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Your Australian Children??

Your Australian Children??

Old Jul 31st 2005, 10:14 am
  #1  
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Default Your Australian Children??

I was just wondering for any of the Brits who are in Australia and have children.....
Do you see you children becoming "Australian"?
Are there traits appearing which definitely seem un-British and typically Ozzy?
How long til they developed accents?
Are there any really obvious difference you like or aren't so crazy about?
Are you enjoying seeing this change?

Look forward to hearing your observations!!!
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Old Jul 31st 2005, 10:55 am
  #2  
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Default Re: Your Australian Children??

Originally Posted by Garland
I was just wondering for any of the Brits who are in Australia and have children.....
Do you see you children becoming "Australian"?
Are there traits appearing which definitely seem un-British and typically Ozzy?
How long til they developed accents?
Are there any really obvious difference you like or aren't so crazy about?
Are you enjoying seeing this change?

Look forward to hearing your observations!!!
When we moved to Australia, back in 81, my daughter was 6 years old, and very 'British', however, after 2 weeks at school and playing with friends during the afternoon and evenings she developed a full blown Aussie accent. Over time, she became very much Australian and still is today!

We moved back to the UK when she was 19 and is still closer to the friends she had in Australia than all the friends she has made here since. Hence she is now returning to Australia within the next couple of months and taking her two children with her.

My observations relate to her growing up in Australia and the many young people we met during our time there, and I am happy to say that the Aussie's are, in the main, more outgoing, do not have to have the latest gadgets/games etc, and can converse with adults sensibly. My observations of young people here in the UK are the opposite, they appear to NEED every designer clothing, latest game/ gadget that is on the market. And if you try to start up a conversation, they are very one word answers or grunts!

Perhaps I am being too harsh on us Brits, but like I said, this is my personal observation, limited to the areas we have lived in and the people we have come into contact with.

I might add, that two of my nephews (both British) were typical examples of grunters etc, but since late teenage years when they have broken free and gone off to explore the world, they have changed so much and have become very independent and interesting young men. Obviously travel has broadened their horizons and they have learnt how to live within different cultures and developed good social skills.

In retrospect, I think that due to the climatic environment we live in here, our children do not have the opportunities to develop socially in the way that they do in other countries, where life is lived outdoors.

Australia is not the be all and end all, but it is a great place for young children to grow up in and I am very happy that we gave our daughter the opportunity all those years ago to do so. And I am more than happy that we took out Australian Citizenship, so that now in our later years, we can go back and our Grandchildren can also go to Australia to learn about life in another country. I think, if nothing else, this is the best thing we have done for our daughter and grandchildren.

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Old Jul 31st 2005, 7:50 pm
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Default Re: Your Australian Children??

This is intersting to me as I have a 6 year old and 15 month old.....I grew up in the States and became 'American' very quickly.....anyone else care to add to this ?
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Old Jul 31st 2005, 8:04 pm
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Default Re: Your Australian Children??

Originally Posted by lucyb
This is intersting to me as I have a 6 year old and 15 month old.....I grew up in the States and became 'American' very quickly.....anyone else care to add to this ?
Several years ago (infact 20 - i was 16) i lived in Cuba for a year or so i used to go to the Foreign Students school out there and the the students all from various countries used to complain that they couldnt understand how i spoke - anyway cutting a long story short within two to three weeks i ended up speaking American - and to this day when ever i am speaking to a 'non-English' person i end up lapsing into pseudo-american - my wife constantly takes the micky too !!
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Old Jul 31st 2005, 8:17 pm
  #5  
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Default Re: Your Australian Children??

Originally Posted by lucyb
This is intersting to me as I have a 6 year old and 15 month old.....I grew up in the States and became 'American' very quickly.....anyone else care to add to this ?

I think most people will find their children become 'Australian' very quickly, especially those who have been born in Australia or migrated before age 10 or so.

The sad thing is that lots of these 'Australian' children (except those born in Australia to citizen/PR parents) never have their citizenship sorted out for them and sometimes get stuck outside Australia, not able to return.


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