Tuesday, July 15, 2014

The Three Day Survival Experiment

Karl heard about a psychologist who believed a seven year old should know enough to be able to look after themselves for a week.
Now Tristan is seven, our kids were up for the challenge but we thought three days would be long enough for all of us.
While we will of course be here to make sure they are doing okay, they will be doing it all for themselves. They have a had a good meal tonight to see them on their way for the next three days.

Today the rules were set (above their usual tasks of making their beds, having showers etc). 
What you are in charge of:

  • Feeding Yourselves.
  • Doing dishes from cooking.
  • Cleaning, Drying, & Putting clothes, worn over the 3 days, away.
  • Keep Communal areas tidy.
  • Putting yourselves to bed.
  • Entertaining yourselves.
  • You still need to ask to borrow Mummy and Daddy's things.

The kids, well Lucy (aged 9) really with Tristan agreeing she should, decided to plan a menu.


They have decided that working together is going to be the best plan so they've put their initial next to the meals for which they are in charge. It also looks like from the menu they are aiming to do more than just survive, with puddings and a supper planned for each day. Vegetables don't seem to be having much of a chance to be eaten in the next three days!


Tonight they are very confident of their cooking ability and filled with the joy of the idea of setting their own bedtime and having supper. Their clothes are all clean and packed away in their drawers ready for the next three days.
Let's see how the next three days pans out.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like a fun time for you all :-) Ive done this all my kids life - no experimenting, they just had/have to to survive!!

Fiona S said...

Raewyn, you are a legend and your kids a testament to that. :) Perhaps I should let them know they can contact your kids for advice. :)

Tessa L said...

Good work Tristan and Lucy! Its interesting here(in Gulu)this concept is taken to extremes...5 kids live opposite us, their parents have now been gone for 3 weeks. They cook their beans and rice/cassava every day, wash their clothes and themselves, sweep the dust compound, iron their uniforms using the hot charcoal from the fire for monday morning, and settle disputes between themselves. The youngest is 6. Not recommended in my opinion, but shows what kids can do!!!

Fiona S said...

I'll tell Lucy - she is feeling the pace after one day. I should suggest the 3 week option. ;) Well done them.

5 Favourite Sights Seen

  • 1996 Watching tropical lightning turn night to day, outside a little wooden church in a small village in Sabah.
  • 2004 Flying down the Rainbow Valley at 8000ft in a cessna on a clear blue day.
  • 2003 Seeing and hearing Michael Schmacher rolling out of the pit garage in his Ferrari in Hungary.
  • 2009 Chancing upon 100 or more dolphins just off the Kaikoura Coast swimming around, jumping out of the water, doing somersaults and generally having fun.
  • 2006 Finding a pool at the bottom of a waterfall in the bush at Kaikoura that was full of playing baby seals.