Children better off in Oz?

[Johndoe]

No, it s easy in both countries, but mre young people used them in oz, I cannot see the big deal to be honest, they don't do any harm to 99.9 % of People.

 

 

 

 

Your proof?

l

[VERYSTORMY]

There hasn't been as much discussion about jobs as I would have expected. How do people see this side? I can understand someone who is unemployed in the UK wanting to come to Oz. But if you have a good job then not so sure why. I have in the past seen people comment on how it will be better for their children when it is time for them to enter the job market. That I find a bit bizarre as nobody knows what the UK or Oz economies will be like in 12 months let alone 10 years.

 

There is also an impression that there are no unemployed here. I think those the work in manufacturing would disagree. There is certainly the issue of the two speed economy with mining and associated business doing very well while non mining is struggling.

[Perthbum]

Your proof?

l

Sssshhhhhhhh

[Johndoe]

Sssshhhhhhhh

 

You know?...........You make these sweeping statements about all and sundry, and yet, whenever questioned about them, either ignore the question or make some flippant comment. Your assertions/credibility would be better served if, for just once in a while, you backed up your mindless dribblings with proof.

[Perthbum]

Most drugs are less harmful than alcohol folks.

[fairystar32]

My husband is less stressed even though he is doing the same job, he says its just 'better' here. He has more time for us and is less tired. My kids are outdoors way more, whislt they still love their computer /technology stuff we do way more outdoor activities.

The weather has a positive effect on my sons skin and mine, so better for us.

The lifestyle suits us better

My kids are still 'kids' here. there friends had become part of the drinking culture, here its not the case. Their friends are a lot less mature than in the UK and that suits me fine, expecially when I see their friends FB pictures oO

Alcohol is avaliable from the beer shops, as it should be and not in any shop.

No gangs where we live

parks are clean and playable not vandalised and full of teens drinking.

We can live in a nice big house where the kids have room, instead of a tiny 3 bed semi with 4 kids.

I find the food better here and more variety and choice in fresh, good food from the farm.

My kids have been camping and loved it, by the beach... was great and not something we would of even considered in the UK, I am very cold sensitive..

We visit the beach all the time and have a new love of the outdoors and nature.

I have made more friends in the last 3.5 yrs than in the UK and hoping the kids find the same, they have so far.

More space for the kids to play and grow

More disposable income which benefits the kids and I have been able to stay at home to raise them.

They love at the last minute just popping up to the city to play on the beach, full of life and beauty, still makes me fall in love everytime we go, something we would never of done in manchester..

More child friendly here.

[Alaska]

We like doing stuff outdoors and we definitely find it easier to do things here. I don't mind rain but I hate the cold and I don't cope with it well (my hands and feet go numb very quickly!) I remember taking my son to a Wildlife Trust place when I was pregnant with my daughter and there was ice everywhere so we couldn't go walking at all.

Here we have more on our doorstep which makes things easier as well as the weather.

 

So from that perspective - yes.

We are hoping that our parents stay in good health so can come out regularly (twice a year) as planned. If that happens they will still get a lot of good quality time with the grandparents. DH's father lives out of Europe anyway so the amount of time spent won't change and mine were several hours away so it wasn't a day to day relationship anyway. We Skype more here than we did in the UK so they get to see them 2 or 3 times a week on that.

[Guest tandcmum]

I do think my kids are better off here in Oz. My kids love to swim and love to go and play ont he beach, we can do that pretty much when we like here. Yes we do work long hours and as i've been working the past 3 weekends we haven't had much int he way of family days but even if i finish work at 3pm there is still time to nip for an hour on the beach as it is 2 mins from the house, or we can go up to the strand and have an ince cream. I think also the fact we have more disposable income (actually the fact we have disposable income at all compared to none n the uk) means if we want to go and eat out we can, if we want to go for a trip out we can afford it and not worry about how we are going to pay for the petrol. Also the weather in the k meant i would usually come home from work and crash out on the sofa, we dont feel the same compulsion to that here in Oz as the sunshine gives you so much more energy.

[Harpodom]

Our kids aren't necessarily better off in Oz. They aren't necessarily worse off either. They miss out on time with their English cousins and grandparents, but they have lots of quality time with their Aussie grandparents who absolutely adore them, so its a win win situation in that way.

 

I don't think they necessarily have or will have a healthier more outdoorsy lifestyle here than there. Here we are more likely to go to the beach in summer, thats about the only difference I can see, although to be fair the beaches are absolutely amazing so we're pretty lucky. The rest of the time its pretty much the same stuff: bike rides, playgrounds, picnics and all that.

