englishrose

hi, we will shortly be returning to the uk after 18mths in canada.Its just not worked out here for numerous reasons and we are happy to be going home ....BUT.... i have the worries about my kids .
I have heard from so many people about the stabbings in british schools .Is this true ?? Or more press hype?
We dont have a choice about returning,i would really like to hear from decent law abiding citizens who dont want to see the country go to the dogs,who dont believe we will be "over run with muslims",who can string a sentence together without swearing(sounds petty maybe,but its been great here not hearing foul language !)
Its been so good to read this forum ,as you all seem to be of the same mindset , that uk is a great country with a lot to offer.
Seasprite,when i read your post about returning ,i just cried,as that is EXACTLY how i felt.No its not perfect.but its home ,and generally the people are great .
Sorry to have gone on a bit,im excited but scared for my kids aswell.We are heading to a beautiful area in the north,crime stats are low.
I think people are the same wherever you go in the world,some good some bad.
thanks for listening !!

mandtooz

you will be fine! dont listen to the hype, sure there are some bad kids, like there are anywhere and as for swearing, i hear more in oz, . The radio stations are terrible for it, and adverts are not very tactful! There is good and bad in both countries.

Goodluck, when are you returning

englishrose

hi !
we are returning mid summer.
The tv in canada here is appalling ....the exorcist was on every day the other week at 2 in the afternoon !
They're always advertising viagra,and meds for herpes.
Lovely !
When are you going home?And where to if you dont mind me asking

mackinnon

What you've got to remember about the UK is that the press love a sensational story, also the local papers (at least the Glasgow ones) report a great deal of the crime.

Here in Melbourne we stay in something like the 5th highest crime-ridden division out of about 30-odd in the whole city.

Funny then that when I got hold of the free local rag there was not ONE crime story in it.

I'd rather know what's going on than get lulled into a false sense of security.

Good luck with your move back, the UK is a good place to live.

mandtooz

hello, yes same here!! lol, but not really very funny, the latest advert for viagra had my 11 yr old asking questions and as she has had the facts of life i struggled to explain without lying which i didnt want to do..........but on the same note! theres being honest and being honest

we are going HOME IN 12 WEEKS!!!! we are heading back rural shropshire, cant wait!

englishrose

thanks for that Mackinnon.
We wrote a list of pros and cons for canada and the UK ,there were more cons in the uk ,but also more pros.We will have to live with and deal with the annoyances,in order to live the life we love.All that hiking and camping in the dales is too much to be away from !
At least there arent any bears and cougars out there !

englishrose

my daughter is 10 and asked what genital herpes was.After i finished choking i did my usual "i'll tell you when you're older"
ok its a cop out,but for goodness sake !!
We should be flying back roughly when you are.maybe a couple of weeks sooner.
good luck !

mandtooz

arrr thats not fair, you cant go before me!!!
well at least you will be able to reassure us lot still here that the uk is nice, you should do a search for louised posts, she keeps me going that girl!!

mackinnon

Absolutely spot-on.

I wrote this a few days ago on here, pretty much the same as what you are saying:

Some people get confused & think Australia is "better" country than the UK, it isn't, it is on a par with it.

To me, I equate living in Australia to betting on a "safe horse" with low odds. If you don't like risks, then Oz is for you. It's safe.

But if you want higher returns & are willing to risk it then the UK might be your "horse".

TraceyW

englishrose you are not alone in your worrying that's for sure. Most of us with kids worry like hell that the UK is a cess pit of hoodies, chavs, drugs, gang fights and shootings. No doubt all of these things are blown out of proportion by the media.

If it was just me and hubby I wouldn't have to think about our decision; we'd be home asap. But I worry that my kids will be stuck indoors so much 'cos it's tipping it down outside, or it's dark at 3.30, or it's not safe to let them out as they're so young....the list goes on and on.

I live in the land of confusion. Welcome to the club!

wafc

Dont you just hate the land of confusion Tracey! I know I do!!

