This comes up as an excuses/reason for emigrating time and time again. As paulgreen puts it on another thread, "Your children will have far more opportunities here than in the UK."

Personally I think that on the whole that hypothesis is pretty much bo**ocks, so where do others stand on this one?

I disagree, there are obviously loads more opportunities here and not only that, kids can be kids for longer.

Not sure about the opportunities I've been away from the UK to know anything at all about the job market there.

As far as kids being kids longer here, that is changing for the worse here too. So how long that will apply who knows? Is it just a perception now? Was it always a perception?

My kids used to leave home in the morning and be gone for hours, we never worried about them. That doesn't seem to be the case with today's kids, we hardly ever see any of them out playing, they're in day camps or at week long or longer camps. Seldom do we see kids just playing none organized activities in our neighborhood.

I had young kids in the UK and young kids here. I believe there is little difference except that, when we were looking to leave England, the likelihood of our little ones being able to afford to buy a house when they grew up was much less than their ability to be able to do so in Calgary.

While waiting, the real estate market in Calgary rocketed upwards, and the market went down in England. I would say that, on a current affordability basis for an average earner, they are on a par.

I do not subscribe that kids are safer here, but then I don't live in the sticks and we lived in a nice area in England. It's not as if we went from Moss Side to Quinte

I am not one to wrap my kids in cotton wool and, I believe, they are much the better for it

Doesn't this post belong to a Friday morning?

It depends on the field.

- It's easier getting into med school in the UK vs Canada, many Canadians who could not get accepted over here move to the UK and other countries.

- Finding a teaching position in Ontario and many other provinces is very competitive.

- Job prospects for engineering and business grads are no different than in the UK or US.

Putting it up now gives it time to gain a little traction.

For who's benefit is it that children remain children for longer ? I assume it's the never Neverland parents. By the way, would someone please explain to me what a lifestyle is for children. As in, 'my children have a better lifestyle than in UK.' Lets assume the age of child to be newborn to 18 years old ? I've also noticed those who 'bang the drum' for emigration are those families who have children and the children are happy. Funny how families lose interest in their chosen country once the children have gone to university. Especially if the university just happens to be back in UK, of course !

Let's be honest, people move for themselves and then - for self-justification means - say that it was for their children.

It's all relative, innit? For us, that's easy - our life in Toronto is much better for our small kids than it was in London. We didn't move for them, but I had a hunch that it would/could be better and so far it has proved to be true.

It's all bollox of course. What they really mean is "to have an enormous house that we couldn't have in the UK. And a truck. And a ATV/Skidoo/Ride on Mower/Boat/Jet Ski/deck/gazeebo/3 car garage etc etc..."

we didn't move here just for our kids....but I will say that Canada is a great country to raise children in...at least my boys will be able to buy a house around here with an average wage

Unless they emigrate for better opportunities

I've posted it before and I'll post it again
http://www.unicef.ca/portal/Secure/C...S/IRC7/RC7.pdf
Canada is better than the UK to raise children according to this study.

Each to their own.......who are you to judge?

Unless they want to live in lower mainland BC.