 

The drawback of living here is the lack of footpaths through the countryside. We used to spend loads of time in England on walks, and I really miss that. My wife really misses that too.

[rikyuu]

There hasn't been as much discussion about jobs as I would have expected. How do people see this side? I can understand someone who is unemployed in the UK wanting to come to Oz. But if you have a good job then not so sure why. I have in the past seen people comment on how it will be better for their children when it is time for them to enter the job market. That I find a bit bizarre as nobody knows what the UK or Oz economies will be like in 12 months let alone 10 years.

 

There is also an impression that there are no unemployed here. I think those the work in manufacturing would disagree. There is certainly the issue of the two speed economy with mining and associated business doing very well while non mining is struggling.

 

definately, my kids would be worse off if I became unemployed, but that applies anywhere. I've worked my whole life (16 years work) in manufacturing engineering and my job's been under threat all the time. My last company in the UK was on the verge of collapse for the 8 years I was there with no promotions or pay rises, so I didn't feel too bad leaving, although within 12 months of leaving, they are now doing very well and recruiting heavily with promotions all round. I've joined a manufacturing company here who have been doing well for decades, but are really stuggling now, so yet again, my job's under threat.

 

I haven't really noticed anyone saying future jobs will be better though.

 

The unemployment rate here is calculated strangely. A survey is done and anyone who has done more that 1 hour of work, paid or unpaid in the week of the survey is classed as employed, so unemployment seems very low. Most places use a figure based on how many people are claiming dole or similar. So here, you can be claiming the dole, but if you did an hour's voluntary work, you are classed as employed. They also guess the population increase due to immigration (was in the news recently). When they get it wrong, they adjust the next release of figures to make up for it. This can caused bigger swings one way or the other and was recently blamed for interest rates being changed incorrectly due to incorrect unemployment figures.

[Guest Guest51968]

We came for our kids futures.

 

I had a great job in UK earning over 50K, final salary pension scheme, had a lovely house, loved our lifestyle but i have two boys aged 13 & 11. Looking at the big picture and the way UK and Europe is heading couldn't picture a positive job market for them in 6-7 years time.

 

My eldest is good with his hands and the UK has moved away from creating and making in my opinion to becoming a service nation....

 

I had an opportunity to come to WA (Geraldton) for a new job (in my career) and we as family decided we'd give it a go for their futures. If they can get the right skill set in their educations there are jobs here in WA for them (particulalry if they get the skills to go North in mining which is the plan)

 

THey have really settled here, we never see them... both play Aussie Rules, do Surf Life Saving (Eldest ha already competed in Perth at it), both bodyboard and surf, play soccer and basketball starts soon here.

 

As parents we felt that we would sacrifice the content life we had to give our boys a life opportunity and experience for their futures. After all they are going to be on this planet longer than we are.

[Georgiajoe]

I'll stick to my cider and glass of rose thank you .

i know what's in them

[Guest Ptp113]

We came for our kids futures.

 

I had a great job in UK earning over 50K, final salary pension scheme, had a lovely house, loved our lifestyle but i have two boys aged 13 & 11. Looking at the big picture and the way UK and Europe is heading couldn't picture a positive job market for them in 6-7 years time.

 

My eldest is good with his hands and the UK has moved away from creating and making in my opinion to becoming a service nation....

 

I had an opportunity to come to WA (Geraldton) for a new job (in my career) and we as family decided we'd give it a go for their futures. If they can get the right skill set in their educations there are jobs here in WA for them (particulalry if they get the skills to go North in mining which is the plan)

 

THey have really settled here, we never see them... both play Aussie Rules, do Surf Life Saving (Eldest ha already competed in Perth at it), both bodyboard and surf, play soccer and basketball starts soon here.

 

As parents we felt that we would sacrifice the content life we had to give our boys a life opportunity and experience for their futures. After all they are going to be on this planet longer than we are.

 

Playing proper mens footbal eh? I'm impressed!

[Perthbum]

I think my husband like anyone had an idealistic view of his childhood and felt Australia would be better to raise our boys. Hmmm... things have changed and while I don't think it is any better, it's just different.

 

I don't camp never have, never will! My hubby is is an Aussie and a fair one at that burns to shreds at any glimmer of sunshine even after I've slapped on the sun cream so he hates, did I mention hates to going to the beach!

 

We used to love rambling in Kent with our dogs and have only recently found a dog friendly walk here in Melbourne running by a beautiful creek. You see dogs are banned from the reserves and the dog parks are full of dog poop and pretty yucky in my opinion.

