Children and allotments?

[ellieredhead]

Hi this is my first post and I'm completely new to gardening. I have 3 children aged 4.5 years, 3 years, and 8 months and I home educate. The older 2 are desperate for an allotment after helping out at the local home ed group plot, but that's a 12 mile round trip and we can't manage that every day. We live in a tiny village 6 miles from everything, but there are some plots behind our house. My main concern is that my kids are ermmmmm... 'spirited' shall we say. The eldest is being assessed for ASD and 3 year old's nickname is Wreck-It. Obviously I'd ensure that they didn't touch anyone else's plot but I worry that A. I'd spend so log policing them that I wouldn't get anything done and B. The other allotment users would find them tiresome. It's a really quiet and tranquil village with hardly any other children, and truth be told some of the residents are rather snooty! I don't want to make enemies with my neighbours, but we've all had such fun helping at the home ed plot (especially me as I've been thoroughly enjoying myself!) that I'd hate for us to miss out.
Sorry, turned in to a bit of a ramble. I suppose what I'm asking is: would it be insane to get a plot with the 3 kids? And should I get one behind the house that I can definitely visit every single day, but risk potentially annoying the neighbours, or try to get a plot a couple of miles away that I might not be able to visit as often? If we had one I would want to be able to keep it in tip top condition and spend at least a couple of hours a day there, but we can't afford a massive fuel bill to drive somewhere daily
Any advice or wisdom very much appreciated! I feel like I'm going round in circles in my head!

[Bigmallly]

Hi Ellie & welcome to the Jungle.........Personally I would apply for a plot behind your house. You can always put in a play area with a sandpit or swings...........Bagger the neighbours, you can't live your life wondering if you are going to upset them, they can always move if they don't like it. Family comes fist so do what pleases your family.

[Baldy]

Try for one behind the house. If you've got to drive and you've got kids you'l quickly find that getting to the plot becomes a chore in itself. As BM said you could always put some sort of play area in to try to keep the children occupied.
Good luck

[Jungle Jane]

Sometimes kids do want to run around screaming,you can hear them at school from my house which is difficult to describe how far? I used to think my daughter was too noisy in the garden & I really worried what the neighbours thought. I didn't want them to get annoyed so I'd try & keep things quieter. My mum was like that with us,it must be a hereditary thing passed down? Some kids are noisy but they're funny & they remind you of your own kids when they were young etc,my neighbours ball lands in my potato haulms but its not as bad as the people who chopped there tree prunings into my sweetcorn once,i was there all day except when i popped out to do the school run,they mustve done it then because why didnt they say to me is it ok if we pop round or anything,I was in the garden all morning,some people! So adults are equally but sometimes more disrespectful & annoying than children Also if they had a little shed with a kitchen & pretend food & kettle to make you pretend cups of tea - enter it in 'The Shed of the Year Show' ~
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ere_91713.html
I would definitely get an allotment as close as you can

[Bill Door]

This is going to sound horrible but my first thought was ARRGGGHHHHH! as i remembered the children that came to my previous allotments and played football. The parents just left them to do what they wanted. Then I remembered the couple who brought their children to the allotments and introduced them to the neighbours and explained that they must stay on the paths. Then came the questions " why are you on your knees?" "How old are you?" etc. To be honest it was nice and I think all participants got something out of it.

So my thoughts are that you should get the plot, do as much as you can with quick crops and things you know they will eat. Give them each an area to do. Then see how things go. After all the plot isn't just for the children it is also for you. If things go bad then at least you have tried.

Best wishes

Bill

[Greenleaves]

My grandkids come over through the summer and just love getting dirty Of course they get excited and make noise but have been taught to be respectful of others and their plots.

My grandson built dinosaur scarers a couple of years back and people put them on they plots ....obviously work as we havent seen a single dinosaur

[Bren In Pots]

Hello and welcome to the vine Ellie I'm a back garden grower so I don't have an allotment so can't really help with your question.
Out of the two plots I'd try for the once closer to home then fence around it so you'd know your children were safe. After that find them small tasks like collection stones or slugs, once you've got a bit cleared then they can help with sowing/planting.

[Guest]

Get one close by. There is no telling what other people are going to be like but you usually get one grumpy so and so that will moan about everything but if people are anything like around here they will just be glad you are doing something positive with young children. Just pick them up on things like you have said - keeping off other plots etc. I would like to think you will be fine. My girls 2 and 4 love the veg patch and garden and often want to help but also have space to go off and do their own thing. Go for it, you can always give it up if it doesn't work out.

[MarkPelican]

Get one as close as you can, your children will be more likely to appreciate "little and often" visits rather than it having to be an organised trek.

[seasprout]

I certainly think you should do what's best for you.....


Don't worry to much about things that may or may not occur.

[ellieredhead]

Thank you everyone I've spoken to my husband about it too and he's said that if something big needs doing I can always leave the kids with him if he's working from home, or I could nip round when he gets back from work. I'm feeling much more confident about it now, so thank you for all your kind words and advice!

Now I just need an idiots guide to allotments, as I have no idea what I'm doing! Any recommendations?

[Bigmallly]

Get your plot 1st, take some pics & come back with some questions.

[Cadalot]

Hi ellieredhead

I have PM you if you send me your email address by PM I will invite you to a home educating close group on Facebook run by lovely lady called Jude who has an Allotment but builds the visits into the educational program for the kid and makes it fun. You may not be able to reply until you have posted 10 or so messages I think, a mod will be around to correct me if I have got that wrong

[greenishfing]

Yes! I am the grumpy neighbour. I go to my allotment for peace, quiet and gardening. In truth I find the screaming parents far more annoying than the kids. Then there are the ones who take them and then ignore them.in fact some of the more annoying brats have been found (eventually) by their delinquent parents helping me to dig or plant etc. Will never forget the face of the parent when he saw the state of the one that wanted to help me spread manure.

Having said this I object strongly to any children on my plot when I am not there. Too dangerous.

If they really are too noisy the car cd player goes on full blast and many decibels of 60's music drown them out.

[Baldy]

^^^



but in life there must be balance....
or summat

I think if you're kids are out of control on the plot then that is something else - assuming that you can do enough to keep them happy and interested then I really don't see the problem.

Most of the unpleasantness on my site comes from fully formed 'grown-ups' who are unwilling to take other plotholders / the rules they signed up to / common decency to mind.