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Any other mums in Sydney?

Any other mums in Sydney?

Old Dec 7th 2007, 10:17 pm
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Question Any other mums in Sydney?

Well, of course I imagine there are lots of mothers in Sydney but I was just wondering if there are any other people in my situation (a new girl in town with 2 children (4 and 1) in tow). I know Sydney a bit as we lived in Australia 6 years ago but I wasn't a mum then! This site has been a godsend helping me get to know other parents in all the weird and wonderful locations we've dragged our offspring to so I do hope this time it works as well! We'll be arriving in Sydney in February and I'd love to meet other mums, get to know good schools and playgroups too. Hope there's someone out there....!!
Emma x
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Old Dec 8th 2007, 12:57 am
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

have a look here http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/f...isplay.php?f=2
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Old Dec 8th 2007, 1:37 am
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Originally Posted by Emmis
Well, of course I imagine there are lots of mothers in Sydney but I was just wondering if there are any other people in my situation (a new girl in town with 2 children (4 and 1) in tow). I know Sydney a bit as we lived in Australia 6 years ago but I wasn't a mum then! This site has been a godsend helping me get to know other parents in all the weird and wonderful locations we've dragged our offspring to so I do hope this time it works as well! We'll be arriving in Sydney in February and I'd love to meet other mums, get to know good schools and playgroups too. Hope there's someone out there....!!
Emma x
Hi Emmis

Do you know which part of Sydney you will be moving to? There are two groups that meet regularly, coincidentally both on a Tuesday - one at Castle Hill RSL and the other at various child friendly venues in the Northern Suburbs. Watch out for details of get togethers in the meet ups section of the forum when you arrive. Hope the move goes smoothly.

B
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Old Dec 8th 2007, 3:11 am
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Originally Posted by Emmis
Well, of course I imagine there are lots of mothers in Sydney but I was just wondering if there are any other people in my situation (a new girl in town with 2 children (4 and 1) in tow). I know Sydney a bit as we lived in Australia 6 years ago but I wasn't a mum then! This site has been a godsend helping me get to know other parents in all the weird and wonderful locations we've dragged our offspring to so I do hope this time it works as well! We'll be arriving in Sydney in February and I'd love to meet other mums, get to know good schools and playgroups too. Hope there's someone out there....!!
Emma x
Hi Emma

I've got a two year old, we arrived in September and are living in Fairlight near Manly. If you are anywhere near me then please get in touch when you arrive, it would be great to meet another mum in the area. I was the same as you - I'd visited Sydney four times previously but never as a mum. It's amazing how differently you look at things!

Good luck with the move,
Deb x
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Old Dec 8th 2007, 10:48 am
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Hi! Wow! Thanks for the replies. I'm now completely confusing myself with flight routes and stopovers . Have opened far too many pages and think the computer's about to have a meltdown and cry. Well, we're thinking about Balmain or Rose Bay areas. My husband's job will be in the CBD near central station at the RTA... do I sound like I know what I'm talking about?! We love Manly btw!! Nick (the husband!) is a mad surfer and would love to be near to the beach but he also wants to be a hop and a skip away from work so near water is the compromise. Btw, any idea how long it takes to get the ferry and other transport to the station... just toying with options. Oh, we're also considering Mosman and Balmoral if there's anyone there! Hope to hear back from someone soon. And Deb, have you found any playgroup type things yet?
Love Ems xx
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Old Dec 9th 2007, 1:39 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Hi Emma
We are moving to Sydney on 28th December. My 2 eldest kids will be going to school in Cremorne, my daughter (age 3, will be 4 in Feb) will probably stay at home with me for a bit. We will be looking for a place in Mosman area as OH will be working in CBD, and I want to be able to walk or bike to school. We will be staying in serviced apartments for the first few weeks until we find a suitable house. I have never been to Sydney but OH went a couple of months ago for a reccie and to meet new colleagues. It would be good to stay in touch as I am not going to know a soul out there.
Keep in touch,
Ali
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Old Dec 9th 2007, 7:59 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Hi all, especially Ali and Deb! Ali, that sounds ideal. Mosman is gorgeous. All the area north of the harbour (Kirribilli, Neutral Bay, Cremorne...) is lovely. Sydney is great. We lived in Melbourne about 7 years ago which we loved. I'm really into history and art and was totally in awe of the cultural side of Australia. We Europeans make fun of Australia but I found it fascinating. My husband's a surfer and we both love the sea so it was ideal in that way too. Obviously, like everywhere there are annoying things... Sydney is beautiful, really, really beautiful, but sometimes the locals spend too much time reminding you about that and it leaves you less time to actually absorb it yourself! Also I was a bit shocked at first by the occasional Pom bashing (during the Olympics we were in a pub and they booed when the British and US National Anthems were sung on TV!!) and the way Italians and Greeks are called, and call themselves (!!) wogs. There was even a film released at the time we were there about a Greek teenager growing up in Oz... and it was called The Wog Boy. I was shocked as I'm half Italian... and half Pom!! But the more you're there the more you realise it's because they're very direct and aren't actually being racist.... and the Pom bashing is more than likely due to years of us Brits being so condescending towards them. I loved Sydney and can't wait to go back, live in a city (we're living in the coutryside in Tuscany at the moment which sounds ideal but I'm going stir crazy as my husband works such long hours for little money and you can't go for walks with the kids nearby as the countryside doesn't do pavements!!!) and just chill out in a great, funky, beautiful, chilled, mad city... it's everything you really want as there are so many different suburbs. I really hope we can meet up Ali as Gaia, my little girl, is 4 and would love a friend to play with. I'm looking for schools for her as she already goes to nursery school every morning... any ideas? Also where are the serviced apartments and what are they called? Just curious as we'll need to rent a holiday apartment/house before we find a more long term solution.
Anyway, I'll PM my email to you both, Ali and Deb. Let's meet up and stay in touch!!
Ems xx
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Old Dec 9th 2007, 9:34 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Hi Emmis

