Life experiences for children, am I not giving them enough?

I posted up on the Facebook page that I was taking my kids out to a restaurant for the first time and asked if anyone else took their kids out to restaurants.

There were lots that did, and some that didn't and some that questioned how they were ever going to learn how to behave in a restaurant if I didn't take them... which is true, how are they supposed to know how to behave in a restaurant? Or on a plane ride (we haven't done that yet either), or in a movie theatre... nope they have never even been to a movie! How are they supposed to know how to behave while walking the streets of Paris, or on a private jet? I have no idea!

The more I thought about it the more I wondered if we have been depriving them of experiences their whole lives!

We haven't taken them many places, we just haven't had the money.

If I am going to be honest, everything we get goes back into the business, or on essentials, or on the house that we own. There was also that time we were both made redundant and we had no income for months... you can read about that one HERE.

We have only taken Scarlett on a couple of actual trips... one to Rotorua with my parents where there was no accommodation to pay for and we just had to pay for food and petrol and a trip up the gondola. The other was an overnight trip to the snow where we only took Scarlett (we left River with my parents). The rest of our holidays we just spend up at my parents holiday home up north.

We have been to the museum, butterfly creek (the grandparents paid), Kelly Tarltons (with a discount voucher) and the zoo (only because Auckland zoo sent me a few tickets). Other than that our visits to places have been more to places that were free like parks and Ambury farm (a free park with farm animals in south Auckland New Zealand).

I was also just sitting here thinking that they have only ever been to Mcdonald's about 6 times in their lives! In fact they have only tasted a hamburger last year hahahaha... oh dear... My poor kids lol.

What if they grow up with no understanding of anything? am I just worrying about nothing?

I like to think we aren't depriving them of experience just delaying some of their experiences, I assume when they are older and our business is more established and the house is paid off further and we have more money then we will start taking them to the odd movie or maybe a trip on an airplane. We are laying down the foundations of their lives right?

I see my friends taking their kids to Aussie and the islands and taking them camping at music festivals and I just figure that we are all doing our own thing. It shouldn't be up to anyone to judge anyone else on what they are doing, or not doing. And I'm not gonna lie, sometimes the reality of taking kids everywhere you go is harder than it looks lol.

For now, we have free trips to the mall, to friends places, play dates and park visits, school tips, museum visits, a small drive to see the farm animals at Ambury farm, overnight stays at the grandparents, trips to the beach and homemade ice blocks on picnic blankets out in the backyard.

For us this is enough...

You know, until we get super rich and take the kids to Paris on our personal jet....

Bahahaha...