bridie

I agree, there is enough time for education and learning, let them be kids for a bit

personally i agree with what someone else has said: we have less need to work as hard as we did in the UK, we would still be stuck in a 2 bed house if we were in the UK as we couldnt afford anything bigger in our area - here we have SPACE so DD can have her own room, plus loads of outdoor space to run around in, weather is more reliable, lots of free/cheap family days out. plus i like the fact that they focus on other things in school, it's not all academic, they do sporty stuff, performance arts etc. after all, not all kids are good at spellings and maths, at least it gives them the chance to excel at something else.

Cheshire Karen

Less Holidays is a killer, hubby gets 20 days here as opposed to 35 days in the UK. 2 weeks of those have to be taken at Christmas leaving 10 free days. That impacts onto family life.

The UK school I have chosen if we return has loads of Extra Curricular activities. Not all UK schools focus wholey on academic achievement, although have to admit alot do. But more and more UK parents are looking for a more rounded education and plenty of the schools I looked at in choosing offered it.

Safin

Sorry to disillusion you but they have teacher training days here too and my 8 yr old just had state wide (QLD)tests (like the SATS) which benefit the schools and number crunchers not the kids.

But mine are happier, are outdoors/active more, are getting the chance to be kids for longer, are more confident and THEY want to stay here.

We had a great school in the uk and apparently have the best state school in our area but I would say that academically they learnt more in the UK.

Beppe

Sometimes I wonder if this line is just rolled out by parents wrestling with their own guilt about wanting to exercise their own dreams, whilst dragging their kids along for the ride.

Truth is you have no idea whether your child will be better off in one place or the other. Unless you can peak into that parallel universe you cannot say what would have happened to your kids had you stayed in the UK.

I accept on a day to day basis, if you make yourself as a parent a happier person then that is bound to filter through to your children. In that sense, making a decision for yourself can have a positive result for your children.

However, the long term path that your child will tread is still an unknown. Also, whether or not the reality will live up to the parent’s dream and therefore equate to happiness is also an unknown until you are actually living it.

Many successful people have gained that edge through having a deprived background and many children slip into mediocrity and worse through having everything handed to them on a plate. It’s all down to the individual.

PoppetUK

Short answer. Kids are 4 and 2. Currently I believe it is the best place for them. As for teenage years. I think we will start thinking about that when our eldest is due to move into high school etc. We are in WA and I wonder about if there will be enough for them here. Just a feeling and not that much to back it up at this start. Certainly happier we are raising our young family here at this stage though

mike-Ju

Well that shoulds like the Nursery in Oz is far in advance to the one in the UK, as the Uk is starting to adopt the learning through play policy and the children play all day and learn at their own place, so i would say your Aussie nursery is far better

Sandra

Good post and expresses my feelings as well.

bithbheo

Just speaking from my experience with my 2 who were aged 12 and 10 when coming over here...their schooling here at that time took a step backwards they had done the work they were doing here the year b4 in the UK...so they became bored easily at school.

They never really liked the hot humid weather and did not relish playing out in it.....pool was fun at first but novelty of that soon wore off.....
leaving school both had good jobs....both moved interstate with work and both always said they would one day go back to the UK.

And now ??? well both have returned to UK.... one now married and settled there with fantastic job and happy to be back among castles and history and fun with no intentions of returning here to live.....other is now in the British Navy after a stint in the Army here ....and happy as the proverbial pig in s**t in the UK......

I think they would have travelled a similar path wherever they were living as that is their nature....Only difference being that they had to grow up with their grandparents in another country most of the time......now they are back in UK they are very close to G.Parents.....

BUT bringing them to Oz gave them the choice of where they want to live as they now have dual citizenship and hopefully gave them good experiences as well as the bad.

Just got to go with what your gut feeling tells you...sometimes the "head" decisions make life far more difficult than we need it to be.

If it is right then things will fall into place if it is not the right thing to do then it will be a hard uphill slog.

Oh Oh rambled on a bit there sorry

Brisben

Very good balanced and logical post. To be honest I think most parents consider the impact on the children before they make any life changing decisions like this so your first line is questionable.

I think fundamentally that people do make their own minds up as they get older and also regarding backgrounds etc.

I think in fairness we can only comment on what we see.

I think most of us are saying that our children have better childhoods here.

It is impossible to live in parrallel universe, but we can reflect on what has happened in the old place and then assess that aginst the new place and make an informed decision.

Personally I think both countries have opportunities for young adults, and like you stated down to individual choices what becomes of them.

Overall Australia offers something different to the UK.

My children upon relfection seem happier.

plantpot

I don't know....we are British but our daughter was born in the Middle East and has never lived in the UK.....my feeling is that she would do equally in any of the countries we have lived, and be just as happy as long as we were there and happy ourselves with out lives and our lot.

flip

It's impossible to answer for someone else but we genuinely believe our kids are getting a better shot here.

rabsody

Ultimately I think my kids are probably better off here as little kids - as long as they get exposure to the rest of the world through travel and things we talk about at home.

Once they reach 18 I would hope they would go back to the UK or elsewhere in the world to experience a bit more outside of the insularity of Australia.

joh117

OK perhaps however when I call to see if she is settled (quite distressed when I dropped her off) I am told she is fine sat watching Dora on DVD. When I pick her up she is watching Hi-5. I do not pay $56 a day for her to watch DVD's she can do that at home.

I never went to nursery in the UK and found her watching TV. This is not just her nursery it also has happened to some of my friends kids. A bit of rain and they do no structured play but sit them in front of the TV.


I want her to go to nursery here as I think it is good for her social skills. I do not want her to be learning constantly either and think it can be done through play.


Jo

Cheshire Karen

Would I be that friend? Hey I've got friends

Seriously, when its school holidays at our daycare, they seem to think its ok for the kids to sit and watch a DVD, as its holidays. Eeerr no, its SCHOOL holidays not DAYCARE holidays and I am still paying the same, holidays or no.

The Crow

None of my girls kinders/creches etc even have a TV - thankfully