When can we get back to the land of the sane?!

pommybird

Hi englishrose, Tracey and all those in the land of confusion - yes having kids certainly makes you put a different perspective on what is important in life and how you view the world - we all want 'a better' life for our kids but whether that be in Canada, Oz or the UK is such a personal decision.

I have lived in Oz and in the UK and for me a better life for my kids is in the UK - but I'm sure if you asked someone on the Aussie forums they would disagree and say Oz provides that 'better life' and similarly Canada for some peeps on the Canadian forum.

I think only you as a parent can decide - for me I see a 'better life' for my kids as being surrounded by close and extended family and friends, having a quality relationship with grandparents, cousins and uncles, growing up with Europe and all it offers on their doorstep, a plethora of places to visit across the UK, a decent education system, and growing up with a sense of belonging and roots. For others they will say Oz provides a better life because of the better weather, they think it's a more outdoors lifestyle etc etc, some would say Canada for other reasons.......my point is - it's all so personal and it all depends on what is important in life for you and what you feel is important for your children.

Being a parent is THE most difficult job in the world we all make decision for them which we can only hope are the right ones, I personally choose the UK every time, yes we have our problems here (same as Oz and Canada) but todays society can be a right nasty place anywhere in the world. I feel all we can do is raise and teach them as best we can to be good people and to keep themselves safe and hope and pray that they have the good sense to do the rest themselves!!

seasprite

Ahh, good luck and don't worry so much. Wherever we live we will be worrying parents! There have been no stabbings in any Dorset schools, in fact not many stabbings at all anywhere.I get to see the real story alot of the time due to my job and it is ok here.Remember that the media have a job to sell stories. Bad things can and will happen anywhere. can't stop kids crying! sorry will be back..

polarbearmum

I too worry a little about the news stories that find their way over here - usually the most sensational ones of course. I have been away, except for holidays, for 6 years and it will be 6.5 by the time I get back.
My nephews are doing fine in the UK, still very much into football and sports. Yes they do have a mobile phone and yes the youngest one (not so young now but when I left he was only like 6 so he will always be that age for me until I get back full time) does already have a girlfriend, a little young in my eyes but then he takes after his mum. I know my sister was just as bad at the same age and that was back in the early 80's.
So we are going back to the area I grew up in, with our 3 boys and will work our hardest not to allow them to grow up into horrors. Their close family should help, something that is not really in existence here. There are little monsters over here aswell, a few of them walk past my house every night after school and my FIL teaches at a school in Calgary that seems to be equally full of them.
I think that no matter where you are, if you are not supportive, loving and there for your kids they will eventually get into trouble. Unless they are really into winter sports, what will they get up to as they get older in places where the winter seems to last for 6 months or more. Just my view mind.
So we will be on that plane by mid-september. Our departure date having to be delayed as my SIL is getting married on 15th. Always assuming we can sell the house, sell the car, pass the lease on from the van, get OH visa, ship our stuff, get plane tickets and the dog booked onto the same flight. Wow when I look at that list I get scared. What scares me more though is the $10,000 bill for flights home that we will be facing when our youngest turns 2 next year!!!!!!
Good luck with everything, it will work out for you as long as you all stick together and remember you are doing this for the long term benefit of your kids.

LouiseD

Returning to the UK is a worry, mainly because like you said there are horror stories about muggings, murders, stabbings etc. The truth of it is though that these things do happen in other countries but like Mackinnon said, they are simply glossed over and not reported in the same way that they do here. Only good things are reported. Here in the UK even good things are given a bad slant just to make it sound a bit more juicy.

The reality of living in the UK is that it is a lovely place to live for many people. Obviously if you live on a rough estate with thugs and hooligans and nasty neighbours your life is going to be miserable. But the majority of people live in decent areas with decent neighbours. There is so much to do here if you choose to look for it. Of course you get the whingers who constantly moan about the weather - you know the ones who complain that their kids just sit in front of the TV all day because it rains all the time but if you choose to enjoy your life and get out and about, there are so many lovely places to see and explore.

It's a great place to live