Naomi from Manchester

If you apply and get granted a visa, would it be worth asking your current employer if they would allow you to take a year off, and hold your job for you? That's what we did 8 years ago (both worked for NHS). We were lucky in that we both secured jobs in Australia before we came - my partner is a nurse and he just applied for jobs on the NSW health job website and had a few telephone interviews. He was happy to take a step down in terms of responsibility given our potentially temporary circumstance, and so didn't find it difficult to get a job at that time. We rented out our UK flat and made a decision to stay in Sydney once we had been here a year. I'm not sure how old your little ones are and whether a 'test year' would be more beneficial or traumatic for them.

I really cannot be bothered to reply to you. Oh crap, I just have.

I find this hilarious, especially since when I come across your posts on this forum, including what you've said on this thread, I find much of what you say to be so outrageous, comically right wing, that I often think you're joking at first. It's only when I read on that I realise you're serious.

Yes it was tongue in cheek. I genuinely find all babies beautiful and cute, not least those who aren't considered typically cute. More so those babies actually, I feel extra protective over those.

There's a reason babies and toddlers are so cute - they'd definitely get abandoned more often if they weren't. A friend recently announced she was pregnant with twins, and I noticed all the other parents looking aghast for a brief second before offering their congratulations, I think I did too!

I was almost put off having kids when I read We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. What if your child becomes a high school mass murderer!?

The average age in Sydney for a first time Mum is 28, apparently. I think that 32 has been the right age for me, since I feel I've spent enough time and money on myself since finishing full time education.

Fish.01 - you sound like you know what you're talking about, I hope no one minds if I jump on this thread to ask a quick question, since I'm finding the child care rebate and benefit incredibly confusing. I've been on the phone to Centre link but have somehow come away none the wiser :o/ My daughter starts day care on Monday 3 days per week and I've been struggling to work out how much it's actually going to cost us. Day care charges $120 per day. Centre link has assessed us and declared that child care benefit will cover 41% of the fees. (Although the whole $720 went out my bank account today as day care charge 2 weeks in advance, although we requested that Centrelink pay the benefit directly to Day Care). So am I correct in thinking that we will also receive the $7500 rebate? Is this amount divided into fortnights and paid directly into my bank account? Is there also some sort of tax break too? Cheers.

This is really interesting reading!

An honest response from Paul1Perth! (#33)

Not sure where you live, but we pay $120 per day for daycare in Sydney. It's easier not to pay for 2 in daycare at the same time, if you leave enough time between them one can be starting free state school whilst the other starts day care. Most people seem to plan it so there's only about 2.5yrs between them, however. You just stop spending money on yourself, you don't really have time for this anyway (no longer time for weekend hobbies, evening classes, mini breaks, shopping sprees etc). 'If you can't feed 'em, don't breed 'em!' (Said someone).