This is a really interesting thread... I lived in the country in north east victoria for the first five years of my life and to be honest as an adult I am now petrified of snakes. I think it is because as a young child I had the fear of god put into me in regard to snakes. I'm sure if we had of lived in the country longer I would've been taught how to 'live with' snakes as I got older and more responsible, but because we moved to the city that never happened.

Yes, I know all the precautions, make lots of noise (not really that difficult for children), if you are going for a walk carry a long stick with you and sweep it in front of you to create vibrations on the ground, wear all encompassing shoes etc, but even now as an adult I feel very uncomfortable/cautious walking around in a country area in the warmer months.

As a parent I think it is a really difficult area. Part of me does think that for young children (under 6) it is necessary for them to have a fear of snakes along with a solid understanding of the precautions, because lets face it if you tell a small child not to touch something, most will out of pure curiousity. When you live in the country the reality is a child will probably spend some time outdoors where they aren't being closely supervised, if they come across a snake you don't want that curiousity to take over iykwim? I think as they get older and develop a better understanding of the world then you can work on turning that fear into a respect. Anyway, that's just my opinion, but I no longer live in the country and I am petrified of snakes so that may be clouding my judgement...