation on the coast of the north-sea and my son (5 at that vacation) and wife walked 15km on the beach without any trouble, despite the fact that stormy winds were blowing.

BC
Roland
Thx so much. I will do some practicing with my oldest. If she can walk 5k without problems then this is a valid option!
 
Wow, this is going to be a blast!
YOU will enjoy a Camino together with the kids, as YOU don't want to walk alone.
YOU will enjoy passing peregrinos smiles, delight, and admiration when they see your kinds
YOU will take tons of pictures of your kids, for the memory and to show to your friends
YOU will enjoy the spotlight and the bragging rights of walking under extenuation conditions.
YOU don't write much about what your wife/partner thinks about all this.

It's YOUR Camino.
You didn’t ask me any questions pepi. Realize that’s why this is your ego talking, not mine.

Maybe you are worried about the safety of my children, maybe you even think that i’m an egoistic dad. It’s all good. Just ask questions.

I take your worries into consideration. Thanks!
 
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€46,-
Please, I would discourage you from walking any Camino with your small children in October, ‘ 21 - even if it is physically doable!

Your children will not be protected from The Delta Variance. Children are dying from it! And Spain is heading in the Wrong-direction with the Delta variance. Wait another year! Hopefully, vaccine will be available to them by then!
Read what I say about Covid in my post. I ask for advice about strollers than you can give advice on strollers. If my stance on Covid is not clear, just ask. Unsolicited advice doesn’t have the impact you want it to have. Even if your intentions are noble.
 
You didn’t ask me any questions pepi. Realize that’s why this is your ego talking, not mine.

Maybe you are worried about the safety of my children, maybe you even think that i’m an egoistic dad. It’s all good. Just ask questions.

I take your worries into consideration. Thanks!
Hi Marcel234
as a father of 4 (all grown-up by now) I am not entirely unqualified to join the discussion on the subject, which lately recurs regularly in this forum; like the one of taking along dogs. It is part of a general ego-centredness and growing attitude of "wanting everything and now".
When my kids had the age of yours, I too wanted them to be – together with me – in the center of everything. It's natural and all parents go through this stage; I found that it is best overcome in the company of other parents, in the nearby nature, in forests, on lakesides, with picnics, etc.
Otoh, the Camino has a very particular, special meaning for the pilgrims. Often of mature age, they come from far to experience that unique mix of solitude and spirituality, companionship, camaraderie, in short, a Camino for adults, imho and not meant to be a playground for small kids.
You ask me about my worries; they indeed concern the well-being of your and all the other's toddlers being dragged along; yes, they adapt, but responsible parents will ask themselves if this is really in their best interest. Why not engage in activities more suitable to their age and postpone the Camino to a time when they are old enough and eager to share – and to understand – with their parents a truly unique experience, old enough also to remember it for the rest of their lives?
Marcel, you know it yourself: The reason why you responded to my nasty post is, that as a good parent, you are not sure if this whole idea really is a good one. Ask yourself as an experienced pilgrim, will you enjoy the solitary evenings in drab hostal rooms, while the compagñeros chatting merrily over vino tinto next door?
Do what your instinct and responsibility guide you to do.

Buen Camino
 
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Correct me if I am wrong but I thought that Marcel's post was about his Camino options 1 to 3 and a request for responders who had experienced option 3 (and maybe 2) with tips and stroller/wagon possibilities.

It is patently obvious that he is not a Camino virgin - this would be his 14th! and also he is thinking of maybe just a week of family fun...

I think it a fair bet that those who have rudely criticised his taking small children on Camino don't actually know Marcel, what sort of person he is, what sort of parent, nor possibly, do they know any small children.

Can I give those posters a tip? Be kind. Be generous in your thoughts, be kind - ask questions instead of being so judgmental, don't be a troll.

