sssss

Is it true they are more sporty so dont really hang around the streets like in the uk or is that a myth...

Are they more pleasant or are you still wary of them on public transport etc...

Knife/gun crime, whats that like in oz?


Oh and is it true that as Australia is so big that people use planes like we would use the train so example as teen when they grow up would think nothing of hopping on a plane for a weekend partying in sydney when they live in adelaide? (i know that may sound odd but wondered if with adelaide being great for kids that when they get older most go to other destinations)

Thanks

Still Game

where did you hear this myth? sounds like you're expecting a lively debate below based on a pretty loaded question like that

sssss

Didnt hear it was a myth, its just the impression we get in the uk. Bascially i am really struggling with deciding whether to move to adelaide or not. I have just had a baby so appreciate people being nice to me as i a bit hormonal.

My husband wants to come as he is convinced it is a nicer and safer place for the kids. In the uk i can be scared to use public transport, go to the shops, nightclubs and bars and dread my kids getting older here. However if it the same there then i would prefer to stay put without the stress this is causing me, the spider phobia i have and missing my family.

Honest answers please and i know its perception. Espcially those who have not been to the uk.

Still Game

Per the other thread you posted you will get completely opposite ends of the scales with answers. Some will say they're better, some will say they're worse.

You shouldn't make such a big decision based on whether teenagers are nice or not. Consider all the facts - you were given a lot of info in your other thread. Base it on a whole family decision. Affordability should be the biggest concern. If you as a family decide that you could afford a good life there then dependent on which visa you are on, research different areas thoroughly looking at all the pros and cons. Asking a question about teenagers should not form the base of such a huge life decision. Teenagers are good and bad around the world.

sssss

I know they are but in the uk anti social behavour is such a bad thing. Honestly i think this is my main reason for maybe moving. People do give the impression that it is nicer/safer there and i would seriously hate to have swapped like for like, with or without the sunshine

Still Game

Which people? I would be asking them for stats etc, have they lived in different parts of Australia?

I don't mean to sound harsh, it's a huge decision and can be really difficult. You need to do what is best for you and your family, I get that completely...but really you shouldn't get too hung up on things like this. Where are you moving from and to? This would help greatly!

I've lived in all different states of Australia plus England, Ireland and Scotland so I've teen teenagers all over. You get bad teenagers in all places, you also get good. Totally depends on where you going to but of course nothign is guaranteed. Please really don't make a decision based on teenagers.

sssss

From a city in the uk to adelaide.
I keep hearing how good adelaide is for kids, safe etc but them imagine even if it were then my kids may grow up and still go out in places like sydney which i have heard is just like london anyway.
Cant help getting hung up on it, im a new protective mummy

Still Game

Well you should move on from being hung up on it! You need to speak more to the person/people who told you about this and who you keep hearing this from. Not sure why you're not asking them for stats? Have these people lived in London and Adelaide?

MrsE

Hi there - couldn't help but feel for you when I read that you were a hormonal new Mummy! Bless ya! Mine are 7 and 9 and I am still a hormonal Mummy! I don't think that changes with age! I can understand where you are coming from. As Mums we will always look to protect our children whatever their age and we will always want whatever is best for them. This is one of the reasons we have chosen to emigrate to Australia. We feel that the whole outdoors living will be wonderful for our girls. There are so many times here in he UK when we can't go out at the weekends due to the poor weather - we are looking forward to beng able to plan things to do with our girls at the weekends! I personally feel so much happier when the sun is shining too I think that the world-round you are going to find troublesome teenagers but alot of this depends on how your children are bought up and the opportunities they are given in life. All you can do is go with your gut instinct and if you don't like it you can always come back to the UK Good luck with whatever you decide.

ozzieeagle

There is far more organised sport here for Kids out of school hours than the UK. In fact all kids are given encouraged to find a sport they are at least ok at then encouraged to participate in a team environment out of school hours. I would say the participation rate for out of school team sports would be around the 60 pct mark. Kids stick out here as being a bit out of the ordinary if they havent participated in out of school sports on a least a few occasions.

Yes it is true re the planes... however that comes down to distance and the only other alternative being stuck in a car driving for at least 7 to 8 hours, Melbourne to Adelaide or 8 to 9 hours Melbourne to Sydney. No decent inter city train service here which is a bit of a disgrace.

In Fact the Melbourne To Sydney plane route is the 4th busiest in the world. With the other 3 busier ones being in Japan and Korea.

Edit... I personally now believe that the biggest cultural difference between the UK and Aus... are the Teenagers.

quoll

Yes, more organized sport and a lot of trawling the malls, not so much spontaneous exercise these days (used to see more kids on bikes, basket ball hoops in back yards etc)

Some HS are like bear pits and you wouldnt go into them unless you had to - others are not so bad. Being on a bus with a load of HS kids going to and from school - expect to have your vocabulary increased by a few undesirable adjectives and it is a long time since I have seen one of them stand up for someone elderly unless pressured

Knives and guns - yes to both (it was a machete apparently in Canberra's latest murder but before that we had guns and knives and cricket bats are also a national favourite).

Youth mental health problems and youth suicide - both up there in the world rankings unfortunately.

Pollyana

Teenagers here are the same as teenagers in the UK, some good some bad. I travel on trains full of them every day. Half of them have noses in phones or books, the other half are lurking at the end of the carriage splashing each other with the contents of their coke cans and swearing a lot.
Same kids different bucket.

chris955

I honestly see absolutely no difference whatsoever between teenagers in both countries. We hear about teen crime and teen pregnancy and all the other usual issues. I have lived many years here and in the UK and there are good and bad in both places and no more of either in one particular country.
Our kids aren't sporty and neither are their friends, other than one who is soccer mad. In this area it certainly isn't seen as out of the ordinary if they don't participate in out of school activity.
Go to any mall after school and see how sporty many of them look.
I'm sorry but kids are kids the world over, this belief that Aussie teens are in some way different is bizarre at best.
Don't let recent events in the UK make you tar all young people with the same brush, they were a tiny minority.
Believe me we wouldn't be returning to the UK with our 2 young boys if we for one second thought it was a bad place to bring them up.

bingobob777

where the hell do you live in the UK that makes you scared to use public transport, go to the shop or use bars and nightclubs?

Personally I find no difference between Fortitude Valley and Glasgow City Centre on a Friday or saturday night and I never felt threatened in Glasgow anywhere anyway. If you live in the middle of a council estate in Peckham you may notice a difference, but otherwise IMO there is no difference.

Sounds to me like the biggest part of the problem is you being paranoid.

Bermudashorts

I made a comment on your other thread about how nice I find the kids here, although my interaction with them is quite limited. I got a bus home at the end of school term and about 50 (I kid you not) teenagers got on they were loud but well behaved. They got off at my stop too, when I stood up the ones nearest the door stood back and let me get off first.

So yes my perception is that I find children more pleasant here, but I cannot believe you would make a decision to move to the other side of the world because you think children might be a bit nicer. You do not seem to have any other reasons for moving.

Seriously you should stay put. I expect most of us on BE were brought up in the UK and turned out just fine, just like millions and milions of others.