 

In terms of working I think we are only now getting back on track. My husbands job is in IT this is what he is very good at and has studied for years to do he has a passion for, even as as a hobby (3d games programming) so we have to live near either Sydney or Melbourne where the jobs and money are.

 

In Sydney we couldn't afford to buy a house that suited our needs with a short commute (40 mins train journey) so we bought up on the coast. We didn't see him, he left at 5.30am and the earliest he would get home would be 8.30pm if there weren't any problems on the trains.

I was a single mum looking after three kids on my own with no help and then cooking for when he came home. On the weekends we would tag team sleep. A result of this lifestyle was my husbands blood pressure shot through the roof and was only found through a medical at his work. He was a walking stroke.

 

So we moved to Melbourne for bit more more money, renting which is fine and he has a 50 min journey door to door.

 

Melbourne is not that dis-similar to London/greater London.

 

I think if you are coming from a poorer lifestyle in the UK and are not bound by living near a cbd here in Australia then I think you will enjoy it over here.

Good honest and true post

[Guest Ptp113]

I think my husband like anyone had an idealistic view of his childhood and felt Australia would be better to raise our boys. Hmmm... things have changed and while I don't think it is any better, it's just different.

 

I don't camp never have, never will! My hubby is is an Aussie and a fair one at that burns to shreds at any glimmer of sunshine even after I've slapped on the sun cream so he hates, did I mention hates to going to the beach!

 

We used to love rambling in Kent with our dogs and have only recently found a dog friendly walk here in Melbourne running by a beautiful creek. You see dogs are banned from the reserves and the dog parks are full of dog poop and pretty yucky in my opinion.

 

In terms of working I think we are only now getting back on track. My husbands job is in IT this is what he is very good at and has studied for years to do he has a passion for, even as as a hobby (3d games programming) so we have to live near either Sydney or Melbourne where the jobs and money are.

 

In Sydney we couldn't afford to buy a house that suited our needs with a short commute (40 mins train journey) so we bought up on the coast. We didn't see him, he left at 5.30am and the earliest he would get home would be 8.30pm if there weren't any problems on the trains.

I was a single mum looking after three kids on my own with no help and then cooking for when he came home. On the weekends we would tag team sleep. A result of this lifestyle was my husbands blood pressure shot through the roof and was only found through a medical at his work. He was a walking stroke.

 

So we moved to Melbourne for bit more more money, renting which is fine and he has a 50 min journey door to door.

 

Melbourne is not that dis-similar to London/greater London.

 

I think if you are coming from a poorer lifestyle in the UK and are not bound by living near a cbd here in Australia then I think you will enjoy it over here.

 

Let me get this right. Unless you had a "poorer lifestyle" in blighty then you won't like it here?

[newjez]

Does sunshine replace family? It's a hard choice.

 

You get the same issues in both countries. In the end, it's always really a choice between sunshine and family.

[Guest guest36187]

Unless you're someone who has more family here than in the uk...some people move to be closer to family.

 

Horses for courses......reasons for moving vary for everyone...as long as it works for them it shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks or says!

[Perthbum]

Does sunshine replace family? It's a hard choice.

 

You get the same issues in both countries. In the end, it's always really a choice between sunshine and family.

Good arents will enhance their kids lives with activities in either country, except for the sat couple of months people ave ad no excuse not to take their kids on trips here in the uk as we have ad 3 years of drought with very litte rain in those 3 years.

[Guest guest17301]

Overall I think childrens happiness and opportunities has little to do with the country you live in and more to do with your mindset and family situation

 

I do think that from my perspective I am more able here to provide the kind of experiences and opportunities for my children that I want to...that doesnt necessarily mean that they will look back and think their childhood was better...but I will...based on the differences between mine and theirs...so I suppose Im saying its more to do with what I think is good for them as opposed to what they will in later life feel would have been good for them....does that make sense?

[Wendy Thorp]

