I heard a lot of dilemmas on the site but none memtioning the children.Going to get the ball rolling on friday,applying for a skilled visa me a joiner and my wife a nurse.we have two children girl=13 boy=11 and they are determined not to go.Hannah keeps crying saying she will miss her family and also scared of the snakes and spiders out there.Jacobs says he will miss his friends.What can I say are we being selfish? forcing our kids to move to the other side of the world?please can some one reassure me thanks
If you've got the money then take them with you for a fact finding trip. They'll love the place when they see it. Also try and keep them as involved as possible, especially when trying to decide which area to live.
Try and sell the good points. You won't come into contact with snakes and spiders that much, you'll have hot weather all year, there's more to do outside of the home (surely must be a good thing for teenagers?!), there's beaches, you have webcams to see everyone back home, etc, etc.
I have a 9 year-old son who thinks it's a great idea (we took him with us last month) and a 2 year-old who doesn't understand, so we haven't got the same problems fortunately.
Good luck with them though, I'm sure you'll need it!
No you are not being selfish - you are planning to give them a better life than they can ever have in the UK. At the minute they cant understand that. They are being taken out of their comfort zone and its scary for them. I think one of the reasons you dont hear much about dilemas with kids is that they settle better than the adults!!!. Kids seem to make friends really quickly here. School gives them the enviroment to do that.
We all want better for our kids and thats what you are doing.
My kids are grown up doing their own thing in the UK ( Im not that old )and I still felt selfish going away " and leaving them" If I knew then what i know now, I would have done this years ago for the kids.
As Blieble says sell the good points and get as much info as you can.
Stick it through. Maybe even suggesting to them that if it doesnt work out in a certain time ie 2 years then you will come back. Sometimes if kids have an alternative they accept things better. you will probably find that in 2 years they will be so settled that they will have forgotten the conversation ever existed.
Hi - we arrived in Sydney with 2 children on 2 march so we're still 'neweys' but the kids are loving it. Our eldest is 6 and the youngest 2.5 so she doesn't know any different but the six year old only got upset leaving england when he saw nana and me crying - since then , he hasn't looked back and chats on the phone to nana no problem - haven't had any tears about england from him at all - but lots about the other usual stuff! he started school and loves that - thins it's way better than the english school he went to and it was a pretty good good so that tells us a lot. i think a reccy trip with the kids is a great idea for you and them - we came 18 months before emigrating and it just confirmed everything we already thought. keep talking positive to the kids and they'll come 'round.... :lol:
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Just go for it, life's too short :cool:
No you are not being selfish - you are planning to give them a better life than they can ever have in the UK.
Loz
That's the crux of it. We try and do everything at home as democratically as possible but sometimes you just know best - you're a parent and it's your responsibility to give your children the best upbringing you can. The kids are looking at friends and family as reasons to stay, but you, as an adult, are looking at education, employment, crime, drug use, etc etc. There's a bigger picture that the wee ones don't see.
Loads of good advice there...we've been a bit naughty, our 3 girls are all under 5 and we've told then we're going to live in the country that Kylie and High Five come from.
That convinced them it is a good plan!!! :lol:
Although I think they're under the impression they'll be our neighbours so we'll have some explaining to do once we get there :shock:
hi
Have you tried showing them australia on www.googleearth.com we have installed it on our computer and the imaging is mind blowing, its very reassuring on those panick stricken days when you think WHAT AM I DOING, also, i dont know where your planning to go and live, but try showing them pictures of the gold coast on pc, so much to do so little time!!, another idea might be to buy lonely planet australia and involve them in researching oz, failing that appeal to their sadistic side (all kids have got one) and tell how much better off you'll be financially (more pocket money) and discuss all the new things they will get having left alot behind, also the outdoor activities that schools offer might win them round slightly,
Failing all that dont mention it again and reintroduce the topic a few weeks before you go!!
Beth.
Thanks for all your replys you have make me fell a lot better about it all.A couple of you have suggested to go out first on a hoilday and check it out,We would love to and cant believe we are not. There are a couple of resons why=We were told it will take about a year for your vises to come through and we have all ready booked two hoildays aboard and dont what to lost the deposit and you know the score on how much it all cost bloody hell(vises,moving stuff and getting animals there etc).
And I think all that sun and activities out there will get them out and stop playing on all the computers they have that cant be bad. :wink:
