Originally Posted by paddyo

Culture, culture, culture too I would say. Some cultures treat children and, more importantly, behave around children, differently to others. Some cultures its definately "Do what I say not what I do" and often use violence (in their minds its discipline) to control their childrens behaviour. Some cultures prefer to lead and speak by example and as such expect their children to follow their example.

Australia is a melting pot of different cultures and some are brash, some are reserved, some are confrontational, some are defensive. Its difficult to sometimes comprehend one which goes against your own philosophy but its that very divergence which can teach tolerance I think.

Children are what they see in my book, so I try and moderate my sons access to certain TV, access to 'adult' language and try (sometimes fail if I am honest) to create a good example of correct public behaviour for him. Bottom line is that he is an extremely polite young boy, bloody inquisitive mind you!!!

Originally Posted by eddie007

IMHO kids here are well behaved and better mannered ... but then I suppose I go on my kids friends .. and kids I meet in my line of work... They dont appear to lack confidence ... but in a nice way...

Our experience is that kids are more child like, less knowing, than their uk counterparts... their demands are simpler... I have NOT ONCE been asked for anything designer or branded ... becasue their friends have blah blah blah.. maybe that's just my kids, or the kids they hang out with...

The thing that really strikes me is how an open space, a ball and a cardboard box so easily and quickly turns into a cricket match for anyone who wants to join in... there's none of this... its mine you can't... the more the merrier... same with aussie rules...

How many premiership players in the uk take their kids to their local park to have a kickaround with them and encourage any kids hanging about to join in???? I've had that happen with my kids and major local AFL players on more than one occassion... there's a wonderful sharing here...

As for seats on trains... There are signs up on perth transport TELLING kids to give up their seats to those who need them... but I've NEVER seen a child/teen having to be asked... they are aware and they just do it... like we used to when we were kids

I love it

Originally Posted by plantpot

yep agree with ole paddyo....

Originally Posted by itigo

I have found there's the same amount of swearing etc. but the difference is, if they see my little one, they apologise. Also arsing around, if they encroach on what you're doing they apologise. I would cringe walking past big groups of yoovs in the UK waiting for the barrage of insults that would come forth. Here nothing happens. They congregate and cause a nuisance but amongst themselves more it seems.

Best example of coming face to face with a pack of teenagers in Australia - group of lads - 15-18, hoodies, smoking walking past the playpark. Loud conversation. Thought Uh oh here we go. When I actually listened, one of them was telling the others how shocked he was at the swearing and rudeness he'd had off a mate's little 7 year old brother the day before!!! My flabber was ghast and I actually felt bad for thinking they were up to no good.........

Originally Posted by paddyo

ole?? OLE??? You young un's today!! Bah humbug!

Originally Posted by leftfield

?? I am currently on crutches due to a broken ankle so I can't drive and have got the train about 10 times in the last month.
I have had to stand everytime, only one person has offered me a seat. There has generally been a mix of children and adults in the priority seating and when you look at them they just look away... Must be a different Perth?

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Yep. I see a similar train ride to yours. When I was on crutches for my broken foot loads of times I had to either stand or ask to have a seat. More than once I've had to ask people to get up so my very pregant workmate doesn't have to stand. She's too polite to ask, but I'm a bit of a loudmouth so don't give a rats.

Originally Posted by eddie007

wonder where you're catching your train from.... perhaps this is a north south divide thing

Only time I'v e seen a "problem" is when a group of young people wearing the uniform of one of the better schools in Perth got on the train.. sat on the priority seats, threw chips around, swore a lot very loudly... my work colleague phoned the school and the response she got was that the school was not responsible for the behaviour of children once they were out of school.... nice!

Originally Posted by eddie007

I get on the train at shockingham and ride as far as perf....

what makes me laugh is the men who refer to you as "Miss" ... you just KNOW they've spent time in corrective services.... but they're pretty polite nonetheless....

Originally Posted by exsquaddie

As a future secondary school teacher currently studying at UQ from what I've seen so far in the Queen's Land there are very well behaved and far more developed young people down here in terms of confidence and manners.

Totally unlike the ever increasing bad eggs that make up the semi human troglodites representing the youth in the UK! (I know they are not all bad!!!)

How ever there are some bad ones down here as I've seen my self. But I think the schooling system is perhaps better here as it develops the childs self worth and confience FIRST and then concentrates in later years at school on the academic strengths.

As has been mentioned the culture down here palys an important part that of fair play and so forth. May be it is the ANZAC tradition that plays a role here because there is such huge respect for the elderly veterans and the old in general and you do see alot of school kids proudly wearing their uniforms on ANZAC day, thats where perhaps some of the kids have lost their way in the UK....

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Could be a n/s divide thing. I get on in Perth and go all the way to Clarkson so get to see a variety of train riders during my travels.

The kid in the uniform makes me chuckle at myself and again being a loudmouth. On the CAT bus one morning a bunch of boys wearing uniforms from a very expensive private school sitting in the priority seats while we middle aged women stood. A pregnant woman who was also pushing a pram got on and none of the boys bothered to get up so I asked them oh so politely if they didn't teach manners at their posh school and to get up so the lady could sit. I did phone the school and made it known how the boys behaved and the woman who answered thanked me for calling.

Originally Posted by Deancm_MKII

Year 9 Student Pulls Gun On Teacher:

http://www.news.com.au/national/teac...-1225880638148

Loads of stories of violent students in Australia with a complete disrespect for authority.

A good friends' parents were both secondary school teachers. His father, a maths & physics teacher and also the year 12 co-ordinator at a school in melbourne had to resign due to a nervous breakdown caused because the kids had no repsect for authority and were violent towards the teachers in class.

Originally Posted by Deancm_MKII

It's equal opportunities nowadays. Many women would view standing and offering a seat for a woman as sexist. So much for female liberation!