jayjd12

Obviously depending on age but on the whole, do your children play/mix with other kids after school in the week?

Do you think their social life is as good, worse or better than in the UK?

Cheers


Jay

maggy

Cant say I really see any kids playing outside where i live in Perth Currambine.

Then again maybe i just havn't noticed as mines is 16 and works every night after school.

In Scotland where we lived all the local kids would be outside in the evenings playing.

Mags

Sleeping Beauty

all the time. they dont want to go anywhere at weekend etc, because all they want to do is play out. they never had this chance in the UK (we lived on a rat run road, so couldnt chance it. plus, it was peeing down all the time)

they have so much more freedom here.

h2oskineil

We have kids around a couple nights of the week, depending on homework schedules.
Often we go the beach and swim as a family. One day last week we grabbed pizza's and sat on one of the many picnic tables at the beach and had dinner, chatting and enjoying the scenery. Then my wife went home to do some 'stuff' and my boy (8 yrs) and I swam in the ocean until 7.00pm.
You will find the weather allows you to do much more family activities.

Older kids will be down the beaches or in the parks, playing cricket, basketball (many parks have a hoop), you don't see kids hanging around causing trouble (not where we live), they are all too busy having fun!

Neil.

Latona

yep ours too cant keep them in even when its raining ,now living in a close so not too many cars, there are a few kids of all ages in the road and they all get on really well .
denise

kevinbloomfield

I reckon it's like the UK was 30 years ago (when I was a kid), there seems to be loads of kids out playing, often young kids as well as there doesn't seem to be the threat of kiddy fiddlers here as there is in the UK.

It's far better for kids here and I wish we had come over when our son was 5 or 6 rather than 17 (although he has made loads of friends and is out all the time)

Australians in general seem much more family orientated which is really nice

grunty123

As usual I guess it depends on where you come from in the UK and go to in Oz.
For us, we came from a smaller town and you would see lots of kids playing around the streets and parks. We don't see as much of that here. In our experience we find that Ozzie parents are more protective. That's maybe because the roads seem less safe due to the availability of ridiculously powerful V8s for any "young adult" with a few bucks (that's a whole new topic!)

Nomore

Have to agree with you there Mags..how are you?

My street is very quiet, but plenty of kids here, just no sign of them after school or weekends!

RooksieJ

thats exactly what i want for our kids - i had a blast when i was a kid. just doesnt seem to be the same these days

i cant believe we might be headed back to SC

migrantoz

Not in Queensland, it gets dark too damn early.

jayjd12

Would be nice to think that the kids would play outside with their friends, wouldn't it?

When I was there though staying with friends on the GC, I never saw anyone out after school and there kids didn't go out, homework, computer, bed!

Whats or where is SC Rooksiej?


Cheers



Jay

Alana and Arrons mum

I think to presume there are no "kiddy fiddlers" ,as you so charmingly put it, is quite dangerous.I think that no matter where you are there will always be the potential for children coming to harm.It is often about peoples perception of danger and getting the balance right between wrapping them up in cotton wool and giving them some freedom.
We live in a smallish village now and my kids do play out but I would never presume that they are totally safe cos "things like that dont happen here".

Sorry,obviously touched a nerve with me as "playing out" is new to my kids!
Rant over!
I hope my kids can play out in Oz,even with me as a paranoid mum!

RooksieJ

sunshine coast me dear!

Grayling

Quite right.

The only difference is the parent's perception of danger often fuelled by an hysterical media. The risk is just the same.

An example of this is the recent case where a 5 year old boy was sexually assaulted in the Toilets at the Tennis open in Melbourne.....the police asked for no publicity for several days and it was not widely reported.

The risk is no different.

G

thebears

Yes it is the same as UK there are weirdos in all areas. You must keep your eyes on your kids at all times when out and about. The upside is their are plenty of wide open spaces to allow you to do this and for them to enjoy being kids.

Our daughter is starting martial arts ASAP to kick grip twist snap etc.