Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off?
#92
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 829
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
In the UK often the people who go on about britishness and use the flag have been the types of people that I would not like to be associated with. They view british as being white anglo-saxon and are often sympathetic to the views of the BNP. These types of people sicken me and I would not like to be associated with them. And so avoided displaying the flag.
The only times when I have felt able to wave the flag in the UK has been during things like the European or World cup or events at that level.
#93
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 156
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Canada is a very parochial and insular place to grow up. I don't think Canadian kids are anywhere near as 'worldly' or generally globally-aware as British kids are.
We as Brits can all appreciate the superiority of, for example, the BBC for news - it's the British background. Imagine growing up without that reference, without the constant quality of news and current affairs discussions that Britain is so good at... how ignorant and isolated do you think that might make you in comparison?
We as Brits can all appreciate the superiority of, for example, the BBC for news - it's the British background. Imagine growing up without that reference, without the constant quality of news and current affairs discussions that Britain is so good at... how ignorant and isolated do you think that might make you in comparison?
#94
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
It varies - mainly these internet radio stations:
NPR
CBC
ABC (Australian National radio which is v. good imo and a lot better coverage of the Asia/Pacific region)
sometimes I listen to the Beeb online, but with the time difference the interesting shows don't tend be on when I like them. I don't like the BBC website news much, which is what I was referring to.
NPR
CBC
ABC (Australian National radio which is v. good imo and a lot better coverage of the Asia/Pacific region)
sometimes I listen to the Beeb online, but with the time difference the interesting shows don't tend be on when I like them. I don't like the BBC website news much, which is what I was referring to.
#96
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Joined: Jun 2008
Location: oakville ON
Posts: 350
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Yes, it's your comment (tried to move it to a new thread, but seems to veered completely off the original question and we are now on immigration)!
Well, some of see it as a positive to be away from our relatives.... we've maintained a safe distance of 200 miles for the past 20 years, but now the kids are growing older, seems wise to put an ocean between us. Seriously, you don't know our families. There is no way we would be flying back to the UK every year to see them so that's an expense we can safely discount. The only member of our extended family I have any desire to see lives in Canada.
There must be some really good reasons out there why people feel their kids are better off in Canada, despite a reduction in finances, otherwise they would not do it. Money isn't the only thing that affects your quality of life - lots of amusements are free (no smutty comments please).
So... can we move off from immigration/nepotism/class structure and come back to the original question before it gets lost forever - I really do want people's experiences please!
Well, some of see it as a positive to be away from our relatives.... we've maintained a safe distance of 200 miles for the past 20 years, but now the kids are growing older, seems wise to put an ocean between us. Seriously, you don't know our families. There is no way we would be flying back to the UK every year to see them so that's an expense we can safely discount. The only member of our extended family I have any desire to see lives in Canada.
There must be some really good reasons out there why people feel their kids are better off in Canada, despite a reduction in finances, otherwise they would not do it. Money isn't the only thing that affects your quality of life - lots of amusements are free (no smutty comments please).
So... can we move off from immigration/nepotism/class structure and come back to the original question before it gets lost forever - I really do want people's experiences please!
We have really struggled financially , hoping this will change as the business grows, but a lot of our hard earned house money has gone down the swanney!!
We are still in rented as the exchanges are so bad and not 100% committed to this country.
The little ones are too young to comment on their happiness here as they would be happy anywhere.
Our eldest has had a hard time settling in school and often gets upset wanting to be back home.
The schools here are a lot bigger than what she was used to. I have to admit that the friends she had at home she was a lot more close to (we lived in a 10,000 pop) so she would see all these kids outside of school.
Its an ok school, but her education levals and interest in school in general have gone completly donwhill.
Its a real shame when you see your child learning stuff she learnt a long time ago, no longer being able to spell words she spelt years before (there is no emphasis on learning how to spell correctly), maybe this changes as she gets older but it drives me insane. She will come back with work (direct from a work booklet as per) with spelling mistakes, i ask her, did your teacher read through this? answer - Yes. there have been no corrections on her grammer or spelling! When i ask the teacher she says thats how the system is taught here??!!
Imo, the schools are not as good, there are a few spoilt canadian princesses (as i call them). A lot of emphasis, on who has what, what fantastic ballet school they go to. A lot of canadian kids have so much! It always amazes me to see how many toys, outdoor stuff etc etc they have. Toys R US is always busy!!