When our children were small we lived in a big old rambling house in the countryside and home schooled. We did not have a television. We rather liked our children, cannot remember one time that we wanted them away from us .. we did everything together, as a family. Our place was full of books, board games - animals; pony, goat, ducks, chickens, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs .... We watched lunar eclipses at 2 am, all wrapped in blankets and woolly hats on the verandah ... occasionally bundled them out of bed at 4am for an adventure, driving down to the coast in sleeping bags, cooking a breakfast on a driftwood fire and watching the sun come up. We taught them to ride, to roller skate, to cycle, to swim, to sail, helped them to learn to think, to be creative, to make decisions ..... they are all very adult now, all own their own businesses, all are confident and independent thinkers - they are all strong but kind .... in Europe it is the medieval model, where the family grow up together ... the modern model where children are sent off to schools for hours and hours every day and when there is a plague lockdown many parents can't stand it, can't stand having their children with them ... not good.

.. so, I can see why Marcel wants to go for a week with his children, and the truth is, it can be done, many couples with small children have done it. You just need the right equipment and the care for others - such as babies crying in a refugio at night, but all can be worked out.

Whichever one you choose, Marcel - Buen Camino!! (but I would say again that their memories of the adventure might not be the same as yours ;) ).

p.s. I don't know where you live - if it is in the UK I would be happy to make you a two-wheel cart big enough for all three children to sit in that would have a hip belt so you could be the donkey! Cost of parts only. Or send you some plans and instructions on how to build one. Or instructions on how to convert a bicycle child carrying trailer into a hip belt trailer.
 
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As David has written there are options he is willing to assist the OP in fashioning. Well done, David. I am not beside my laptop, but next time, I will post a photo on the one day at a time thread, of the back view of a delightful pilgrim from France who walked along with us on the CP from Oporto, though I recall he had begun in Lisboa. He was unable to carry a lot on his back and had indeed fashioned his own chariot which he pulled along behind him. It was fascinating to see him get up and down rocky paths - no! Surely no rocky paths on CF! It was one particular track through trees, with a wide open plaza at the top, but natural.
Here is the photo, I have already posted my photo for today on the other thread...

P4160015.JPG
 
A few years ago, while camping at Condom in southwest France, we watched in amazement as a family of six walked into the campsite. They had a large 3 wheeled pushchair contraption, which held the baby, and the other children looked to be aged between about 3 and 7. They were incredibly organised and self contained. One parent took the children to a shower block while the other set up two small tents in part of the site which was reserved for pilgrims. They didn't leave the site so must have made their own supper. The children didn't run around like the others there.

The camp warden later told us that they had walked 15 k that day, and were planning to walk all the way to Santiago. We were in awe of the parents commitment and organisation. But while it was none of our business we felt that taking young children who could not decide for themselves on such a big trip raised some serious moral issues.

That's very different to the week which Marcel is considering.
 
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Hi all,

I call myself a camino veteran. I hope to walk my 14th camino this October (fingers crossed with Covid). I know the Frances really well. Walked it alone, with friends, with my father and sister, with a colleague, but now the time has come for a camino with (a) kid(s). Just for a week. To try how it goes.

I have three daughters, ages 5, 2 and 2 (twins). I have three options:
1- Walk alone (or with friends)
2- Walk with my 5 yo daughter
3- Walk with all three of my daughters and my partner

I prefer option 3, but I have no idea how to do it. I don't want my 5yo walk more than 5km a day. My twins cannot walk 1km. So I need some kind of strollers to push, a bag to carry them or like a bigger pull cart or something where all three can sit in.

Can you help me with this. Are there any of you with experience? Do you have tips?

Thank you so much in advance!

