Hi Guys!!

I am sure this has been asked a thousand times and then some but I would love to hear how you think living and lifestyle in the UK compares to the same in Canada.

If you have children how they found growing up in Canada compared with the UK.

Thank you all in advance

Vertically....in both.

I think it depends massively on where you are in the UK and/or Canada, just comparing the countries doesn't work imo.

For us personally, the UK is better for our children at the moment, although that may well change in the future, but then we live in a lovely area - I'm sure I'd feel very differently if I was bringing them up in Moss Side.

I am not asking which is better as one mans heaven another mans hell and all that.

just be interesting to know what are the lifestyle differences. Is there a big drinking culture in Canada like there is over here now?

Is there more of a community feel over there? I know some parts of UK still retain that but am asking in a general sense.

Are there any massive cultural differences?

All views and experiences welcome (even the negative ones)

There are no significant cultural differences between Camden Town and Cabbagetown.

Trouble is, it's all so subjective, and really does vary depending on the area.

Personally, I think that the drinking culture is bigger in the UK, but then I'd say the drugs culture is bigger in Canada and teens seem to do cannabis there rather than down ciders.

IMO, there's more of a community feel in the UK. But again, that's probably because I have almost always lived in villages in the UK which are very friendly and have lots of community stuff going on, plus there's that 'popping in for a cuppa' mentality that I never found in Canada. But then I didn't live rurally in Canada, so it's not comparing like for like.

But the above are generalisations based only on the specific places I've lived in the UK and Canada, and no doubt others will disagree depending on where they live. That's why I think it's a very open ended question, and hard to be specific or give you examples of lifestyle differences.

Three months in and my kids have more freedom than in the UK. (We lived in a small village in West Sussex and now live in a very small town in Nova Scotia)

Previous poster was right about the drugs though. One of my boys is in Grade 12 and he said "they're all doing it quite openly". Slight exaggeration perhaps but it is obviously more common here.
Overall kids seem more respectful. Hoodies are just kids who have hoods on, not thugs as they're always portrayed to be in the UK!

That's it there...all kids who wear hoodies are not thugs, they are just portrayed that way, the media help with that!
I know plenty of polite well mannered teens in the UK. We never had any problems at all when we were there.

The drinking culture has been around forever in the UK. Don't you remember drinking when you were younger? I do.
We look at it different now because we are parents and we don't want our kids ding what we did.

I have found that drugs are very widely used here in Canada. The kids stand around outside the schools and smoke away, you can smell it a mile off!

The knife culture is increasing here also. There was a 17 year old accused of stabbing and killing a man the other day and there was an incident on the local bus with youths using knives. Some kids in my daughters school in grade 11 carry knives and use them when threatened or for threatening.

We brought my eldest here when she was 12 and have had a real rough few years so who knows if it would have been any different in England. I know the friends she left behind are doing really well, either in 6th form or college.

Have to say I was shocked at the level of weed smoking over here and so is my 16 year old. This is one of the reasons why he won't socialise here 'don't want to be hanging around with a load of pot heads'. Within each group he has met so far at school a good proportion smoke weed, he can't get away from it, so he stays in apart from when he goes to the gym with one of the non smokers.

in Canada?

Hi there

We came out to Calgary five years ago now with three kids in tow. Searching for a better life/bigger house/shorter working hours/ etc the usual things.

I would say I don't think there is a big culture of drinking in the UK-from my experience - its more the media displaying pictures of youngsters drunk in city centres. Yes there is drinking in the UK because there are pubs and nightclubs but it tends to get blown out of all proportion when there is no better news that night. Of course you see leeds city centre revellers on the streets in the early hours. I don't know about you but I wouldn't want to be there to watch! not now anyway.

I've been to Calgary's saloons/bars/cafes for a night out with friends but the area of city centres is so much larger than the Uk that you don't really notice drunk behaviour. But the clubs are full anyhow.

People are people wherever you go and I guess beer and wine are sold readily in both countries.

In answer to your question re - sense of community - I would say its good in both countries. Our neighbours on both occasions have been great and kind to us. We may have just have been lucky I'm not sure.

I find the drug culture is bigger than the drink culture, but then the kids drink to excess too given half a chance, it's just not in your face. Drugs are readily available to the kids, with some kids starting in middles school, teen pregnancy is also just as big a problem.

yes Canada

Yep teens drink here but not on street corners. They dreink in the parks at night or in peoples basements. I know this first hand!

I think it is better for people to travel to and live in different countries for the experience and what they have to offer rather than comparing everything with the UK. Diversity is what makes the World interesting.