Facing my fears ......

 

🐘 Facing My Fears: 

What It’s Really Like to Raise Kids Among Wildlife

I remember the first time one of the kids darted off ahead of me on a bush walk. My heart dropped. I see danger EVERYWHERE!

I couldn’t see them through the long grass. I froze, imagining every worst-case scenario: a puff adder underfoot, a wild animal nearby, a tree branch snapping in just the wrong way.

Because this isn’t the sort of “backyard” most parents picture when they think of playtime. This is St Lucia, South Africa - where monkeys try to break in your window at breakfast, where hippos walk the streets after dark, and where the bush is both beautiful and unpredictable.

But the truth is, the wild is not what I should have feared most. What I should have feared was disconnecting my children from it.

🌿 The Early Days: Learning to Trust

When we made the decision to raise our family in nature, I thought I was ready. I’d always loved wildlife, and I dreamed of my kids growing up barefoot, curious, and free. But parenting in the wild asks something deeper of you—it asks for trust. In your children. In the environment. In your own instincts.

I was afraid at first. Afraid of snakes, ticks, illness, isolation. Afraid of the "what-ifs" that creep in late at night when the bush is buzzing with sound and your mind is even louder.

What if we couldn’t get help in time? What if one of the kids got too close to a wild animal? What if we’d made a mistake pulling away from the modern world?

🧭 Bush Rules, Real Fears

We quickly learned that nature parenting isn’t about being reckless—it’s about being prepared. Our kids know the rules of the bush better than most adults:

• No running ahead on trails

• No night-time exploring alone

• Always listen to the birds — they’ll warn you of snakes

• Respect everything, especially the things that scare you

We’ve had close calls—there was the time a snake slipped across the front path just as we stepped outside. The vervet monkey that came into the house. Loadshedding and the hippos wandering into town.

But we’ve also had moments of magic: fireflies blinking in the garden while we told stories by torchlight. A rare black rhino seen from the car that left us breathless. The joy on our kids’ faces when they spotted a chameleon on their own.

💛 The Wild Has Changed Me Too

What I’ve discovered is this: parenting in nature doesn’t just raise brave, curious children—it reshapes you as a parent too.

I’ve become more grounded. Less reactive. I’m learning to say yes more than no, to listen to the world around me, and to let go of trying to control every outcome.

The fears I once had haven’t disappeared—but they’ve been replaced by a greater respect. I fear far less about the creatures that live outside our door and far more about the kind of world we’re leaving behind for our children.

Because when kids grow up loving the wild, they grow up wanting to protect it.

🌍 Would I Do It All Again?

In a heartbeat.

It’s not always easy. There are days I miss Amazon deliveries, reliable Wi-Fi, and feeling a little less... sandy. But this life we’ve chosen—muddy, messy, magical—is rich with meaning.

Our children are learning not just how to survive in nature but how to belong in it. They’re learning caution and courage. Curiosity and care.

And I’m learning, right alongside them. Every day is unique, very day is different! 

💬 I'd love to know…

Have you ever felt afraid to let your children explore the wild? What’s one fear you’ve had to face as a parent?

Let’s talk in the comments — or come join me over on Facebook @Kate W on Safari where the conversation is always a little wild 🐾