Greets Marcel
It would be easier if your partner comes too if you want to take all the children.
My nephew was born in Monaco, and when he was was only a few months old, my sister pushed him in a large wheeled stroller called a Mountain buggy. They walked around Southern France and Italy for over a month.
As he was a baby I believe it had an insert for support.
He is now 20, fit and healthy so the experience did him no harm.
You have walked many Camino's so you know the terrain, the large wheeled stroller/buggies would cope just fine with most of the terrain. If you're only going for a week, you can chose a region with better paths.
You would just have to get a double one - I've seen plenty around, so they must be readily available. Maybe you can even get triple ones, parents of triplets must need to buy those.
I now live in an rural area where only the main roads in the village have proper paths, and most of the rest of the area has gravel roads , all the mums around here use that same type of buggy - for toddlers as well as babies.
 
Many things which I find inconceivable, others seem to manage to do. There may even have been a few things which I have done in my life which might be beyond the comprehension or ability of others.

Apart from the usual ‘don’t run with scissors’ advice (and my constant despair at the buyers of RFID wallets and those who expect to carry-on walking poles) I try to be amazed rather than offended by others’ ambitions.

Having just about managed to care for a Labrador who’s now only slightly less mad than I, I cannot conceive of the responsability of bringing up children let alone shepherding one or more on Camino.

Good luck to those who even try.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Read what I say about Covid in my post. I ask for advice about strollers than you can give advice on strollers. If my stance on Covid is not clear, just ask. Unsolicited advice doesn’t have the impact you want it to have. Even if your intentions are noble.
You said something like “fingers crossed about Covid.” It’s not super clear what that means. Perhaps clarifying will help people understand your stance.
 
You said something like “fingers crossed about Covid.” It’s not super clear what that means. Perhaps clarifying will help people understand your stance.

This isn’t really relevant.
The OP didn’t ask for advice about Covid.

This unique forum is a community of many, many diverse human beings, from many different backgrounds, cultures, races, religions/spiritual beliefs/none, ages, life experiences, physical strength/abilities/challenges, opinions, senses of humour etc. etc. etc … as many differences as there are people here.

We are ideally helpful and supportive (as far as we are able).
We try to offer what we can, where we might be able to contribute towards an OP’s question, dilemma, problem, search.

There are some very experienced members on here, with wide-reaching knowledge, who take time to reassure, inform, direct to sources of information, etc. and many who share their joy and wisdom about these Ways. If it can be done with humour (often bone-dry 😉) all the better!!

All in answer to an Op’s question.

We are not here to pass judgement on an OP’s intentions, unless it has been sought.
If we can foresee genuine danger, that has simply not occurred to to an inexperienced pilgrim, it might be a good idea to ask whether or not a pilgrim might be aware of this potential.

@Marcel234 did not mention Covid in his original post.
He is an adult.
He has already walked on the Camino 13 times.
It is probably safe to assume that he has heard of Covid and that he has taken it into consideration in his thinking. 😉

Welcome to the forum 😉🙂
Buen Camino!!!
 
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Hi all,

I call myself a camino veteran. I hope to walk my 14th camino this October (fingers crossed with Covid). I know the Frances really well. Walked it alone, with friends, with my father and sister, with a colleague, but now the time has come for a camino with (a) kid(s). Just for a week. To try how it goes.

I have three daughters, ages 5, 2 and 2 (twins). I have three options:
1- Walk alone (or with friends)
2- Walk with my 5 yo daughter
3- Walk with all three of my daughters and my partner

I prefer option 3, but I have no idea how to do it. I don't want my 5yo walk more than 5km a day. My twins cannot walk 1km. So I need some kind of strollers to push, a bag to carry them or like a bigger pull cart or something where all three can sit in.

Can you help me with this. Are there any of you with experience? Do you have tips?

Thank you so much in advance!

Greets Marcel
You might like to look at Rachel's blog, the mother of kiwi-family, she travelled extensively with her kids
 
I thought this might be the right time to share this photo from 5 years ago today, taken in Cardeñuela Riopico. As I wrote at the time:
Perspective: the little pilgrims (aged 5 and 7) are walking the same distance and pace we are and are able to run around the albergue in the evening instead of collapsing or hobbling around like we do; their parents are going the same distance and pace as us carrying their kids gear as well as their own [the kids did carry small daypacks].
13708431_10153536200546650_6778738428771436635_o.jpg
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

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This isn’t really relevant.
The OP didn’t ask for advice about Covid.

