Better life for children?
 

Would someone just run past me why so many people think that moving to Canada is a great thing to do for their kids? I often read that kind of thing and I don't get it.

We've been here nearly five years and I find each winter to be longer than the previous one and I suspect so do my young kiddies. With such bitter conditions even with the sun shining their access to the outside is so much more limited in comparison to what would be possible back in the UK and for such a long time. Obviously as they get older things will ease a bit but that won't make the length or coldness of winter go away so seriously what's the thinking behind Canada being so much better for children to grow up in?

This is my second marriage and I have grown up children from my first which I look back on and think about all the stuff we were able to get up to all year round and I see such a contrast to the life my new little ones get to experience here. It just ain't no fun wrapping them up in layers and going outside for too long.

We're thinking about moving back to the UK at some point and one driven reason is that I want these kids to have what I perceive to be a more enjoyable time. Milder climate and in a country that has many great places to visit year round within easy travelling distance. On the other hand we have a great little house here and we're financially okay for the time being but you know, the whole thing with the children really plays on my mind.

Any thoughts?

Re: Better life for children?
 

Have you looked at other areas of canada?

Also, just curious, why did you move to Canada initially?

I truly hope you find the perfect place for you and your family, if it's not in your current location.

Rich

Re: Better life for children?
 

That the exact same sentiments my wife has.....
She's Canadian but wants to bring the kids up in an environment where they can play outside almost all year round
People don’t get it until they see the kids stuck inside going squirly because its sunny out but -25 with the wind, or its sunny again but 30+ with humidex, west nile’s from the mosquitoes and heat stroke are a real risk

Re: Better life for children?
 

People don’t get it until they see the kids stuck inside going squirly because its sunny out but -25 with the wind, or its sunny again but 30+ with humidex, west nile’s from the mosquitoes and heat stroke are a real risk

It strikes me that your question is somewhat pointless. As you said, many people have written about what a wonderful place Canada is for their kids. You do not find it such and that's okay. It isn't going to change for you, so you should probably begin planning to return to UK ASAP to give your kids the life you want them to have.

Re: Better life for children?
 

This is interesting as I say the same but about being in the UK, it rains so much here (yes I'm north of the Watford Gap) and the kids just don't get time outdoors because of the weather. Also the grey dark skys make you want to stay huddled in.

Maybe this isn't a Canada/UK thing maybe it is a case of globally the weather has an affect on your outdoor life (too hot, too cold, too rainy, too windy and so on).

When we went to the Canaries last year we could hardly stand up for the high winds and we said we would hate to live there too! Yet a couple of years ago we went to the Algarve for Christmas and despite it being freezing the blue skies made us all feel so much better about life.

Could it be the grass is always greener?

I don't know, I'm not saying this is the answer, I'm yet to experience the extremes of the weather I just know that we all get so fed up of grey skies and constant rain - and that is across all seasons.

Re: Better life for children?
 

From my point of view my kids have a better life back here in the UK partly because of the less extreme weather condition and partly because we have family around to help. Also when I lived in Toronto I couldn't drive so I could really only go where the TTC would take me.

Re: Better life for children?
 

Our kids were always indoors in the UK because of the rain. We had a 12ft trampoline in the garden that they often couldn't get to because the grass had turned to swamp. And I'm talking 4 seasons here, not just winter.
Here there have been some days where it's been too cold for them to go out, but usually it's fine, more often than not the sun is shining, they can take themselves off to play in the snow / go sledding etc., walk to school with their friends, none of which they could do in the UK.

Horses for courses I guess.

Re: Better life for children?
 

Thats true, but most of them haven't arrived yet, and many more don't have the option of picking up and going home

Some of us have a choice, and we're thinking about that choice

Re: Better life for children?
 

My kids LOVE winter, you have to embrace it to live with this climate I guess, snowmen, sledding, skating, they love all that. There are very few days where its too cold here in SE Ontario, maybe 10-15 a year total, and then we have a large playroom they can exploit.. Winter is actually the oldests (6 yo) favourite season, if I moved to rainy england she might never forgive me...

I think people just generally have more time for kids here, its seems more kid friendly, there are more organised activities for them that its the norm for them to particate in, but maybe thats just small town living though, Soccer, skating, littleleague, swimming, sparks etc, seems virtually every kid in the village is there.

I think the absense of crime and delinquent kids hanging around is also a bonus when it comes to raising kids here...less to worry about as a parent.
Being able to afford to keep the house on one salary has been good too as my wife can stay home with the kids in these formative years, something we both see as an advantage over daycare. The only disadvantage is absense of family, but they visit often and the kids get quality time that way.

No doubt it depends, like so many emmigration issues, on where you are in canada / uk. I would say I have the choice, but I see nothing in the UK to drag me back there.

Re: Better life for children?
 

That's such a valid point. I'm often suprised while reading through this forum where people have families (often including pets) and are looking to emigrate to Canada without actually stepping foot into the country before or having visited there on a short holiday / reading websites etc etc.

There's a TV show on in the UK at the moment called "Wanted Down Under" where british familes who want to emigrate to Australia or New Zealand take the move for a test drive. Majority so far have never even been to either country yet insist it is the perfect place for themselves and their kids. So far i've i've only seen one family deicide it was for them out of 5 (i work at home by the way :p ).

That said, i think it's great that people are adventurous enough and open minded to try something new but when families are involved as well as financial constraints, due diligence must be at the fore of each decision.

Rich

Re: Better life for children?
 

For kids in Canada, "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing"

Quoting my friend who runs an outside Active Kids Club in Toronto!

Canada is a wonderful place for families, there is no limit to activities and usually free or affordable. We spend all year doing outdoorsy FREE stuff.

I'm not saying this is not available in the UK (and I miss it there very much) but there seems to be more opportunities to enjoy ourselves here in Canada.

Re: Better life for children?
 

This is how we feel too.

My kids are outside in the winter - they just dress up warm and don't stay out very long. The older one is less keen about playing in the snow (I suspect that she is getting to the age where she feels it is no longer "cool") but the younger ones absolutely love it.

Re: Better life for children?
 

Eh? Pointless because you don't agree?

I asked for some plus points of why people think moving to Canada and bringing their children up is a good idea. What's pointless about that? I'm weighing up the pros and cons because it's not clearcut for me shown by the fact that Iain has posted explaining why he thinks Canada is good for his kids.

Re: Better life for children?
 

here in Scotland my kids are never out in the winter either, it's either raining, cold or too dark

so I don't see a difference

Re: Better life for children?
 

Move to BC, if you don,t fancy the UK.