Just a question to those of you with young children or who came to Australia when the children were little. When I lived in Perth I always felt truly British, even though we got citizenship I always felt a bit of an outsider. Our two eldest were born in Oz but have had most of their young lives here in the UK so are obiviously very British. I am wondering how long it will take them to become Australian in the sense that they feel they are from oz and not brits living in Oz Hope that makes sense? Just worrying they will never get that feeling of truly belonging there - will they always feel different to their friends at school? They are now 9, 7 and 2.

Do your British children now seem Australian?

BB

Depends which one were talking bout.

Eldest is the most aussie, loves sport, loves aus but he is off to live overseas again end of year.

Only aussie phase number two went through was after grad. He really did party for 3 months, drinking, boardshorts and thongs, started bogan speech, just overdoing the whole 'mates' thing. Awful phase, but he enjoyed it back to non yobbo self now - thank heavens.

Youngest has never ever thought of himself as aussie, science geek with nordic looks, stands out like a sore thumb really - does not look the part, sound the part, act the part and never will, has plans to be out of aus as soon as he graduates high school.

I dont mind if they like aus but I never ever want them to have the accent.

My personal trainer summed it up, she is aussie, but says, once having been overseas she cringed at aussie accent and the behaviour ( of many not all ) once on the plane back to OZ. Crude was her description, to my teens crude mean cool but she means in a brash way.

My twin girls are now 7, they emigrated when they were 2, they describe themselves as being 50% English, 50% New Zealander, 100% Australian.

My wife's a New Zealander, by way of explanation.

BB

Mine were 13 and 16 when we came, both have said they don't want to become too Aussie....moaned a lot when we made them become Aussie citizens but have both said they'll never go back to UK. My sister- in- law says my son sounds like Rolf Harris and he does have a slight Aussie accent, he was at boarding school for 2 years with all Aussie boys so that's probably why

plenty of Aussie kids are cultured, intelligent beings...

our kids were born here....are good all rounders and popular and happy children. We get lots of compliments. They are lucky to be surrounded by good families.

in some ways they really have got the best of both worlds. All bi lingual, active, and love their Mum...

Jad n rich - How old were they when you went to to Oz?

Daughter was 9 when we moved over,now nearly 14 (going on 34) Picked up the accent within months and now thinks shes Aussie.Whereas my lad is now 11 and has an accent but nowhere near as pronounced as his sister....likes AFL and real football and considers himself still very English.

I prefer my son

Yes - 100%

Yes and no but one of mine was born in Australia and prides himself on being as okker as they come (to annoy me I think). The other one was 6 months old when we moved to Aus and he is now very much an English gentleman in England although he lived the first 23 years of his life effectively in Australia. Like us, they both grab what opportunities come their way really.

Both my kids consider themselves English even though they were born and bred in Australia, it does make us laugh though. We are more than happy for them to be British kids as Britain kids are as good as any other kids in the world.

Gosh it seems people dont want their kids to be too australian??? I was asking because i do want mine to become 'australian' sooner rather than later:-) I would like them to have a sense of belonging (and accent). Maybe thats because i have a belfast accent despite not living there for over 20 years

I certainly have no problem with my kids being Australian, they choose not to be but that might change.

My husband was born in the UK, came to Australia when he was three, ping ponged with his family a few times and lived there for a year as an adult. He's more of an ocker than myself, the 7th generation Aussie.

Mine were 5 & 3 when we arrived and have never thought of themselves as anything but Australian - neither has bothered to apply for a British passport. Now 35 and 33, married to Australians with very Australian children!

That's just it, everyone is different so there is no formula for these things.