Cost of Childcare in Canberra

[sarahnshaun]

Hi everyone

Thank you for your replies and help on this, it has come in very useful.

Just thought I would share our good news - Shaun has been accepted for his job and it looks as thought we will be over in Canberra for September!

Very exciting but scary at the same time! I now haven't a clue on how to start getting ready to move!

[restfamily]

Congrats. What is he going to do and where?

You will soon come up with a very big spreadsheet that will just get bigger and then it will be here before you know it.

All the very best

K

[Quoll]

Excellent news! You will be arriving just in time for summer so that is good! Dont fret, it will all fall into place!

[sarahnshaun]

Hi guys

His job is with the Government. He's just come out of the RAF and we had a choice of staying here or move to Australia. We are moving because of the lifestyle for our kids. Plus the chance to actually go outside and see some sun during the summer would be quite nice!

It's very scary now telling everyone that we are definetely going. It's been discussed for so long that I think family and friends thought that it was just a pipe dream.

Told my mum this morning - I think she's off to book her plane tickets for xmas already!

I cannot wait! The worst thing is trying to keep my mouth shut at work so that nobody finds out! It's so hard when you are excited!

Thank you again for your help with the child care thing. We haven't a clue where we will be living so we have decided for me to stay at home with the kids for a few months until we all find our feet.

Sarah
x

p.s. Is it really bad in Canberra for spiders and snacks?

[sarahnshaun]

That last bit should of read snakes not snacks!

I'm definetely not afraid of those!

[Quoll]

I was going to say that the snacks are disgusting but the coffees arent too bad

No the snakes are not a problem at all - been here a very long time and seen only half a dozen in that time and they were all out in the bush miles away from the nearest snack bar

Spiders - not really a problem. We do have redbacks in the garden in the woodpile but havent seen one in a while. We do get white tails which can have a necrotic effect but they dont attack you unless you have a go at them. We have had a couple of possums down the chimney this winter - stupid things end up in the slow combustion stove and are the very devil to get out. They pee everywhere and possum pee is not nice!

We also just had rats in the roof - they tend to come inside at this time of year but a few judicious traps up there seems to have cleared them out.

[sarahnshaun]

Thanks for the info. I don't have a problem with snakes, just a little bit scared of spiders but i'm trying to over come it!

Do you have to check your shoes everytime you put them on? My colleague from Oz who has lived in the uk for the last 10 years says that she still does it now out of habit!

Thanks for the tip about the snacks - i will try and avoid them if possible although i'm bound to come across them at some point in time!

[Quoll]

You only really need to check your shoes if you leave them outside. I dont think I have ever checked my shoes! I never leave them outside although a lot of families do, especially if they have a deck or verandah (we dont). The spiders we have are not the big fang waving ones like the Sydney funnelweb thank heavens. Most of them are shy little things that scuttle away. DS2 did get bitten by one once - it was on the lane rope of the pool when he was training one night and he had a very nasty reaction and ended up in hospital for a few hours but that was the only time we ever had a problem.

On our last trip out to the bush to see said DS2 and his young family, we saw 3 red bellied black snakes on one day - doubled my total snake count for the rest of the 29 years we have been here!

[AnnChovy]

Can I add my question to your thread please?
I am trying to find out the going rate for a childminder (living in) in Canberra.

Anyone have a Nanny McPhee and willing to disclose her fee?!

[Quoll]

Originally Posted by AnnChovy

Can I add my question to your thread please?
I am trying to find out the going rate for a childminder (living in) in Canberra.

Anyone have a Nanny McPhee and willing to disclose her fee?!

If you see my previous post - I called a few big child care centres in Civic which is the centre of town and without any subsidies or anything the going rate was about $320 a week. If you have PR then there will be means tested rebates which will bring the price down considerably. Even so, it is not a cheap experience!

We also have quite a thriving Family Day Care system so you have options for home or centre based child care (their home not yours - for that you would need a nanny). Havent seen a Nanny McPhee around here recently - those warts are a dead give away!