My OH is currently working at the RTA a few days a week (he works for a consultancy); not sure if he'll still be there in February, but PM me if you like.

My daughter is 4 (my two boys are 9 and 14). I'm only sending her to pre-school next year for 2 days a week, rather than starting her in kindy, even though she too has done nursery class in the UK (there is much more flexibility here with regards school ages and they don't have to start until they're 6) so I'd be happy to meet for coffee.
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Old Dec 9th 2007, 11:23 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Originally Posted by Emmis
Well, of course I imagine there are lots of mothers in Sydney but I was just wondering if there are any other people in my situation (a new girl in town with 2 children (4 and 1) in tow). I know Sydney a bit as we lived in Australia 6 years ago but I wasn't a mum then! This site has been a godsend helping me get to know other parents in all the weird and wonderful locations we've dragged our offspring to so I do hope this time it works as well! We'll be arriving in Sydney in February and I'd love to meet other mums, get to know good schools and playgroups too. Hope there's someone out there....!!
Emma x
We live in Lane Cove, so if you end up anywhere in that direction then let us know. The OH is at home looking after the 2 girls who are (just) 4 and 18 months, so would be happy to meet up.
Hope you settle ok!
Steve
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Old Dec 10th 2007, 8:56 am
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Thumbs up Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

I think I'd like to put my daughter into Kindergarten or Pre-school 5 days a week, just because she's used to it... and it gives me a break! And I'd like to work part-time. I think I need to do some research into babysitters too for my little boy...any idea how much you'd pay for a babysitter per hour? I used to pay €8/hour in Amsterdam, so would $12 be ok? I'm so glad that you guys have got in touch. Oh, and how do I go about finding info on good schools? We're willing to pay (I know you have to pay a donation anyway in the state schools, but I mean I'm willing to send Gaia to a private school) so any ideas how I go about finding a lovely school for my lovely daughter ?!!!
Love Ems xx
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Old Dec 10th 2007, 4:58 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Hi Emma
Try this site for schools http://www.australianschoolsdirectory.com.au/search.php
(hopefully the link will work for you)
I found it very useful when trying to find a school for my boys. Some private schools take younger children into their Early Years Centres, but not all have them. I have found that there is usually a wait list too. My daughter is on a wait list at the moment but hopefully as her brothers will already be at the school she won't have to wait to long, otherwise she will start in Kindergarten in 2009! Also if you type "pre-schools in Sydney" into google, some good sites come up as well. I'm not sure how easy it is to get into them though. My daughter goes to a pre-prep school here in England 3 days a week but I think I shall just wait and see whether I send her anywhere when we are settled.

I'll try and PM you later with info on apartments.

