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Children were in with us when they were very little, now they are older and in their own bedroom i put a bell (cat collar type) on the zip. I know it's not much but it makes me feel better as i'm a light sleeper anyway.

Also, they know they are not allowed to leave the tent without one of us.  I guess just telling them the basic rules and dangers, just like you would at home really.

Lynn x

I've not really thought of this yet as my daughter is only 19 months.  She wanders all over the place but isn't sure enough to go out of our sight yet. 

I do zip her bedroom zip up to the top though even though she's in a travel cot! 

I guess when she gets older there will be certain rules she has to stick to but we have quite a child-lead approach to parenting so one of us would probably go off exploring with her!

With any luck she'll grow up feeling confident and secure enough to make the right judgement about who she plays with and not as a neurotic child who thinks every stranger is a threat.

Saying that I am just a naive first time mum so ask me again in 10 years!!!

Lucy x

I wonder about this a bit too, although mine are 5 & 3 and never out of my sight. My concern is that I take them camping on my own and used to always request being near the loo block so that the last-thing-at-night visit was just a quick dash, but erm, you still can't relax!  Now I'm more experienced I ask for a quiet pitch near a hedge and use that!  I do my teeth in a pan of water and am tucked up with them until they wake at 6:30 (grrrrr!).

I use same rules as mum of three. I find that as long as I can see the play area I will let my kids go alone, but they must tell me if they need the toilet and I or hubby go wiht them.

At night I am also a very light sleeper and hear every movement they make.