how is life with kids over there?
May 1st 2014, 7:45 am
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 167
how is life with kids over there?
hello hello
we are in london and we tough of moving to australia but too hard...
so i'm considering spain and holland
holland has a good reputation but:
how is the job climate over there?mostly in the building sector
how is when you are self employed?
what benefits kids get? (health school and so on)
how is the living cost?
how is life in general for you there?
thanks
we are in london and we tough of moving to australia but too hard...
so i'm considering spain and holland
holland has a good reputation but:
how is the job climate over there?mostly in the building sector
how is when you are self employed?
what benefits kids get? (health school and so on)
how is the living cost?
how is life in general for you there?
thanks
May 1st 2014, 12:22 pm
#2
Joined: May 2006
Location: Galicia
Posts: 3,140
Re: how is life with kids over there?
Well you first off really need to make your mind up on which country.
Some of the answers to your questions can be found in the WIKI for the section covering The Netherlands.
If you read through the postings, especially newer ones you will see there do seem to be a lot that cannot cope with NL. A few others do well.
Some of the answers to your questions can be found in the WIKI for the section covering The Netherlands.
If you read through the postings, especially newer ones you will see there do seem to be a lot that cannot cope with NL. A few others do well.
May 1st 2014, 12:25 pm
#3
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 167
Re: how is life with kids over there?
i'm comparing ....ideally i would have moved to australia as i said but it's far too difficult for us so i'm thinking spain (weather lifestyle but scared of unemployment ) and holland that seems to be very good in all the sectors
For example if someone would ask me how is life here for kids i would say pro and cons so that's what i'm asking to someone that has relocated there with the family
thanks
For example if someone would ask me how is life here for kids i would say pro and cons so that's what i'm asking to someone that has relocated there with the family
thanks
May 5th 2014, 4:34 pm
#4
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Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Noord Holland
Posts: 568
Re: how is life with kids over there?
Construction is still in the doldrums here too. People aren't spending their savings. If you don't speak any Dutch at all, you've got very little chance of getting work with the regular firms.
Self employment is complicated if you don't read a lot of Dutch, or don't have lots of savings to pay for an accountant to sort things out for you: google 'Kamer van Koophandel' as they have a guide in English. However, the Dutch tax office (Belastingdienst) has only one official language that they use for communication - and it's not English (HMRC is hard enough when we speak the same language... so imagine this!)
what benefits kids get? (health school and so on) Too general a question, and it depends on age and personality as to how they'd settle here.
* Healthwise, it's very similar to the UK - Same immunisations, health visitors are with them through school all the way up to 18 (so that's a bit different), lots of sports clubs and facilities (kids are expected to join a sports or other club which is why they get every Wednesday afternoon free from school), and all kids cycle everywhere so apart from their food, kids are pretty healthy! They will be covered up to their 18th birthday free of charge on their parent's policy (you will be paying €200+ per month for you and your partner's health insurance)
* Schooling: your options are private international (€15000 per child per year), government sponsored international (€5000 per child per year), or Dutch school where everything is taught in Dutch. These are almost free, except that you will be asked for a contribution/presented with a bill each year to cover school trips, materials and other extras. From my own experience, this is around €40 pa at primary level, and €300+ at secondary level which covered school camp/holiday. Primary school is from 5 - 12, secondary depends on your child's academic ability and can last from 4 years (expected to go into trades) to 6 years (expected to achieve postgraduate degree level). Unlike the UK, kids can be kept down a year if they fail to achieve, and they must pass every subject in order to get their school leaving certificate.
The younger your children are, the better they will adapt and the longer they will have to achieve the best Dutch they can, ready for taking their CITOs (equivalent of UK SATS tests) which are, of course, only in Dutch. These tests determine their future in a way they don't in the UK. Your child might want to be a doctor, but if they don't get a high grade because their Dutch fails, they won't get into that stream at secondary level (think old comprehensive/grammar school system). If you have a shy child, or a child who can struggle in some subjects, be prepared for sleepless nights and the guilt if they hate it.