Should never have taken out of her fantastic little school in the UK where she was so happy, all the parents knew eachother, you got the know the teachers, was a lovely community school, nothing like that exists here unless you were to live in an remote village somewhere.
I am basing my experiences on Ontario, other areas may be different.
What else is better for the kids - they get to play out more in the spring/summer as the weathers nice, summer though some of the days too hot for little ones.
In the winter, they can play in the snow (unless its too cold).
There are a lot of activities they can partake in, but gets expensive.
Bring lots of money! Its not cheap.
Sorry to sound so negative but you wanted opions of parents with kids here and these are my mine.
I just want to go home, back to my pretty, characterful, friendly village.
#97
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
I have 3 young children (8,4,and 3), we moved out here a year ago. We came for probably a lot of reasons people come out. We had an opportunity to start a new business, thought the kids would be so much better off here in the future etc etc.
We have really struggled financially , hoping this will change as the business grows, but a lot of our hard earned house money has gone down the swanney!!
We are still in rented as the exchanges are so bad and not 100% committed to this country.
The little ones are too young to comment on their happiness here as they would be happy anywhere.
Our eldest has had a hard time settling in school and often gets upset wanting to be back home.
The schools here are a lot bigger than what she was used to. I have to admit that the friends she had at home she was a lot more close to (we lived in a 10,000 pop) so she would see all these kids outside of school.
Its an ok school, but her education levals and interest in school in general have gone completly donwhill.
Its a real shame when you see your child learning stuff she learnt a long time ago, no longer being able to spell words she spelt years before (there is no emphasis on learning how to spell correctly), maybe this changes as she gets older but it drives me insane. She will come back with work (direct from a work booklet as per) with spelling mistakes, i ask her, did your teacher read through this? answer - Yes. there have been no corrections on her grammer or spelling! When i ask the teacher she says thats how the system is taught here??!!
Imo, the schools are not as good, there are a few spoilt canadian princesses (as i call them). A lot of emphasis, on who has what, what fantastic ballet school they go to. A lot of canadian kids have so much! It always amazes me to see how many toys, outdoor stuff etc etc they have. Toys R US is always busy!!
Should never have taken out of her fantastic little school in the UK where she was so happy, all the parents knew eachother, you got the know the teachers, was a lovely community school, nothing like that exists here unless you were to live in an remote village somewhere.
I am basing my experiences on Ontario, other areas may be different.
What else is better for the kids - they get to play out more in the spring/summer as the weathers nice, summer though some of the days too hot for little ones.
In the winter, they can play in the snow (unless its too cold).
There are a lot of activities they can partake in, but gets expensive.
Bring lots of money! Its not cheap.
Sorry to sound so negative but you wanted opions of parents with kids here and these are my mine.
I just want to go home, back to my pretty, characterful, friendly village.
We have really struggled financially , hoping this will change as the business grows, but a lot of our hard earned house money has gone down the swanney!!
We are still in rented as the exchanges are so bad and not 100% committed to this country.
The little ones are too young to comment on their happiness here as they would be happy anywhere.
Our eldest has had a hard time settling in school and often gets upset wanting to be back home.
The schools here are a lot bigger than what she was used to. I have to admit that the friends she had at home she was a lot more close to (we lived in a 10,000 pop) so she would see all these kids outside of school.
Its an ok school, but her education levals and interest in school in general have gone completly donwhill.
Its a real shame when you see your child learning stuff she learnt a long time ago, no longer being able to spell words she spelt years before (there is no emphasis on learning how to spell correctly), maybe this changes as she gets older but it drives me insane. She will come back with work (direct from a work booklet as per) with spelling mistakes, i ask her, did your teacher read through this? answer - Yes. there have been no corrections on her grammer or spelling! When i ask the teacher she says thats how the system is taught here??!!
Imo, the schools are not as good, there are a few spoilt canadian princesses (as i call them). A lot of emphasis, on who has what, what fantastic ballet school they go to. A lot of canadian kids have so much! It always amazes me to see how many toys, outdoor stuff etc etc they have. Toys R US is always busy!!
Should never have taken out of her fantastic little school in the UK where she was so happy, all the parents knew eachother, you got the know the teachers, was a lovely community school, nothing like that exists here unless you were to live in an remote village somewhere.
I am basing my experiences on Ontario, other areas may be different.