This unique forum is a community of many, many diverse human beings, from many different backgrounds, cultures, races, religions/spiritual beliefs/none, ages, life experiences, physical strength/abilities/challenges, opinions, senses of humour etc. etc. etc … as many differences as there are people here.

We are ideally helpful and supportive (as far as we are able).
We try to offer what we can, where we might be able to contribute towards an OP’s question, dilemma, problem, search.

There are some very experienced members on here, with wide-reaching knowledge, who take time to reassure, inform, direct to sources of information, etc. and many who share their joy and wisdom about these Ways. If it can be done with humour (often bone-dry 😉) all the better!!

All in answer to an Op’s question.

We are not here to pass judgement on an OP’s intentions, unless it has been sought.
If we can foresee genuine danger, that has simply not occurred to to an inexperienced pilgrim, it might be a good idea to ask whether or not a pilgrim might be aware of this potential.

@Marcel234 did not mention Covid in his original post.
He is an adult.
He has already walked on the Camino 13 times.
It is probably safe to assume that he has heard of Covid and that he has taken it into consideration in his thinking. 😉

Welcome to the forum 😉🙂
Buen Camino!!!
Wow. This was my first ever post in this forum. Did not expect such a rude welcome. Was just trying to help out with regard to other posts. I am not passing judgment but trying to get clarity because his first post was unclear and people had questions. You seem to think even having questions is a bad thing.
 
Wow. This was my first ever post in this forum. Did not expect such a rude welcome. Was just trying to help out with regard to other posts. I am not passing judgment but trying to get clarity because his first post was unclear and people had questions. You seem to think even having questions is a bad thing.

Welcome. although slightly off topic I thought your post was ok. The forum is fairly open and very friendly, but do think what it might be like to be a happy goat drinking at a water hole - there are predators ;) .

It was your first post! Please don't be put off, please post again, is a Fab forum!! and I say again, Welcome!
 
Wow. This was my first ever post in this forum. Did not expect such a rude welcome. Was just trying to help out with regard to other posts. I am not passing judgment but trying to get clarity because his first post was unclear and people had questions. You seem to think even having questions is a bad thing.

Hi Moss and welcome, for the past while no matter what questions a member asks some members always bring up covid even if advice on covid wasn't asked for. Members are getting cranky about the whole issue, we have a dedicated section for covid, so covid related comments should kept there. This is not a comment or criticism on your post but on some of the others further up. This is a great forum with some terrific people and information, please don't be put off.
 
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Wow. This was my first ever post in this forum. Did not expect such a rude welcome. Was just trying to help out with regard to other posts. I am not passing judgment but trying to get clarity because his first post was unclear and people had questions. You seem to think even having questions is a bad thing.
Hey moss7,

Vultures lurk around even if your intentions are good. This forum is like the Lion's den, only a fortitude of a Daniel can withstand it... LOL... kidding aside this is a place of good resources about the Camino... Ultreia!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
@Marcel234 , I'm not a parent so am absolutely unqualified to say anything about walking with kids. As people have mentioned, it can be done with a bit of organization. You know the camino well, but you know it from a kidless vantage point. This'll be hugely different.

The only thing that's a loose end for me is how your partner feels about the idea. I can only say that if my partner left me with two wee ones while he went to walk with the oldest...ummm...well, let's just say there'd be some serious resentment about that. I'm obviously not her, but you'd be wise to fully include her in the decision-making process, rather than presenting a fait accompli.

And how much better to go all together, if you can manage it. A chariot (and maybe a tent you could set up from time to time in an albergue garden) have the makings of a grand adventure.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.

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