Ali
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Old Dec 11th 2007, 4:06 am
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

I wouldn't leave it until February to make contact with schools TBH as that will be the beginning of the school year and you are unlikely to find vacancies at any of the popular private schools in the pre-school or kindy years as they (along with year 7) are the most usual "points of entry". The only trouble is that the private schools have broken up now for the holidays. There are private pre-schools around as well (not attached to schools) so you might have better luck there. I have been told that the KU (Kindergarten Union) ones usually have long waiting lists because they are good and cheaper, but I have no experience of them. There is no "nursery funding" like there is in the UK.

If your daughter had turned 6 or would be 6 before 31th July your local zoned primary school would have to offer her a kindy place, but I don't know how it works if they are not statutory school age. (Kids can start kindy if they have turned 5 before January, or will be 5 before 31st July, but they don't have to until the following year).

With regards babysitters, the going (evening) rate here seems to be $16-20 an hour. There is an active BE babysitting circle which I think works on a points system, but obviously whether it is of interest to you will depend on where you are living. Luckily my eldest doesn't really have a social life here yet and is very happy to get $5 an hour to look after his younger siblings. There has to be some benefit to having huge gaps between your kids!
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Old Dec 11th 2007, 1:54 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Originally Posted by Rosscarbery
I wouldn't leave it until February to make contact with schools TBH as that will be the beginning of the school year and you are unlikely to find vacancies at any of the popular private schools in the pre-school or kindy years as they (along with year 7) are the most usual "points of entry". The only trouble is that the private schools have broken up now for the holidays. There are private pre-schools around as well (not attached to schools) so you might have better luck there. I have been told that the KU (Kindergarten Union) ones usually have long waiting lists because they are good and cheaper, but I have no experience of them. There is no "nursery funding" like there is in the UK.

If your daughter had turned 6 or would be 6 before 31th July your local zoned primary school would have to offer her a kindy place, but I don't know how it works if they are not statutory school age. (Kids can start kindy if they have turned 5 before January, or will be 5 before 31st July, but they don't have to until the following year).

With regards babysitters, the going (evening) rate here seems to be $16-20 an hour. There is an active BE babysitting circle which I think works on a points system, but obviously whether it is of interest to you will depend on where you are living. Luckily my eldest doesn't really have a social life here yet and is very happy to get $5 an hour to look after his younger siblings. There has to be some benefit to having huge gaps between your kids!
Wow ... that's not the most positive of news but we're doing our best trying to find a place. In fact we're now slimming down our choice of locations to live in according to where we can find a preschool place for Gaia. I found a website this morning www.echildcare.com.au which, as well as childcare places, also indicated preschools. I've already been in touch with some private schools who were quick to get back to me with "Sorry we're full" replies. Yikes. If I can't get her a place I've no idea what to do as she's used to school and even though we might only be there for 18 months I don't want her to get out of the habit of going, or lose out on social and educational aspects. Ho hum. Will keep searching and searching and searching...!
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Old Dec 11th 2007, 2:27 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Originally Posted by Emmis
Well, of course I imagine there are lots of mothers in Sydney but I was just wondering if there are any other people in my situation (a new girl in town with 2 children (4 and 1) in tow). I know Sydney a bit as we lived in Australia 6 years ago but I wasn't a mum then! This site has been a godsend helping me get to know other parents in all the weird and wonderful locations we've dragged our offspring to so I do hope this time it works as well! We'll be arriving in Sydney in February and I'd love to meet other mums, get to know good schools and playgroups too. Hope there's someone out there....!!
Emma x
Hi, I'm the Dad of the family. We are also moving out to Sydney on the 12th Jan 08 with my Wife and two daughters (ages 5 and 8). I'm working in North Sydney and looking at moving in this area. Currently looking for schools and it came as a shock recently to find out we have to pay for public education due to Visa (457). I'll pass your details on to my wife so she can get in touch. We don't know anyone in Sydney and haven't even been on holiday! we would welcome meeting up with any families in Sydney so please feel free to contact me. Anyone know of any good private schools in North Sydney as I understand this might be cheaper than going down the public school route (can be lesss than $4500 per child)? trying to get kids into a school befroe the start of term (end of Jan). Cheers
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Old Dec 11th 2007, 4:17 pm
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Default Re: Any other mums in Sydney?

Well, I've just found a great website. I think it might only be for pre-school, nannies and childcare but it gives an indication of vacancies at the pre-schools. (Sorry if you're looking for over 5s) Great site with a map too to help. I'd love to get in touch with anyone who's moving out to Sydney
Love Ems x
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