What else is better for the kids - they get to play out more in the spring/summer as the weathers nice, summer though some of the days too hot for little ones.
In the winter, they can play in the snow (unless its too cold).
There are a lot of activities they can partake in, but gets expensive.
Bring lots of money! Its not cheap.
Sorry to sound so negative but you wanted opions of parents with kids here and these are my mine.
I just want to go home, back to my pretty, characterful, friendly village.
Slightly OT but my daughter was criticized in her last school report for not using 'creative spelling" i.e. making shit up. Um, what??? How dare she try and spell correctly. She's in K though.
Overall, though, our school is a lot like the one you described in the UK. Small, parents know each other, lots of community involvement. I love our school. Too bad about the creative spelling (hee).
#98
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Ballet recitals at the Oakville Centre involved the most flagrant displays of competitive spending I've witnessed. Stretched limos for the performers, huge bouquets of flowers, this for ten year old JonBenéts.
#99
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: oakville ON
Posts: 350
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Sorry you're having a rough go. Oakville is kinda snobby isn't it? or so I hear. I have been avoiding the whole ballet thing like the plague...ugh ugh ugh. It seems to attract a certain type of parent.
Slightly OT but my daughter was criticized in her last school report for not using 'creative spelling" i.e. making shit up. Um, what??? How dare she try and spell correctly. She's in K though.
Overall, though, our school is a lot like the one you described in the UK. Small, parents know each other, lots of community involvement. I love our school. Too bad about the creative spelling (hee).
Slightly OT but my daughter was criticized in her last school report for not using 'creative spelling" i.e. making shit up. Um, what??? How dare she try and spell correctly. She's in K though.
Overall, though, our school is a lot like the one you described in the UK. Small, parents know each other, lots of community involvement. I love our school. Too bad about the creative spelling (hee).
I think i came onto the forum today particularly homesick and weepy, so not the best time to put keypad to screen!!
There are lots of positives about Canada too, just to make it clear i don't dislike the country, just not sure if i can be here for many moons to come, oh and its turning me into an overweight alcoholic!!
#100
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
WTF? That can't actually be true!!
#101
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: oakville ON
Posts: 350
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Oh dear, i just enrolled my little one - i'll get the limo ordered now!!
#102
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Actually I don't think it's far from that here. Well, maybe not the limos, but all the rest? yup. It's like the "middle class" version of child beauty pageants.
I'm staying away.
#103
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
But this is the same teacher who banned the words "stupid" and "silly" from her classroom. So...
#104
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 829
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Life expectancy is better in Canada.
My children will be able to afford to buy a new home in Canada without asking me to help them pay for it.
I feel people are much more open about their cultures.
When I lived in the UK Ilived in a very multicultural area, bu people were more private. Here, they teach you their language, they share their culture and history.
I had an Italian friend who told me all about their wedding traditions, history and values. He was also very open about the mafia and organised crime. If I asked half the questions I asked him here in the UK, someone would have been offended.
My children will be able to afford to buy a new home in Canada without asking me to help them pay for it.
I feel people are much more open about their cultures.
When I lived in the UK Ilived in a very multicultural area, bu people were more private. Here, they teach you their language, they share their culture and history.
I had an Italian friend who told me all about their wedding traditions, history and values. He was also very open about the mafia and organised crime. If I asked half the questions I asked him here in the UK, someone would have been offended.
#105
slanderer of the innocent
Joined: Dec 2008
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 6,695
Re: Are your children better off in Canada, even though you are financially worse off
Life expectancy is better in Canada.
My children will be able to afford to buy a new home in Canada without asking me to help them pay for it.I feel people are much more open about their cultures.
When I lived in the UK Ilived in a very multicultural area, bu people were more private. Here, they teach you their language, they share their culture and history.
I had an Italian friend who told me all about their wedding traditions, history and values. He was also very open about the mafia and organised crime. If I asked half the questions I asked him here in the UK, someone would have been offended.
My children will be able to afford to buy a new home in Canada without asking me to help them pay for it.I feel people are much more open about their cultures.
When I lived in the UK Ilived in a very multicultural area, bu people were more private. Here, they teach you their language, they share their culture and history.
I had an Italian friend who told me all about their wedding traditions, history and values. He was also very open about the mafia and organised crime. If I asked half the questions I asked him here in the UK, someone would have been offended.