8 year old with a few worries
 

Hi everyone,

We are nearing the end (hopefully) of our application and as it is starting to become a bit more of a reality my wife and I are starting to notice that our 8 yr old daughter is starting to worry about missing friends and family. We are hopefully going to move to Melbourne as we have a few ozzie friends that we know which should help us settle a bit easier. Does anyone have kids around the same age that have had a similar experience with.

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Hi,

I don't have kids, but I was 8 when my family moved me to Australia back in 1983.

I was homesick for awhile and got teased for my Bristolian accent, but the outdoors activities kind of helped. I didn't make new friends too easily and the ones I made, were all English ex pats. What did help, was keeping in contact with old friends, family from England. My Mum bought me stamps and writing sets and encouraged me to write to my best friend in Bristol. We still write to this day :)

I would say, enroll your daughter in out of school activities - for me it was Brownies (which I'd been in, in England - whatever you do, don't send her on her first day in the UK uniform - long sleeves and bobble hats are sooo not a good look, esp in summer) :scared: Also, I joined a t-ball team, little athletics, gymnastics etc.

Of course, the internet is the best thing for keeping in touch, and least she can meet up with friends online.

Good Luck! I am sure she will make new friends soon, and the weather is so cheery, that there is always some kids out in the street playing or riding their bikes around :)

Susan

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Thanks for your reply Susan, my daughter is quite a good mixer so I hope this will help. She and her sister are in the Brownies here, I believe it is called something different in oz, she also does Ballet and Tap and is learning to play the Guitar which is going well, our other daughter does Gymnastics as well. This is all part of the decision on where exactly we settle as to the availability of all these activities. Hopefully it will all pan out, the main problem is that she has a very sensitive nature unlike her sister who just wants to go. The internet does make things easier to some degree, just trying to get my parents online and using email at the moment but it would be easier to sell sand to an Arab if you know what I mean.

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Hi, we are having the same with our 7 year old at the moment - he was very keen a while back but now things are really moving along, he's starting to worry a little - mainly about friends. (but he did ask if they play tag-rugby in australia and if they have athletic clubs? - so hopefully this is just a little worry that will eventually fade. The eldest - nearly 11 is actually starting to look forward to moving cos he's not that impressed with the schools that he may have to go to around here (Slough) when he leaves primary.

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

We've got a 7 year old but after the holiday in Aus he'd go there tomorrow without giving it a thought, he loved it. Kids are always the first to settle I wouldn't worry too much once they get started at school no problems with all the new friends etc...

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Pogsy,

It is called Brownies in Australia :) I think they also have 'gumnuts' which are younger kiddies but certainly by 8 it is Brownies! Then girl guides is for older girls.

I am sure your daughter will be fine!

Good luck with the move.

Susan :)

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

my daughter is 8 in january and is voicing the same concerns about her friends, we will be in perth sept 06.
i also have a younger daughter who was 4 in dec 05. at what age will she be able to start school?
thanks in advance for any help :)

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Footey

Kids start school the year they turn 6. Also, school years run from end of Jan/Start of Feb. Around that time anyway and end in Dec. It was great having long holidays over Christmas with hot weather thrown in!!

:)

Susan

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Our 8 year old son has cried buckets! He has known for a while that we'll be going to live in Oz but until recently that was very much in the future. We have talked to him quite a lot about it and he's been already. He said the other day that he is half wanting to go and half still sad. Got a couple of more months so hopefully it will get easier.

Cheers

Ginny

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

so does this mean as my girl turns 6 in dec 06 she will start school in jan/feb 06 even though she will be 5?
sorry if i sound confused :o

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

footey

As far as I know, yes. I don't think they'd make her wait another year, although I am not up to date with modern school policies.

I am born in January and some of my classmates were Dec. It was always the opposite for me....I was the oldest in the class. But I finished school in 1992 so it's been a few years.

You may be able to enquire about having her start school the next year?

try reading some education websites in Australia. Here is one...

http://www.education.gov.au/

:)

Susan

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

You start to feel so bad...don't you? , but my daughter who is 8 has just realised she will have her birthday in the glorious sunshine instead of miserable damp October weather :)

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

Hi Pogsy,
I have 2 kids a daughter of 10 and a son of 7, my daughter has so far been looking forward to it but as the time nears and it becomes a reality she is starting to panic about leaving England and not knowing much about Oz she is a worrier anyway but I can tell it is really playing on her mind, we talk about it and she and my son have been aware of every step so they can be involved too also they are going to have a say in the school they go to and that is really important. As for my son from day 1 he says he is NOT going but as it nears he is asking lots of questions and I have to say he can make friends easily plus he loves his sport so I think he will be fine I am very aware they both will need lots of support to start with so I can imagine we will have lots of friends round for tea ........ nothing new there then :rolleyes:
Good luck and just keep them involved and support them.
Jane x

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

We're moving to Perth next month with 2 girls (8 & 5). They are also showing signs of concern and we're on a constant mission to persuade them that everything will be fine and they'll make new friends. We're making lists of phone no's/email addresses etc so that they can stay in touch with everyone for as long as they need to. Hopefully, Brownies, swimming, dancing etc will help them make friends and have fun at the same time ;) .

Check out the chart on this link http://www.eddept.wa.edu.au/ece/WA.htm to check what date your child should start school.

Footey, where in Perth are you headed?
TJ

Re: 8 year old with a few worries
 

I Know, Sam's Birthday was on at the beginning of January so he's looking forward to some warm parties!

Cheers

Ginny