mancfamily

When we first started talking to our 8 year old about moving to Australia, she was devastated. We've kept her involved of every step and she has been doing her own little project about Australia in a large scrapbook.

Gradually she's started to come round to it now, and she's even getting excited!

We've not promised her a house near the beach, or a pool in the garden as the reality isn't always like that (although all my friends think I'll be in a mansion with a pool just a stones through from a glorious beach!).

Her dad went on a short trip last Nov, to visit schools etc and he took Ella's last school report and the Headteacher thought it was great and so of course she was really chuffed about that!

I know that her attitude towards the move could change again, but for now it's heaven having a daughter that can be involved and is happy and excited about the move

travelbug

We have a 4 year old and a 1 year old. Needless to say the youngest wont be bothered probably by a thing about the move - but our 4 year old (5 in march) is always asking questions etc about "when we live in Australia". Every now and then we make a point of reminding her that she'll have "new school friends & a new teacher & a new bedroom etc" with the hope that when the actual move occurs it's not too much of a shock to her to have everything changed at once.
We did validate our visa's in November and December 07 and she had a great time in the places we visited so we know that she's not horrified at the prospect of going.... We also have had to remind her that she wont get to see her two Nan's and her grandad & other family very often..... But she's fine with that - she said herself "oh, but i can talk to them on the telephone whenever i want cant i?"..... So for now i guess she's happy too

Nickie

Hi,
we have 4 kids....3 girls 14yrs, 11 yrs, 9 yrs and a boy 4 yrs..

They cant wait to go..
Harvey has been before when we went for a reccie but couldnt afford to all go so the girls stayed behind with friends.

They cant wait to go....yes even the 14 yr old.



As soon as our visas get here we are off.

Nickie

shabee

Hi,

I have 2 boys aged 11 and 14. The youngest one is looking forward to it but I am having problems with the older one. He was even telling the doctor who did our meds. yesterday that he was not going.

Sheff_Sparky

our boy (4) is too young to care and our girl (8) wont stop talking about it!! she cant wait. trouble is i'm trying to keep it a secret from school and she's not helping!

bless

midwife-mandy

Hi, I have two children aged 16 (son) and 14 (daughter). My son has been e mailing schools, companys re future jobs, rugby clubs etc. My daughter has been organising her leaving do with 250 under 18s at a local nightclub, with limo, dress, new hairdo etc. They are like chalk and cheese but they are both pretty positive about the move and we see it as a family adventure. I think there are a fair few tantrums and hard times to come as that is the nature of the teenager but at least when it happens I can go for a nice long walk along the beach. Good luck with your move

JenniGee

Mine are up & down, to be honest. But having a dad living a couple of hundred miles away that tells them all sorts of emotional rubbish doesn't help. He also told them they could tell the court officers that they could live with him (which of course, isn't going to happen! He's refusing consent, so it's difficult)

They're girls, 11 & 12. I'm just taking it day by day. They know the process is a long one & that they have plenty of time to get used to the idea, but I have had to put my foot down quite firmly on occasion, to make them understand how important this is for all of us as a family.

Fingers crossed for all of us

helena39

Hi, we have 2 children, Lauren 7 and Daniel 4. They can't wait to move. They talk about it all the time. We talk about the positive things and explain to them all the advantages they will have. They both love to be outside but as it stands now they spend most of the time inside going stir crazy (we live in rainy rainy Cavan, Ireland)

I am sure it will be hard to leave their nana's and grandads when the time comes but this move is for them and their future. Hopefully there will be no problems with our application or we could be in real trouble

Fly Away

We have a girl age 8. We went on a reccie last year and she loved Australia. If we could have stayed and slotted into our new lives, she would have been very happy. She came back full of it. However, the application has taken so long, that she's forgotten the excitement and is also enjoying school which she wasn't last year. So now all we get is how much she'll miss her friends.

We try to keep emphasisng the positives and have said we'll do the web cam thing to help her stay in touch. We know that after a few months, she will all of forgotten about them as she will have new friends, but we don't actually say this to her.

Her other concern is the ship sinking with all our belongings on it - I quote - My electrics won't work then!!

Just hoping that as soon as we get back there, she will remember all the good stuff.

pepsiuk

Hi there we have 4 kids 3 girls and boy, 13, 11, 10 and 5. My 13 +5 year old are really excited but my 11 year old doesnt want to leave her friends, I keep telling her she'll make new ones out there and she can play out more because the weather is nicer out there, I think shes slowly coming round to the idea...my son on the other hand really doesnt care lol..
Good luck e1

Antonia_and_Sean

We have 3 boys, 6 months, 3 and 11. 6 month old slightly worried...
No they're all fine, 11 year old has been over twice with us, last time was August last year and I took him for a tour around his new school. He loved it even though it is 1/4 the size of his current one with 1/4 of the facilities. He's just looking forward to being able to ride his bike (roads here are too dangerous further than 1 mile!) and learn to surf. No doubt he'll go through a few wobbles but at the mo he can't wait.
Just remember kids are resiliant and make friends far easier than us oldies!
Good luck!

loubiegreen

Hi everyone, we have 4 kids aged 13, 11, 6 and 4. Two boys followed by two girls. The girls are fine as a little young to fully understand. The 13 boy is looking forward to it but the 11 yr old is telling us he hates Oz even though he has never been lol. Hoping that in the time it take to get the visa he will come round.

Good luck to all and best wishes.

Lou xx

annemarie and john

Hi all We have 3 girls. 14, 9 and 5. No problems with the younguns but its an uphill struggle with the 14 year old. She keeps changing her mind, can't keep up with her. Have explained all the pros and cons. Her major issue is that she is going to miss her grandparents. She is very close to my mother, lots of emotional conversations going on.

DestinationSydney

Hi, I am at present the worst mother in the world according to my kids!!
I am ruining their lives they tell me by moving to Oz. Daughter is 14 and son is 11!!!
It is making me feel guilty to say the least! But we are doing it for them but hey that is what is being a parent is all about I suppose.
I just hope it all works out in the longterm.......

mand8002

My mum was having 'conversations' with one of my daughters saying things like 'I don't want you to go' 'what am I going to do when you have gone?' and really not helping her make the move. We had to have a quiet word with her to tell her that she would be moving anyway so it would be helpful if she could talk positive to her about it. I don't think this happened but she did stop all the emotional talk which did help.