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So you’re planning to go to Glastonbury, but childcare is expensive and you’re wondering if it could be fun to do it as a family. This isn’t something to take lightly however, so what do you need to know before setting off to the festival, kids in tow? First and foremost, children’s tickets are free if kids are aged 12 and under, and there are two family camping fields at Worthy Farm – so bringing them along is feasible if you already have your adult tickets sorted. But, with weather, camping and crowds of the general public to contend with, there is a lot to consider. Here are some parents who’ve done it, and their tips for making it amazing… 1. Sort buggies and bikes Eden Simpson lives near Glastonbury and is excited to head back with her three children this year – who are 12, six and two. In her extensive experience, how you transport kids around the festival is the most important thing. “One of my favourite festivals was 2017 when my now six-year-old was four months old – he was as content as could be in his carrier and I have such fond memories,” says Simpson. “Obviously this is dependent on age, but a decent baby or toddler carrier is great for keeping little ones safe, close and comfortable. If you’d instead prefer to take a buggy, then make sure it’s suitable for off-roading, with decent wheels. Mountain buggies or bicycle trailers are the go-to and we’ve taken the same converted bicycle trailer for several years now. “Add an air horn to ensure people know to move out of the way. Throw in some blankets and fairy lights and voilà, the perfect cosy haven for kids to travel and chill as they get sleepy of an evening by the Pyramid Stage.” 2. Protect their ears Children’s ears are very sensitive and it’s important to protect their hearing from festival noise. “Ear defenders are a must for obvious reasons, so don’t forget to pack them,” says Simpson. 3. Prepare for rain or shine “Be prepared for all weather – the sun can be just as bad as the rain, so bring waterproofs, rain covers, sunscreen and sun shades,” says Simpson of the unpredictable British weather. “I find a couple of cheap shower curtains can be super-handy to use as an extra layer when keeping dry and clean if you’re sitting on the floor, or for covering bags from the rain and dirt.” 4. Tire the kids out early on “Head up to the Kidzfield first thing in the morning and wear the kids out before the music starts in the afternoon, then hopefully you’ll stand a chance of watching what you want, whilst they have a snooze or play with something they’ve crafted there earlier in the day,” says Simpson. 5. Head to the family-friendly camping fields “Opt for family camping. We would make sure we set up shop in Cockmill Meadow or near the Wicket Ground for family-friendly camping,” Simpson says. “We also found Kidney Mead to be a nice family-friendly spot. Even though it’s not a specific family field, it’s centrally located and has easy access to the Pyramid Stage and the Kidzfield. Plus as it’s up the hill, it doesn’t flood,” she explains. When it comes to ensuring youngsters get enough sleep, Martin Wells, 47, dad to 11-year-old Poppy, says: “If they will use an eye mask or ear plugs, use them.” 6. Pack easy-to-spot bright clothes Simpson says: “Make sure your kids are dressed vibrantly and stand out. Not only because it’s Glastonbury Festival so it’s a must, but also because it makes it easier to spot them if they try and wander off.” 7. Don’t over-plan Ashley Thorne, who has been to the iconic festival 15 times – including with his two-year-old, Evan, says: “We decided not to plan to see any bands, we just went with the flow and allowed our little one to decide when he wanted to eat and sleep – it just stopped the stress of having to be at a certain stage at a certain time,” he explains. “Don’t get bogged down with times and eating or sleeping patterns – he was just coming up to two years old, so sitting down and watching the thousands of people walk past him was a game in itself.” 8. Be aware of adult themes Drinking, drugs, nudity and all manner of other not-so-PG things go on at a festival, and you may be worried about your kids encountering some of that. “They’re going to see or smell something,” says Wells. “Try and avoid the obvious areas – Arcadia and the Dance Village [now called Silver Hayes] – but people could be doing balloons at any point, so be aware.” And if they do happen to catch glimpse of something, what’s Wells advice? “I’d just say don’t make a big thing about it. Sure, it’s going to happen and you’re going to see it, but don’t make a big deal out of it. I’m not saying you need to normalise it, but the worse thing you can do is try and hide from it – that won’t happen.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live David Beckham designs new car collection with Maserati The dos and don’ts of looking after your garden in a heatwave Why are we all sleeping so badly at the moment?

