Mom Reveals What It's Like Raising Kids in a Remote Tent

A single mother of two has shared how she and her children have been living off-grid in the Australian countryside, initially due to high rents, but now as a lifestyle choice.

Lucy, who goes by @LucyAura8 on TikTok, shared in a post to the social media platform that she and her two young children have been living in a tent for the past six months in Queensland. The viral video, which features clips of her practicing yoga while her children play quietly in the background, has attracted praise from audiences online.

"I moved into a tent with my two children as a single mother at first because of the rental crisis but now out of personal choice," Lucy, who would prefer to keep her last name private, told Newsweek.

"We're currently living on a private property in Queensland, Australia with no ablutions yet," she said. "We have a sponge bath and camp toilet and we're growing food here too. My yoga keeps my nervous system resilient and I feel at peace on the earth, I'd really like to empower others to live however they want."

Lucy can be heard explaining in the video that the family of three are "really loving" their new lifestyle, and have chosen to continue down this unconventional path because of the sense of enjoyment and wellbeing it gives them.

"We first moved into this tent due to the current rental crisis, but as we've continued on this journey we've realized how much we really love living in this way. We spend most of our time together and we are fully immersed in nature," her voiceover narration says. They have no desire to abandon their current way of life and return to a bustling town or city.

Although they're living off-grid, Lucy is still working and her children are attending school.

What Do the Comments Say?

Since it was shared to the social media platform on July 22 by @LucyAura8, the TikTok post has been viewed by over 620,000 users and liked more than 28,000 times. Thousands of users have praised Lucy's decision to ditch the rat race and the property market in the comments section.

"This sounds like something we all need a bit of. Great job," one user wrote.

"Sounds like massive therapy for your kids when they'll be young adults," another user added.

"This is my dream life but I'm scared of snakes and spiders," shared a different TikTok-er.

The TikTok post can be seen here.

Newsweek's "What Should I Do?" offers expert advice to readers. If you have a personal dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work and your story could be featured on WSID at Newsweek.