It will depend on the career you are in, what you and your family are like, personal circumstances, there are so many parts that make up a decision, for me i live in the north and if we get more than a couple of sunny weeks a year we are lucky! and that is one day here and one day there, so you are unable to plan anything. My yougest daughter has chronic fatigue syndrome, and anything that uses up extra energy like, keeping warm, or dealing with wind and rain means she gets severe exhaustion and pain, so climate is very important for her to be able to do anything outside of the house, and therefore all of us as a family. my husband has asthma, which gets worse with the winter cold and rain, so again climate is of importance. My older daughter is very intelligent and i therefore want to widen her horizons, with what she can learn (aviation in school? that does not happen over here) and what she can experience, the widlife, i feel she has more chances to be what ever she wants to be in australia and that the horizons of what she wants to be are also opened up. My husband is a workaholic, will that change over there? possibly not, he has a certain work ethic and that may not change, but i do think that there is a more balanced work ethic over there, of quality work against quantity and hopefully in time that will eventually rub off on him, also if there is something more enjoyable to come home to, as we are all happier, we can eat outside, you dont have to come home to a child in pain, and watching the tv as an evening pass time as it pours outside. there is no incentive to come home at a decent time. My daughter only manages school part time here and even then she may not manage that, so i am unable to work, and also unable to leave the house except in the morning, as i need to be around to pick her up by dinner time, or if she cant manage the whole morning. so if the wheather is not good, which is 90% of the time, again i am stuck indoors. I am an outdoors type of person so i find this very isollating and hard going, even if beth is only 10% better over there, just the idea of being able to sit in the garden rather than inside will make a huge difference to me. I could probably go on for ages as to the reasons for our decision, everyone is different, and everyone needs different things in order to feel a calm and a contentment in there life. I can feel calm and at peace by the more simple things in life, sitting looking at the sea, the beautiful colours the noises, is bliss for me, our local sea, is grey and the noise you will here on an ok day are the fruit machines in the background, does not really have the same effect.

[Ronan20]

We came from Dublin Ireland. I was an out of work Engineer, so it really was a no brainer. I earn a lot more money than I did back home and have a very good lifestyle in Queensland. We have 3 kids 8, 4 and 2. Back home, I always heard that there was nothing for kids to do. Well.......the eldest played soccer, rugby, gaelic football, hurling, swimming. He also walked or cycled to school. it was the same kids that walked or cycled to school that played all the sports. Over here he plays AFL, tennis, soccer and swimming. Again, it is the same kids that you see playing all the sports. The kids seem happier and spend a lot of time outside. He brought his play station with him......it rarely gets used. Generally strangers seem more friendly than back home. The country seems to be more child friendly. Children are not seen as annoying, and there are more play grounds everywhere. People talk about a "Fair go" for everyone. I enjoy it. We spent Easter swimming in the Great Barrier Reef.......whats not to love

[jhampa]

Does sunshine replace family? It's a hard choice.

 

You get the same issues in both countries. In the end, it's always really a choice between sunshine and family.

 

 

Think this answer is a little simplistic...

 

What about culture, the way people interact with each other.

House sizes, road sizes, parking, services, attitude, respect, openness ...........

[VERYSTORMY]

Lots of people talking about climate and up till now I haven't thrown my view in even though I originated this thread. So hear goes. I rarely if ever see kids outside in Oz. No where near as much as I did in the UK.

 

When I was growing up I was constantly outdoors and maybe that has rubbed off on me now as love being out. Used to spend every one of the summer holidays with mates in the woods camping from age 10.

 

In winter, growing up in the north we had regular snow and I would be out till I was blue. But having a great time sledging and being general nuisance.

 

Here I know a lot of parent are rightly worried about skin cancer and kids are kept in. So in this respect, for me, Oz loses.

[deano27]

I have to say the weather does make a difference. I am not prepared to get bloody soaked walking out and about. Just looking out the window and the weather is shocking. Pissing down on a daily basis doesn't not encourage you to get out in the fresh air!

 

When in Australia with the family we rarely watched TV as it was so much nicer to sit outside and take in the (Nice) weather late into the night. Coffee sat outside is so much nicer than inside! Today we due to get more rain in one day than we should all month. Two months ago there were hose pipe pans and yet the rain keeps coming.

 

Only one life so I need to give it a shot....hopefully I won't be one of the few who are on their way back after 8 months!!

[jhampa]

Good arents will enhance their kids lives with activities in either country, except for the sat couple of months people ave ad no excuse not to take their kids on trips here in the uk as we have ad 3 years of drought with very litte rain in those 3 years.

 

 

keep banging on about 3 years drought !!! watch the news drought is over its now bloody flooding !!! what about the fact it cost you a small fortune to drive out of the city to somewhere decent .... dont get me wrong I was fortunate enough to go for a walk in the forest near me with my oh yesterday and it was totally awesome !! and the place was packed with kids and families ..... however !!!! would not have bothered if it was raining and grey as its not that much fun walking in mud !!! IE TODAY !! TODAY or in fact this whole weekend, !! England seems to be flooding this weekend, I can visualize us being indoors and not going outside for a walk in the forest !! swim at the lake or a dip in the ocean,..... nope... might go to my local pool though and do a few laps..