Update: On Son Who Didn't want To Come

[billy braveheart]

Hi

Just thought I would post this to remind parents that dragging their kids here that don't want to come is in their best interests

I have 2 boys ages 17 & 13. When we were thinking about coming to Oz we asked them what they thought & they said yes go for it. Fast forward 6 months got a sponsor, visas applied for & the day the house goes on the market my 17 year old tells me he doesnt want to go to OZ He didnt want to leave his first girlfriend (who we knew nothing about). We stayed in Glasgow she stayed in Aberdeen and he saw her twice a monthly if lucky. To cut a very long story short we had the fights, the I'm not going, etc, etc, etc. So I eventually talked him into coming but he was determined that he was coming back in 3 months. I figgered what the hell as long as I get him there.

We arrived in August got settled into rental etc. He then got a part time job in Hungary Jacks (bare in mind he cant go to college or get full time job until we get perm visa). 2 months after arriving he tells me that he has decided that he is staying in Oz He is loving his job(first job he's had) has loads of friends & is out every weekend. He passed his theory test & is now taking driving lessons & his work are putting him forward for a Assistant Managers course. So he is know talking about going to college next year & working at night.

Dont get me wrong its very hard work especially if they dont want to come & it would have broken my heart if he had decided that he wanted to go back home as I would probably have went back too.

So to any teenagers out there that feel the same as my son did please read this & give it a go.

Janette

[tisme]

Originally Posted by billy braveheart

Hi

Just thought I would post this to remind parents that dragging their kids here that don't want to come is in their best interests

I have 2 boys ages 17 & 13. When we were thinking about coming to Oz we asked them what they thought & they said yes go for it. Fast forward 6 months got a sponsor, visas applied for & the day the house goes on the market my 17 year old tells me he doesnt want to go to OZ He didnt want to leave his first girlfriend (who we knew nothing about). We stayed in Glasgow she stayed in Aberdeen and he saw her twice a monthly if lucky. To cut a very long story short we had the fights, the I'm not going, etc, etc, etc. So I eventually talked him into coming but he was determined that he was coming back in 3 months. I figgered what the hell as long as I get him there.

We arrived in August got settled into rental etc. He then got a part time job in Hungary Jacks (bare in mind he cant go to college or get full time job until we get perm visa). 2 months after arriving he tells me that he has decided that he is staying in Oz He is loving his job(first job he's had) has loads of friends & is out every weekend. He passed his theory test & is now taking driving lessons & his work are putting him forward for a Assistant Managers course. So he is know talking about going to college next year & working at night.

Dont get me wrong its very hard work especially if they dont want to come & it would have broken my heart if he had decided that he wanted to go back home as I would probably have went back too.

So to any teenagers out there that feel the same as my son did please read this & give it a go.

Janette

My parents did the exact same thing to me twice, we ping ponged, first time age 13 second time age 16, I didn't want to come to Australia but am so glad I am living here not the UK. I have been back several times to visit and I would rather be in Australia.

Glad it all worked out for your family.

[billy braveheart]

Hi tisme

When he first told us he didn't want to go. Once we got over the shock of it all. We had to think hard as to wether we would continue with the visa etc as I couldn't have left him in the UK. But we obviously decided to go ahead with it & know he has a better social life etc than he ever did in the UK.

Janette

[Sexy Welsh Aussie Bird]

What a fantastic positive post! i am so pleased it has all worked out for you!
Sian xxx

[billy braveheart]

Hi Sian

Thanks. Never thought I would get this outcome TBH. But am so glad we did.

Janette

xxxx

[Gollywobbler]

Hi Janette

Please could I trouble you to look in the Blogs section of the forum? I have only commented on one of the blogs and did so last night, responding to a scared teenager who is cursing just about every adult in PiO, accusing us all of ignoring the children's wishes etc etc etc.

I reckon the nipper is frightened of the idea of change. You may be able to help to reassure him or her.

I'm SO glad to hear that Marc has now settled happily in Perth. I remember your post saying that you had had a text from Billy saying that they were both boarding the plane at that moment.....

The fact is that Marc is probably a Local Hero with the other kids. They've been in Oz for much longer but he's been through Dubai Airport etc. Literally, when I was a child - flying back & forth to Malaysia 3 times a year because M&D lived there - I had to learn to dumb it down and shut up about it because to my contemporaries, that which I just accepted because I was not given a choice in the matter sounded like bragging, I felt.

The odd photo of the odd beach had the other kids going "Coo! Did you go on holiday there?" "Um, no. We live about 50 miles from there and go there every Sunday....."

Their parents collected them at the end of each term by car. I used to mutter, "We're going by bus because the Wrinklies are too stingy to come and collect us."

Cheers

Gill

[billy braveheart]

Hi Gill

Funnily enough after I posted this I noticed the girls post. Will give it a go.

Janette