EP 012: Camping With Preschoolers: Chaos, Core Memories & Why We Always Say “Let’s Do It Again
Hot Messes, Big VisionsShow Notes
Camping with preschoolers is not for the faint-hearted. In this episode, we unpack the beautiful chaos of family camping trips, the sleep deprivation, emotional meltdowns (from kids and adults), post-surgery recovery, and the strange parenting phenomenon where you swear never again… only to start planning the next trip days later. We share honest reflections on marriage under pressure, parenting through exhaustion, and why humour is sometimes the only survival tool. Along the way, we talk about building a brand in the middle of real life, leaning on community support, and collaborating with people who truly understand the parenting experience. It’s raw, funny, relatable and a reminder that the messiest moments often become the memories we treasure most. Hot messes. Big visions. And muddy shoes. Key Takeaways • Camping can seriously test your patience (and your marriage). • Making memories with your kids is hard work — but deeply rewarding. • Parenting post-surgery adds a whole new level of challenge. • Sleep deprivation is basically a parenting rite of passage. • Community support matters more than we realise. • Humour helps everything. • Building a brand takes collaboration and understanding. • Your parenting perspective evolves over time. • Kids absolutely copy their siblings (for better or worse). • Every chaotic moment is still a learning moment. Find your village at: TheVillageCo.nz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Hot Messes, Big Visions
We finally got Jacqlin Richards on the pod and she did not hold back. Parenting Alchemist. Award-winning educator. Author of the best book title we have ever heard: F*ck Up Your Kids with Grace & Humour. Jacqlin used to be the fun police, the sugar police, the screen police. Blow-drying her hair before a run. Holding it all together while falling apart behind closed doors. Now she actually enjoys her kids, and in this episode she tells us exactly what changed. We talk about: ✨ the perfection trap and why it keeps mums isolated ✨ the love languages exercise her whole family did (steal this one) ✨ why losing your sh*t isn't the problem, the repair is what counts ✨ screens, fear, and getting your kids' buy-in instead of policing them Her book hits Amazon on 28 July and there are a handful of signed pre-order copies left. Pre-order also gets you free access to her live workshop series. Link in bio, or head to jacqlinrichards.com/preorder. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Then share it with your village 💛 @jacqlinrichards #HotMessesBigVisions #ParentingPodcast #NZPodcast #RealParenting #MumLife #TheVillageCo Find your village at: TheVillageCo.nz Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week we're joined by Nicole Retter, founder of PAM (Personal Admin Manager), one of New Zealand's top-ranked apps and a product built entirely from lived chaos.
What would you actually do if your baby choked right now?
Nobody talks about the bit in between. Not the exciting launch, not the "we made it" moment. Just the long, unglamorous stretch where you're building something real while running on broken sleep and blind faith. That's where Nikki and Sophia are right now, and this episode they're not pretending otherwise.
Renata Wiles is the founder of ROAM with Kids, an app that helps NZ parents find places to go with their kids, complete with parent reviews, age-based filters, and local events.