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An executive order designed to protect people providing and receiving gender-affirming care was signed by New York City mayor Eric Adams on Monday. Executive Order 32, signed in celebration of Pride, prevents the use of city resources to investigate, detain or prosecute anyone providing or receiving care. It’s a measure similar to one cities have taken to try to protect abortion rights after the reversal of Roe v Wade. New York as a state has not passed any restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors, which remains legal across the Northeast. But Mr Adams’s measure comes at a time when the transgender community has been under a sustained attack from Republican party officials who have introduced more than 400 bills in state legislatures targeting LGBT+ people so far this year. Twenty states have already passed laws limiting or banning gender-affirming care for minors, with more states actively considering bans. “As states across the nation continue their onslaught of attacks on our LGBT+ neighbors, New York City is doing what we have always done — standing up for justice and against discrimination,” Mr Adams said in a statement on the executive action. “This executive order reaffirms the fact that hate has no place in our city and that all people deserve the right to gender-affirming care and protection against prosecution for being who they are.” The spirit of Mr Adams’s order is aligned with advisories from a number of major medical associations like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which have said that gender-affirming care is safe and can be lifesaving. The number of people who transition and express regret about it later is believed to be at or less than one percent. For some of them, the regret was temporary. Some see attacks on gender-affirming care for children as part of a broader assault on the bodily autonomy of people who are not cisgender men. A number of the states that have passed bans on gender-affirming care have also passed limits or effective bans on abortion care. Some people in such states have been forced to move to other areas without such restrictions. New York is a place of particular import for the LGBT+ movement, as it is the site of the Stonewall riot and one of the country’s largest and most visible LGBT+ communities. It’s annual Pride parade is set to take place on 25 June. Read More Republicans in Oregon Senate end six-week walkout that blocked bills on abortion, trans health care Texas family moves so trans teen can escape anti-LGTBQ laws: ‘I’d rather be out than dead’ US prepares for potential end of Roe v Wade - live When will there be a Roe v Wade decision? Why these prosecutors are refusing to enforce anti-abortion laws

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A mother has gone viral after she sent out some hilariously blunt birthday invitations for her twins’ fifth birthday party. In a recent video posted to her TikTok, the parent, Natalie LeClaire, shared a picture of the now-viral invitation that her son received. As she described the note as “hilarious,” she shared a picture of the invite and recited what the beginning of it said. “This event is brought to you by Pinterest fails and the dollar store, so please set your expectations appropriately,” the note read. “As requested, the theme will be unicorns but with rainbows and maybe bats. But there should be princesses, also Minnie. But we need dancing lights, so dress accordingly.” The invitation went on to hilariously describe what parents should pack for their children, before attending the party. “Please pack a bathing suit, puddle jumpers, etc, in case your sweet baby angels decide our original plan sucks, and the pool would be a better time,” the note continued. The mother also invited fellow parents to the party, before noting that she’d understand if the adults say no to attending. “If you would like to drop off and run, we support that entirely,” the parent quipped in the letter. “If you would like to stay, we will provide adult juice and deny any offers to help, to be polite. But deep down, we want to support you. You do you.” Ms LeClaire, who’s based in Ontario, Canada, concluded her video by noting that she and her son are going to the party. “Needless to say, we will absolutely be attending because these are my people,” she said. “This is the kind of mom that I can be friends with.” Along with Ms LeClaire’s son’s name, the invite also had Minnie ears, bats, unicorns, princesses, and a rainbow drawn on it. As of 15 June, the video has more than 5.1m views, with many TikTok users in the comments applauding the honest thoughts that were put in the invitation. “This is incredible. It’s what we’re all thinking when hosting kids parties,” one wrote, while another added: “Do they realise how many people will now be emotionally attending this party?” A third wrote: “I’m glad a parent is finally lowering the standards/expectations because I’m done with these Pinterest/IG inspired kid parties.” Other people also poked fun at the seemingly open-ended dress code at the child’s party. “I think you should go all in and make sure you wear an outfit that hits every theme point. And from a dollar store,” one wrote. @not.just.nat #greenscreen These are my people. #birthdayparty #partyinvitations #parenting #funny #hilarious #adultjuice ♬ Comedy Music - Nissa “Can’t wait to see how everyone interprets ‘dress accordingly.’ Someone better be dressed like a bat princess,” another added. During an interview with Today, the mother who created the invitation, Carys Roberts, noted that the party will be held next month, for her twin daughters, Edie and Elle. She also shared that she came up with the invites pretty quickly, in hopes of amusing some of her fellow parents and making sure that they weren’t too worried about what gifts to get. “Ultimately, I just didn’t want anyone to stress about gifts. The last thing we want is for people to be spending a lot of money. We’re really low-key,” she said. “I’ve received a lot of great feedback and I’m truly thrilled that people thought the invitation was so relatable and funny.” Speaking to Today, Ms LeClaire went on to emphasise that she loved the invitation when she first noticed it. “I started reading it and my jaw dropped. It was so honest and straight up. I was like, ‘I need to be friends with this person.’” The Independent has contacted Ms LeClaire for comment. Read More Mother sparks viral debate for ‘shaming’ parent who refused to give her daughter a slice of cake Woman, 50, to become a surrogate mother for same-sex couple Father sparks debate over his ‘petty’ feud with an 8-year-old about her pool Mom reveals one regret after parent refused to give her child cake amid viral debate Mother sparks debate over parent who wouldn’t give daughter cake Drew Barrymore slams tabloids that claimed she ‘wished’ her mother was dead

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