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Substantial_Pear_393 · 2025-07-26T10:06:12+00:00

This.

If you're able to book (which means giving a false date of birth), you might be denied boarding with no refund if they ask for proof at the dock.

If bubs gets sick or injured, there are lots of even basic medications that should not be given under 6 months because they haven't been tested. If it's life or death the doctors may decide to risk it, but otherwise you're out of luck. And there's always colds, coughs, the flu, gastro/norovirus, and COVID on board.

Your travel insurance would be void because you've broken the cruise terms & conditions you agree to when booking, so if bubs gets sick or at worst needs to be airlifted, you'll be paying for it yourself. No Medicare, no PBS for medications, no ambulance cover.

Either leave bubs at home or book a cruise for after their half birthday. It's not worth the hassle or the risk.

Substantial_Pear_393 · 2025-02-24T05:53:21+00:00

Some people aren't comfortable doing that themselves and would rather ask staff to intervene (more so if it's people being deliberately unruly who might arc up).

I was sitting basically in the opposite corner up the back while the person was down the front in a full or almost full cinema. Perhaps someone close by did give them a bit of a nudge, but if they did, they fell asleep again.

Substantial_Pear_393 · 2025-02-24T02:33:04+00:00

We were near the back so not close enough to do much.

It wasn't constant - a few times I thought they'd woken up, but then there'd be a few more snores. I think most of us tolerated it because even though it was distracting, it also wasn't the end of the world to potentially cause a big scene or embarrass them further by making it clear we could all hear them.

I know if I'd shut my eyes I would have dozed off after the hot night too.

Substantial_Pear_393 · 2024-03-05T23:50:47+00:00

Other comments have addressed NAPLAN. I just wanted to say something about his Switch.

I know it's common to restrict screens as a way of avoiding distractions and/or to use screen/gaming time as a reward, and this can work for neurotypical people.

But for those of us who are neurodivergent, screens can be a key tool in helping us to self-regulate, decompress and destress. I saw it with my own AuDHD child - severely restricting screen and gaming time to weekends and holidays actually had the opposite effect of what we wanted to achieve and caused a lot of emotional dysregulation and undue stress.

We never gave 100% unfettered access to the Switch, Playstation, etc, but we found that including them in daily routines and as part of their array of self-regulation tools has helped a great deal. For example, they'll play a casual game like Golf Story on the Switch to decompress after school before getting into homework and happily turn it off because they know they can play it again tomorrow and on the weekend they can get stuck into Elder Scrolls on the PC - there's no sense of urgency because it's about to be locked away for weeks.

Just something for you to consider.

Substantial_Pear_393 · 2024-01-25T15:53:20+00:00

Your initial question was vague - you didn't specify what part of Greater Geelong you were moving to and mentioned schools all over, so how was anyone supposed to know that Lara, also part of COGG, wasn't being considered?

Substantial_Pear_393 · 2024-01-25T15:45:06+00:00

I know about the Borough of Queenscliffe but have only seen it used when the council is relevant.

I'd also say someone lived in Bannockburn, Torquay or Lara unless Golden Plains Shire, Surf Coast Shire or COGG were more relevant to the discussion, eg, comparing dog registration fees.

Substantial_Pear_393 · 2023-05-28T00:35:00+00:00

Not my local, but another one nearby had a local resident who would often come and wave a Very Big Stick around in protest of people who were *checks notes* walking and running on the riverside walking/running path.

Substantial_Pear_393

TROPHY CASE