wayne/kerrie

sorry just re-read my thread we are going to the uk over easter for 3 weeks not for good . not yet anyway

surfin si

Hi richard- elly.

I noticed your hubby's a spark. Me too we are hoping to move to Melbourne late this year / early next. Did Richard find it easy to get his licence? Did he manage to get any thing sorted from the UK? & is work hard to find there?

We were going to go to Perth, then Brissy. Now seems Melboune (victoria seems to have it all) Bayside, mornington or any sugestions, greatly appreciated Anglesy sounds nice.

The exact reasons your kids seem to be thriving is why we want to move, great to read so many positive threads on that front.

Thanks in adv. for any help

Cheers Si

Buzzy--Bee

Bump for newbies.



Buzzy

The Brooks

What an enlightening post, we have 3 children, 14, 11 and 7, 2 boys and a girl, its good to read about all your kids and what better standard of life they have, although wayne/ kerrie`s post worried me a little as our 14 year old has a good life here, lots of good friends plays football and doing really well at school, hopefully he wont suffer the home sickness, as for our other 2 i am hoping they will settle as well as everybody elses have.

Thanks again i really enjoyed reading through and it has answered many questions.

Sam

SJR

Yes, definately. Our girls were 8 and 9 when we moved 16 months ago and they've settled great and love the lifestyle. They've both said that they like it better in Australia and don't want to go back to the UK unless it's just a holiday!!!

Kapri

This is a really good, positive thread. Definitely worth resurrecting to read when the wobbles strike.

neil248

Yes 100% and more for a seven year old.

Excellent school, teachers and class mates with a positive upbeat feel
to the place. She was accepted with no problems.

We do far more as a family at the weekends visiting various attractions,
beaches, Hinterland etc which is an improvement on weekends in the UK.

Sunday morning Nippers has been a highlight and despite being non sporty
our daughter has received encouragement and little trophies and her knowledge of the sea conditions and swimming have come on leaps and
bounds.

The 17 year old not quite so good. She has now finished her college course and is reluctantly looking for a job. It was more difficult for her to find friends and nowthat she has is spending her time being driven around in a large old Fairlane which is a bit scary when you discover what teenage boys with 4 litre cars do in this country.

Overall though all of our lives have improved with the move

no longer in scotland

hi all

have just read the thread and it does reassure me for my youngest who is 11, but for my eldest who is 15 and got a serious girlfriend i worry. He is adament he is not going and if he goes it will only be for a holiday and then he is coming back to live with his gran.

any advice at this stage would be great, we are going to between the gold coast and brissy not quite decided and we leave in 10 weeks.

dottyspots

I think that that can always be a worry with older children and to date I've not met a teen who's listened to the '1st girlfriend doesn't equal for life' discussion (and of course, in some cases it DOES equal for life - I have friends who have known each other since school and have been together, on and off, ever since).

glittababe

My kids have moments where they miss family and friends in the UK, I just have to remind them that since we moved their mates actually haven't made any contact with them at all (apart from Cam's girlfriend who's flying out here in July). They love their school, adore their teachers and have gained so much confidence its unbelievable! They spend a lot of time outdoors, skate boarding, biking, surfing etc Today we took them karting at the Big Kart Track near aussie zoo. We had a fab time. Paid $55 and the boys were on the track over half an hour!

Mida

[QUOTE=Buzzy--Bee;3391806 We are considering Mornington Peninsula.

So are we. Going out in October to have a look at the area.

Our little one turned 2 on the 28th of March,eldest is 6 both boys. What I was wondering about are groups for the pre-kindies. Here we have toddlers, twos groups, kindergym, playgroup as well as private nurseries, childminders and creche. Is it the same in Oz

Great reading the stories on this thread

The Koalas

We have triplet boys aged 7, they love it here and have settled in well. After school friday we go to the river and fish, swim and generally let off steam. We go in to Burliegh for fish and chips on the beach, then go home and relax. Saturday and Sunday is a mix of relaxing and then going out swimming, fishing and crabbing. In the UK we used to go out on Cannock chase walking but were very guided by the weather. It was difficult getting three young children rugged up for the cold and if we got wet.....well it was a nightmare. They have been to Currumbin wildlife sanctuary and been eco rangers for the day. They can go back and do volunteer work if they want to. They each have a bearded dragon lizard and a blue tongue lizard in their bedrooms, makes a change from hamsters and mice. We hope to buy our own place soon with a bit of land so we can all get stuck in to vegie growing and having our own chooks!

Now, the weather is always good and we can plan ahead for our weekends. The boys are so much more active now and it shows. Our one son was on inhalers in UK for chest problems and it felt like it would never go away. We arrived in Spetember last year and by October he was off his medication and has not had a chest infection since. I realise it is not like this for everyone and for some the weather and climate can have the reverse effect, but for our son it helped.

At school they are doing well, they are confident and happy. The children at the school are very polite and the policy at the school is bieng respectful to others, at 7 years old the other children will open doors for us and say good morning and more important, please and thankyou.

I am happy we made the move back here, for the very foreseable future this is our home and the boys do not want to go back to the UK. Of course they miss family and friends but it gets easier with time.

This is my own honest opinion on Oz and children, its not everyones but then I am not speaking for others just me and mine.

Jayne

Gibson

This is a difficult one for me... I have a son that is almost 11 and a daughter that is 8 in a couple of weeks. On the outside I would say their life has improved. They are more out going, live an outdoor life HAVE NEVER HAD A COLD IN 4 YEARS! My daughter is very confident my son has become a bmx bandit! I don't think he would be able to ride so freely back in England. But.. am not sure they are learning too much at school. My son takes ritalin as his concentration is below zero and only hears one in so many words but he can learn. Thye never bring homework home and when I ask what have they done today I get "played"..... I am sure they have lessons I have been in to see the school, maybe its me as my school was really strict, maybe I need to chill a bit Everything is too chilled!!!

But my kids were crying Friday night as they miss their Grandparents and aunts and uncles and once again we are back to thinking is their better life worth them growing up without their family??

Weasy

Must be different schools in different areas - my two (9 and 6) never had as much homework at their school in the UK, particularly the eldest. She gets homework 4 nights a week, back in the UK she got one lot a week (at the weekend) if we were lucky. Here they give them the weekend off as they expect them to be too busy doing other stuff, which they are. They are fairly relaxed if she hasn't had time to do it because of extracurricular activities.

Both of mine are gaining in confidence rapidly, ride their bikes like demons, love going to the beach, have taken up the violin , have made some lovely new friends and are generally having an absolute ball. Neither one has mentioned missing family and both have said that they never want to leave Australia and we've only been here 11 weeks.

Lou
xx

Mrs Jackaroo

Sure has for our daughter! Sures much more confident now and is busy all the time with friends and after school activities. There is no way that she ever wants to move back to the UK!