When I was little, my father introduced me to the joy of kite-flying. He told me stories of his boyhood, when he grew up in a dilapidated, bombed-out mansion with a high tower, from which he flew his homemade kite.

Recently, the annual Brisbane Kite Festival was held at the Tingalpa Model Aero Club. Organised by the Rotary Club of Carindale, this massive event draws hundreds of families and kite enthusiasts.

Up, Up and Away

We arrived after lunchtime, when the wind was highest, and also when other visitors were starting to leave, freeing up parking spaces. Still, it was rather crowded, and we struggled to get our kite airborne. We had obtained a classic kite from a toy shop beforehand; there were also a variety of kites for sale at the kite festival.

There were carnival rides and some spectacular kites on display by Kites Queensland, like a massive Sylvester the Cat, along with Mickey Mouse. There was also a large train-shaped kite that had been transformed into a tunnel for little children to run through.

After a bite to eat from the food trucks and a visit to the playground nearby, we returned to the main kite-flying area and found it much easier to hoist our kite aloft without others crowding the field. Our toddler son’s face lit up with pure joy as he held the kite all by himself. It was a glorious moment.

The Redcliffe Kite Festival is coming up in mid-September. In October, there is the Harden Kite Festival in New South Wales. Victoria has the Dean Kite Festival in early September and the Bridgewood Kite Festival in October. Adelaide has an annual kite festival too, and Kite Flying Festival Australia has events in various states.

Parenting Lessons

As a teenager, I once reflected that parenting is very much like kite-flying. You have to hold the string just right – not too tightly, or it may snap; not too slack, or the kite will fall. You have to keep adjusting for changing conditions, and keep persisting until your kite is flying high.

Also, watch out for obstacles and traps – I saw a girl’s kite drift toward the branches of a tall tree, and her mother gasped as it narrowly avoided being tangled and lost. You have to select the right environment for a kite to fulfil its purpose well – a clear site on a sunny day with a stiff breeze.

Just like humans, kites come in all shapes and sizes. We even saw a tiny fairy kite carried by a little girl. Each kite has its own beauty; some are more difficult to fly (I once had an eagle-shaped one that kept going in circles), but every single one is designed for the delight of flight.

And as a popular quote often misattributed to Winston Churchill goes, “Kites rise highest against the wind – not with it.” Challenges and adversity can be opportunities for growth.

When was the last time you flew a kite? This simple pastime can create some magical memories that will echo down the generations.

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Image courtesy of Adobe.