* Family allowance - similar in € to the UK, but paid out every three months, not weekly or 4-weekly. Ensure you have all birth certificates 'apolstiled 'before you apply.
If you or your partner has any concerns about the children, I'm happy to try to answer them. This is a great country for children, but it's still going to be a culture shock for them at first: and if their parents are also suffering (money, job, culture shock), it's going to be very difficult. I can't advise you strongly enough: don't move here without a signed job contract in your hand.
Self employment is complicated if you don't read a lot of Dutch, or don't have lots of savings to pay for an accountant to sort things out for you: google 'Kamer van Koophandel' as they have a guide in English. However, the Dutch tax office (Belastingdienst) has only one official language that they use for communication - and it's not English (HMRC is hard enough when we speak the same language... so imagine this!)
what benefits kids get? (health school and so on) Too general a question, and it depends on age and personality as to how they'd settle here.
* Healthwise, it's very similar to the UK - Same immunisations, health visitors are with them through school all the way up to 18 (so that's a bit different), lots of sports clubs and facilities (kids are expected to join a sports or other club which is why they get every Wednesday afternoon free from school), and all kids cycle everywhere so apart from their food, kids are pretty healthy! They will be covered up to their 18th birthday free of charge on their parent's policy (you will be paying €200+ per month for you and your partner's health insurance)
* Schooling: your options are private international (€15000 per child per year), government sponsored international (€5000 per child per year), or Dutch school where everything is taught in Dutch. These are almost free, except that you will be asked for a contribution/presented with a bill each year to cover school trips, materials and other extras. From my own experience, this is around €40 pa at primary level, and €300+ at secondary level which covered school camp/holiday. Primary school is from 5 - 12, secondary depends on your child's academic ability and can last from 4 years (expected to go into trades) to 6 years (expected to achieve postgraduate degree level). Unlike the UK, kids can be kept down a year if they fail to achieve, and they must pass every subject in order to get their school leaving certificate.
The younger your children are, the better they will adapt and the longer they will have to achieve the best Dutch they can, ready for taking their CITOs (equivalent of UK SATS tests) which are, of course, only in Dutch. These tests determine their future in a way they don't in the UK. Your child might want to be a doctor, but if they don't get a high grade because their Dutch fails, they won't get into that stream at secondary level (think old comprehensive/grammar school system). If you have a shy child, or a child who can struggle in some subjects, be prepared for sleepless nights and the guilt if they hate it.
* Family allowance - similar in € to the UK, but paid out every three months, not weekly or 4-weekly. Ensure you have all birth certificates 'apolstiled 'before you apply.
If you or your partner has any concerns about the children, I'm happy to try to answer them. This is a great country for children, but it's still going to be a culture shock for them at first: and if their parents are also suffering (money, job, culture shock), it's going to be very difficult. I can't advise you strongly enough: don't move here without a signed job contract in your hand.
May 5th 2014, 10:28 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 167
Re: how is life with kids over there?
Construction is still in the doldrums here too. People aren't spending their savings. If you don't speak any Dutch at all, you've got very little chance of getting work with the regular firms.
Self employment is complicated if you don't read a lot of Dutch, or don't have lots of savings to pay for an accountant to sort things out for you: google 'Kamer van Koophandel' as they have a guide in English. However, the Dutch tax office (Belastingdienst) has only one official language that they use for communication - and it's not English (HMRC is hard enough when we speak the same language... so imagine this!)
what benefits kids get? (health school and so on) Too general a question, and it depends on age and personality as to how they'd settle here.
* Healthwise, it's very similar to the UK - Same immunisations, health visitors are with them through school all the way up to 18 (so that's a bit different), lots of sports clubs and facilities (kids are expected to join a sports or other club which is why they get every Wednesday afternoon free from school), and all kids cycle everywhere so apart from their food, kids are pretty healthy! They will be covered up to their 18th birthday free of charge on their parent's policy (you will be paying €200+ per month for you and your partner's health insurance)
* Schooling: your options are private international (€15000 per child per year), government sponsored international (€5000 per child per year), or Dutch school where everything is taught in Dutch. These are almost free, except that you will be asked for a contribution/presented with a bill each year to cover school trips, materials and other extras. From my own experience, this is around €40 pa at primary level, and €300+ at secondary level which covered school camp/holiday. Primary school is from 5 - 12, secondary depends on your child's academic ability and can last from 4 years (expected to go into trades) to 6 years (expected to achieve postgraduate degree level). Unlike the UK, kids can be kept down a year if they fail to achieve, and they must pass every subject in order to get their school leaving certificate.
