JENNYMG

hi
was wondering how any of you felt that have moved to canada about the
lifestyle and behaviour of kids out there?
what i mean is are kids being kids out there in comparison to here in the uK were they are almost pushed to be mini adults in a crazy society all to often.get to 8 yrs here and they are not kids anymore here in UK!?!?

we want give our kids a better lifestyle and choices by immigrating and wondered what people who have gone there feel for their kids?
jenny

christmasoompa

I think it depends on where you are going to and from, which areas. We live in a rural area and here kids are definitely kids, but in a city it's probably very different.

The place we are going to in Canada is more built up and the kids seemed much more grown up there to me, 10 year olds all with mobiles phones etc! So for me I think it'll be the other way round.

rwin

I think it depends on the kids too. My kids seem like kids compared to some of their friends. The oldest is 13 and doesn't seem interested in a cell phone (at least not out loud). She's afraid to get her ears pierced. Still dresses like a kid most of the time. Talking about boys still annoys her. She'd rather ride her bike to the park and play in the playground than go to the mall. We live in the city.

Most of her friends are at about the same point. But some are definitely more grown up. My observation (and its a big generalization) on that is it seems the friends who are only children are the ones who are growing up faster. They seem more likely to hang out with the adults and pick up their habits.

Friends of ours who moved here from the UK a few years ago have kids that are the same age. To me they still seem like kids but maybe they've been here long enough that they've picked up Canadian attitudes (at the very least, the kids don't sound like their parents any more).

triumphguy

My 8 year old still believes in Santa (Fr. Christmas)!

She asked me about it and I paraphrased that line from Elf:

Which is crazier: that all the parents in the world stay up 'til 3am wrapping presents and then pretend there is a Santa, or that there really is a santa who can do it miraculously... I mean..... Have you ever seen a tired parent on Christmas day?

To which she had replied she hadn't seen a tired parent on Christmas day... ergo....

stepnek

I don't think there's much difference at all. There's nothing especially magical about Canada that sprinkles some kind of star dust on children growing up here. It just depends on the kids, their parents and a host of other influences as to how they grow up. The only thing I notice that is different is generally a slightly less aggressive nature from some of the teens. But I can only speak for where I happen to live.

fledermaus

I worked in a hospital not far from where Christmasoompa lives, and now I work in a hospital in rural Canada. The kids I meet here as patients are much "nicer", mind you so are the parents. In the main they are non-stroppy, considerate, polite people with minds of their own but know enough to consider others.

We have had kids in on work experience too, they have to work almost each morning for a semester and not just observe for a couple of weeks. I like them.

Piff Poff

Just blitzed through as I'm about to go out so, here's an example we live in a city of 80,000ish, my daughter had some friends over for a sleepover when she was 10, all the girls (3 of them) brought barbies. My daughter was horrified, she came up to me quietly and said Mum, they've all brought barbies what do I do? I told her to tell them that she had had to sell hers when she moved over could she please borrow. I promptly got supper ready and found some other entertainment for them.

My daughter gave up on barbies at around age 5.

leepee

I think part of it is that parents seem to be more involved in their kids lives...The parents I know anyway....Some of that is through choice, eg parents here seem to volunteer more - the number of fathers who give up their w/ends to do coaching etc I find amazing...Also it is through necessity - kids need to be driven here, there and everywhere 'cos of limited public transport. A friend was telling me the other day that she loves the time in the car with her kids because it is extra time to chat!!

We are in Calgary and all the kids I know care far more about charging around than about cell phones...I know 2 10 yr olds who still believe in the Easter Bunny for God's sake!!! They just love being outdoors and playing in the street with their friends - which they do every afternoon/night without fail...

I never had kids in the UK so I really don't know how it compares...I am fairly certain the 'bad' is taken out of all proportion but then what would I know!!!?

L

ann m

This is something I wrote a while ago, but I think it still holds true ....

" I’ve heard it said that kids are kids for longer here in Canada. I only partially agree. Within their own peer group, the girls are still ‘children’ – but they are exposed to a much wider range of age-groups here (on the school bus, in the playground, friend’s siblings, etc) and I wasn’t quite anticipating discussing with my (at the time) rather innocent 9 year old the meaning of bi-sexuality, sex and drugs, or a whole impressive array of swear words she has been exposed to. I’m not one for hiding topics or avoiding the issues, and you’d be hard pushed to offend me – it just took me a little by surprise I guess. Of course I knew these topics were coming at some point in the not too distant future, but when a 9 year old asks you for the definition of rape, it caught me off guard "

I've found most young children more 'forward' and at ease chatting to adults, and most teenagers vaguely talkative and happy to pass the time of day, and again, at ease chatting to adults ... There is a much lesser sprinkling of "kevin's" grunting here than in the UK. Alcohol and drugs are quite prevalent, but it's hidden indoors, and not on the street corners while beating the crap out of some innocent passer-by - well, hardly ever, anyway.

That's not to say that the mall's aren't full of young girls with their hair identically straightened, tons of make up and precise fashions, while texting on the latest greatest pink cell phone. I still dread the teen years here as much as I would have done in the UK

stepnek

A realistic summary I'd say Ann.