Roberto1980

The safer environment is rightly or wrongly something I contemplate when thinking of years from now, when our kids hit the teenage 'hanging about the streets' age.. From what I experienced here in the west coast of Scotland, I DO NOT want that for my kids..

If Canada offers our kids a 'safer' environment to grow up in, that's good enough for me. They can learn the history of Scotland / UK from visits and books! lol

Goodbhoy

We are in Toronto (North York).
We are not aware of any expats in the area.
We live in an excellent location by the lake and the views are spectacular.
It is not about LCBO opening times as suggested above in another post

My wife has worked in her 'trade' in managing care for the elderly for the last 30 years and is now being told she can't do this without attending college for 6 months to be retrained.
Basically the only job she can do is a cashier on the till in Wal-Mart or something similar.None of her experience is transferable.
I think for that reason on top of missing family and friends is getting her down.
Life is expensive here with 50% of my pay going on rent and without 2 incomes, there is no spare money to explore and enjoy Canada.
Like I said earlier, the kids love it (me too) and would dearly love to take them around the country but money is tight.
I think finding a job will be the key but everything seems so slow and laid back on that front.
We have been here 6 weeks and not even a hint of a job.

I have even applied for a couple of additional part time jobs myself without reply.

Yes, we came here for the kids, but it is a struggle which I hope we persevere with and come of the tunnel at the other end

DandNHill

I sent you a PM...

Shard

Are your older kids quite happy in Canada? I've often read stories on here where mid teenage kids pine for their UK life.

Oh, and thugs in rural Sussex, you cannot be serious.

Goodbhoy

Replied to your very kind PM

DandNHill

There are hoodies in rural Sussex. There are some dodgy villages on the Downs you know!!!!

My oldest is 23 now and living with his Canadian girlfriend in Halifax. He seems very happy and settled. I hope they wait but wouldn't be surprised if they told me I was to be a grandmother soon!!!

My 21 year old is in Toronto and having great fun. He has had more girlfriends than I can keep up with - I'm not allowed to meet any of them - and has a bunch of male friends he hangs out with...

The 16 year old is the only one who worries me a little. We had to move from NS to ON so yet another move and I think he's a bit worried about making close friends in case we move him again. He's in grade 10 and I have promised him that whatever the future throws at us we will not move again until he is done with school but I still worry - it's my job! He does have a bunch of friends here but they all seem to spend too much time at home on their computers instead of being out somewhere having fun together.

As for the 10 year old, he is Canadian really. Although he still has his English accent he speaks Canadian not English... Every so often he asks for an explanation of a word as he only know the Canadian equivalent! lol

So on the whole I would say that their transition went very well.

I get the feeling from my own experience as a child (3 countries growing up) and observing them that somehow boys adapt more easily than girls...but that might just be my experience...

colchar

Pardon?!?!



Don't take that seriously.

colchar

Sweet Jebus, what a load of tripe. If you live in some impoverished and gang ridden area then maybe, but for the majority of people that is a ridiculous claim. I've lived here most of my life and the only person I've ever known personally who was shot was a cop - and he was shot in a real crap-hole of an area.

DandNHill

Oink likes to shock!!! Don't know how he does it!!

I don't worry about where my boys are. I don't constantly worry about their safety... it feels just as safe, maybe safer than the UK although maybe I'm just not a worrier!!

colchar

All shops do not close. Many malls are open on holidays (Sunday hours).

For example, scroll down here to see the hours for the Bramalea City Centre mall on Victoria Day:

http://bramaleacitycentre.ca/#

Shard

Seems a successful transition. Especially for Mr 21

DandNHill

Yes Mr 21 is enjoying life to the full...yet he still has time for his Mum!!!!

HGerchikov

We did not move 'for the kids', we came because we could and the kids were young enough that if we had to go home after our 3 year work permit expired, their education would not have suffered as they would still be young enough to slot back into the UK system. The lifestyle here really suits both of our boys, they both like outdoor activities and playing sports, both are available in abundance here. I am not the sort of parent who believes that kids should be watched at all times, so they had the freedom to go out there, climb trees, jump over creeks, and slide down mud hills to their heart's content. I have come across the helicopter parent here, but I also met them in the UK. In general I would say that kids are out in the street more here than where we were in England.

The comments about drugs by the way are absolutely true, they are everywhere, but alcohol, and general loutish behaviour (at least in my area) much less so. So the teenagers you meet in the street may well be stoned, but they are very polite with it

We have also devoted a lot more time and money to the kids sporting activities here than we ever would have in the UK, so the youngest boy particularly, has had a more interesting childhood, travelling all over North America playing in high level ice and roller hockey tournaments. We had the time and money to devote to this because we had no other social life, no family, no lifelong friends here etc. I think that, had we been Canadian, and moved to the UK, the kids would have benefited in much the same way (although I suspect the activities may have been different).

My boys were 9 and 5 when we moved here, they are 19 (nearly 20) and 16 now.

Piff Poff

Are you saying I'm lying? Im not, it was very real and terrifying. Alcohol and drugs were consumed at school by my daughters peers, something else learned from the older kids, a couple of years ago there were 7 yes7 suicides in Red Deer high schools in the space of a few months. One of my daughters friends called one night to ask how many painkillers were too many, she had taken 50. But to me the biggest fear is driving, so many people die on the roads. I have been to 2 funerals, both under 20 and parents of one of my daughters school mates parents were both killed by a drunk driver. Drunk driving is still seen as socially acceptable in many areas, especially rurally.

Anyone who thinks life is all roses here needs a firm grip on reality, kids are not street wise, they are not taught how to deal with problems and are not equipped with how to deal with consequences. My daughter and her best friend were talking about how many kids they were in middle school with have babies, it seems to be an achievement to have avoided teen pregnancy. My daughter is 20.

scilly

Piff Poff ................


do you have graduated licenses for new drivers?

I can tell you that the incidence of drunk driving, especially at graduation time, has been much reduced here in BC. The combined effects of constant road blocks which can now be set up all year round if the police wish, not just at Christmas and New, and the graduated license.

Yes, it does happen, but the frequency is way down.

Suicides in high school happen everywhere ....... even in the UK ....... and a lot of it is due to stress imposed by parents and society.

I'm sure that drunk driving happens at about the same rate in the UK, from what I read and hear on the news!

I no longer have a child in the Vancouver school system, but I do keep my eyes adn ears open.

The largest number of teens in trouble here are First Nations ......... and I am not about to get into why that is!

Go upcountry, and you get the louts and the rednecks, and the ones who think drinking and driving is fine ............. but they are now by far at the older end of the spectrum. I'm always very impressed with the attitude of the teenagers when we go to the small towns and villages further north.

I do think that you have had a pretty unusual experience .......... one that I might have expected in Surrey 10 or 15 years ago, or maybe in Winnipeg in schools with high numbers of First Nations students.