The younger your children are, the better they will adapt and the longer they will have to achieve the best Dutch they can, ready for taking their CITOs (equivalent of UK SATS tests) which are, of course, only in Dutch. These tests determine their future in a way they don't in the UK. Your child might want to be a doctor, but if they don't get a high grade because their Dutch fails, they won't get into that stream at secondary level (think old comprehensive/grammar school system). If you have a shy child, or a child who can struggle in some subjects, be prepared for sleepless nights and the guilt if they hate it.
* Family allowance - similar in € to the UK, but paid out every three months, not weekly or 4-weekly. Ensure you have all birth certificates 'apolstiled 'before you apply.
If you or your partner has any concerns about the children, I'm happy to try to answer them. This is a great country for children, but it's still going to be a culture shock for them at first: and if their parents are also suffering (money, job, culture shock), it's going to be very difficult. I can't advise you strongly enough: don't move here without a signed job contract in your hand.
Self employment is complicated if you don't read a lot of Dutch, or don't have lots of savings to pay for an accountant to sort things out for you: google 'Kamer van Koophandel' as they have a guide in English. However, the Dutch tax office (Belastingdienst) has only one official language that they use for communication - and it's not English (HMRC is hard enough when we speak the same language... so imagine this!)
what benefits kids get? (health school and so on) Too general a question, and it depends on age and personality as to how they'd settle here.
* Healthwise, it's very similar to the UK - Same immunisations, health visitors are with them through school all the way up to 18 (so that's a bit different), lots of sports clubs and facilities (kids are expected to join a sports or other club which is why they get every Wednesday afternoon free from school), and all kids cycle everywhere so apart from their food, kids are pretty healthy! They will be covered up to their 18th birthday free of charge on their parent's policy (you will be paying €200+ per month for you and your partner's health insurance)
* Schooling: your options are private international (€15000 per child per year), government sponsored international (€5000 per child per year), or Dutch school where everything is taught in Dutch. These are almost free, except that you will be asked for a contribution/presented with a bill each year to cover school trips, materials and other extras. From my own experience, this is around €40 pa at primary level, and €300+ at secondary level which covered school camp/holiday. Primary school is from 5 - 12, secondary depends on your child's academic ability and can last from 4 years (expected to go into trades) to 6 years (expected to achieve postgraduate degree level). Unlike the UK, kids can be kept down a year if they fail to achieve, and they must pass every subject in order to get their school leaving certificate.
The younger your children are, the better they will adapt and the longer they will have to achieve the best Dutch they can, ready for taking their CITOs (equivalent of UK SATS tests) which are, of course, only in Dutch. These tests determine their future in a way they don't in the UK. Your child might want to be a doctor, but if they don't get a high grade because their Dutch fails, they won't get into that stream at secondary level (think old comprehensive/grammar school system). If you have a shy child, or a child who can struggle in some subjects, be prepared for sleepless nights and the guilt if they hate it.
* Family allowance - similar in € to the UK, but paid out every three months, not weekly or 4-weekly. Ensure you have all birth certificates 'apolstiled 'before you apply.
If you or your partner has any concerns about the children, I'm happy to try to answer them. This is a great country for children, but it's still going to be a culture shock for them at first: and if their parents are also suffering (money, job, culture shock), it's going to be very difficult. I can't advise you strongly enough: don't move here without a signed job contract in your hand.
May 6th 2014, 12:18 pm
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2012
Location: Noord Holland
Posts: 568
Re: how is life with kids over there?
You're welcome
I'd try the BBC to see if they're still needing families for this show:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5v8
I'd try the BBC to see if they're still needing families for this show:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006s5v8
