Mummy in the foothills

I got that email too.
Very disappointed I was. They didn't seem to address that EU residents who have never paid UK taxes get a break

I'm really shocked at the amount of drinking going on Ezzie. Theres no way the village pub where my Mom lives will even let the kids in, never mind serve them (probably cause all the Dads are in there already ). I know I went out drinking twice when I was 16 (and looked about 12) and had no problem getting served, but it was a huge busy place when I was away at college. It was never a Friday tradition when I was in High school thats for sure.

Giantaxe

They addresed it with this comment:

It was at mine. And I went to a very academic private school ironically, in view of this thread, located in Birmingham. Having said that, I would have hoped that by now the drnking age was rather more aggressively enforced than back then.

deborahjane

I agree with Fleaflyfloflum.

I think maybe you should return to Oz as your children seem to be having problems in the UK and obviously don't like it there. Maybe they have been away too long and are too settled in Oz.

I am curious as to where you are staying though. I have friends back in Sheffield with children in High Schools there and don't seem to have half as much trouble as your's seem to be having in a small village. Do you think your children are if you don't mind me saying putting it on a bit as they want to come back? I know mine would try that on!

My two eldest girls (17) and (14) have attended a private school here in Perth which has had drug problems, a couple of girls getting pregnant in year 11, drinking and smoking at school and on the way to and from school. Many of their friends are having sex under 16, hooning around in older boys cars at the weekend, hanging around shopping centres in large groups causing trouble or drinking on the beach. Our's have been bought up not to do any of the above. We have seen it all here and we consider our area as a nice area to live.

Hopefully the village in Devon we are returning to won't be as bad as the one you are describing!

cricket1again

Ezzie there has always been the rough and the smooth in Britain but it's here in Australia too. Perhaps you were not the right person to be sent back to the UK for TV programme. You have lived your life in Australia for 22 years and by the sounds of it, you appear to have lived life in some kind of twilight zone where only the pure and innocent dare to tread.
You have no real idea on British life, you've just made a collection of biased observations based on your own ideals on how life should be lived.

I do not agree for one minute that a group of 15 year old boys would be served alchohol. Not knowingly anyway. It's very mischievous of you to suggest this is the case.

While there is an 'underclass' as you put it, I work in fashion and up until recently I saw women and mothers of all ages trying on clothes plotting and scheming to go out for the night, trick a man into sleeping with them so they could get pregnant then claim child support and all the benefits going. I have even watched a mother pour vodka into her baby's bottle to 'knock him out' while she tried clothes on. Needless to say, I threw her out and called the police.
Ezzie, I work in the high end of millionaire's paradise so it's not just the underclass that are milking the system. If governments anywhere in the world are going to pay immoral women money to have a baby, then of course we are going to hear about some very sad cases involving children.
Hate to tell you Ezzie but in the good old days, parents cut their childrens arms off to get insurance paid out. It's not the country that's the problem, it's the current modern day society which is what we're all living in beit the UK, US or Australia.

High time you got your hoity toity opinionated self back on a plane to upmarket Sydney and stop moaning on about Britain.

BTW, I did write to the Families Minister here in Australia about my observations of some of the mothers coming into my shop trying on clothes. I asked them who in their right mind thought it was a good idea to give women a baby bonus with it being means tested?
I received a very well written 3 page letter acknowledging my concerns and they have now changed the law so that the payments are broken up into regular amounts. This means they have to buy a pram instead of a plasma TV.

Giantaxe

This article doesn't paint a very pretty picture:

Too bad it doesn't back up that claim with statistics.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-st...il-744875.html

St.Georges Girl

Neither does this, but any level headed person knows it has gone on for decades. Reading some of the things these people have said has actually surprised me though. Jeez, I was an innocent.
http://bluelight.ru/vb/showthread.php?t=349692

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599...rom=public_rss

Giantaxe

Indeed, but that's a relatively uninteresting given imo. What's more interesting in the context of this debate is whether (i) the problem is getting worse; and (ii) the problem is more severe in the UK than elsewhere.

cricket1again

Anyone remember how Britain was paid in gin and Australia was paid in rum? We haven't gone that low yet.

Marmalade

I was thinking the exact same thing! At 15 I was out round about the pubs having a great time. Don't think it is anything new..........

Mind you, I'm not saying it's right to do that, but just a fact.

TillyG

For which DH is gutted We already have all the baby gear from last time around (DD will be almost 6 when no2 arrives next May/Jun) so in theory don't "need" the bonus... especially as it's also meant to be instead of getting maternity pay (which I wouldn't get anyway as I'm a SAHM). Not going to say No to it though.

Guess DH will have to wait for all 13 fortnightly payments to come through before he gets his plasma TV

rabsody

so very very true.

in fact, some of us are still doing it!

Nu-Shooz

LOL, me too, well i was in UK until i got to Perth.

I remember thinking once 'full of kids in this pub'...then i remembered it was actually me getting older

rabsody

C'mon I think that is a little harsh on Ezzie. She is just being honest and telling it the way she sees it. That may not be the way you and I see it but that's beside the point. I, for one, am interested to hear her journey and I would hate for her to feel inhibited in telling her story, in the same way it's a shame so many feel inhibited telling it warts and all in the Barbie for fear of attack.

Viva la difference!

rabsody

I have that problem too these days, hence I pick my venues very carefully.

Various comments I have received over the years in bars in Aus "you're not bad for an old duck" (btw I was 28 at the time!!!!!!!!) and "what are you doing in here? this is for young people?!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

cricket1again

So what's wrong with me telling it the way I see it???? I don't agree that the UK is as bad as she makes out and frankly throughout her thread there has been more than a touch of the holier than thou attitude. In Birmingham for God sake????