mumoffour

TOTALLY! Spent 4 hours at the beach today - woohoo! Finally can start with sticking it to all our friends in UK telling how ice the weather was in July and August while we were getting rained on - revenge will be sweeeeet!

4 year old kinder is funded for 15 hours for 2013 so more like Pre-School than Reception in the UK. In my daughters 4 year old kinder on Friday morning they were learning about Japan and bullet trains, suspension bridges, earthquake drills and Mount Fuji! I was really impressed! That would never have been taught in our little village PreSchool in the UK (I've helped at both) so less importance to the age/ year of the child and more on the standard of the individual kinder/school I would think. That said my 4 year old is a March birthday and will be one of the youngest in her year at school when she starts in Jan 2013 - but this is so that IF we have to go back she can go back into a class with her friends (having started school only 4 months "late") but I think she's doing things in kinder that are Reception level already iyswim?

How'd it go? When is the next one? Can we do something where we can bring kids? Daytime? Park? Real casual restaurant? Nicola & Tony (live Torquay work in Geelong)

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read and respond. You've given me lots to look into and the knowledge that I'm not the only one dealing with this kind of stuff. For now though, am off to bed (made it to 10pm on a Friday!) been an awful week for sleeping so that also won't be helping my resilience. Tomorrow's another day! @ Bob1 = we're in Victoria at a state primary school (grade 2) been there almost 2 terms and teacher already suggesting an academically selective private school at grade 7 for him - he's smart and mild mannered and she thinks he'll fit in well.

My son with Asperger syndrome needs speech therapy - he'd been assessed in the UK just before we left (by the time the appointment came round!) He had some teeth coming up in the wrong places affecting his speech so first things first is I got those sorted - 4 months of to and fro to state dentist - his teacher tells me - those really need to come out and get some speech therapy because he's hard to understand which is affecting his making friends (already a challenge with AS!) SO I drop nearly $300 on getting teeth pulled and so onto the next phase..... Today I phone the state dept and ask about speech therapy - too bad he's 7 "we only help 0 - 6 year olds" Our theory moving out here was that we used the state system in the UK and that'd be fine for us here as well. Fine in theory but in practice this SUCKS! I guess we need to find more $$$ for speech therapy. Back home, he got disability living allowance which would've helped but hey - here we don't get it cos we're new migrants :arghh: Sick of battling for my son.....:cry: PS He's developed an AS related tic since we arrived where he squints his eye and screws up his face nearly constantly esp when under stress so that made the concert last week horrible to watch and ended in my first tears in Oz (privately of course!) Any advice?????

I think your middle child will be in 3 year old kinder which may be hard to get into - or not available at your nearest centre - 4 year old kinder is more common and funded by Gov to some extent. 6 year old will be at school which may or may not have a outside school hours facility. I suspect your best bet is to get a childminder type of care arranged who will do the breakfast, school & kinder runs (locally!) for you. I chose our school because it is next door to the secondary college and that's next door to the kinder - still got different timetables and no before/after kinder care. Lots of kids go on buses to school - but maybe not at this age? I can sympathise with the kids in multiple levels of school problem - good luck Maybe try phoning the schools and ask what their 'feeder' kinders are - not everything can be deduced from the internet x

I also did everything for our migration except actually sit the IELTS! This didn't reflect any lack of desire on hubbies part just simply that I speed read and am good at filling out forms so the task naturally fell to me. I had to crack the whip sometimes too to get our application in before hubbies birthday (when we would have lost age points and then not met the threshold) however, it seems like your hubbies lack of progress is more than just general male apathy. Could be he doesn't want to move at all, is depressed over the loss of the business, wants to emigrate to somewhere else, is scared of starting to study as a "mature" student - ask him directly but try not to apportion blame. Simply state that you have done a lot of research and if he doesn't want to continue, he doesn't have to but it would be fair to tell you now. Then let it drop for a week (say) and then get a decision/make a plan. It's not an easy situation to be in and I wish you both luck in coming through it together x

I don't think so - something to do with being impossible to clean/get all dust out of it? More research needed - try the aqis website?

Boxes with Christmas deccies and box with Henry hoover in it (had bought brand new head, filters and bags) so through with no probs. 1 set of kids maracas snuck through my radar and got discovered by Customs worried about seeds or whatever was inside to make the shaker noise. The boxes were re-sealed with Quarantine tape and everything fitted back in just fine.

Ok so what time is everyone meeting up?

[h=3][/h] [TABLE=align: left] [TR] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD][h=3]CANTEEN MENU & PRICE LIST [/h]As at 6th February 2012 Canteen operates each day. Please keep list for future reference. [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [h=5][/h][h=5][/h][h=5][/h] [h=5]HOT FOOD[/h](Please Note: No extra cost for sauce) Pies 3.50 Vegetable Pasties 3.50 Meat & Vegie Rolls 3.00 Party Pies 1.20 Pizza Singles 2.80 Corn on the Cob 0.80 Boiled Egg 0.70 Chicken Nuggets 70c ea or 3 for $2.00 Chicken Burger with Salad 3.80 Chicken tenderloins 70c ea or 3 for 2.00 Lasagne 3.70 Spaghetti Bolognaise 3.70 Vegie burgers with salad 3.80 Vegie lasagne 3.70 Spinach & Ricotta Rolls 3.00 Note: Items available Mon & Tues only * Sushi-Vegetarian Snack Pack 4.20 * Chicken Teryiaki Lunch Pack 8.00 * “ “ “ Snack Pack 4.20 * Tuna Lunch Pack 8.00 * “ “ Snack Pack 4.20 * Vegetarian Lunch Pack 8.00 [h=5]SNACKS[/h]Choc Chip Cookies 0.50 Cheese and Biscuits 0.80 Cheese or Buttered Popcorn 1.00 Grissini 0.50 Orange Cake 1.00 Pretzels 0.60 Fruit Balls 3 for 0.05 Vitaweats-Vegemite 0.40 Vitaweats-Cheese 0.50 Fruit in Season per piece 0.70 Apple Spirals 0.60 Packet of sultanas 0.70 Vege Chips 1.00 Banana Chips 2 for 0.05 [h=6]DRINKS[/h]Choc, Strawberry milk 2.00 Plain Milk 1.50 Pure Apple Juice Packs 1.50 Pure Tropical Juice Packs 1.50 Pure Orange Juice Packs 1.50 Torquay Spring Water 1.50 Hot Milo (avail at counter only) 1.00 per cup [TABLE=align: left] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD] [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [TD][/TD] [TD][TABLE=width: 100%] [TR] [TD]a PAPER bag (no plastic please) with child’s NAME, GRADE AND AMOUNT OF MONEY enclosed. Foreign coins will not be accepted. For health reasons, please wrap money before putting into order bag. PAPER BAGS CAN BE PROVIDED – cost 0.10 cents Price variations will appear in Quay Notes. * Items available on Monday and Tuesday Only [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] SANDWICHES & ROLLS (Wholemeal unless specified) ALL ROLLS – EXTRA 40 CENTS COMBINATIONS Egg and Lettuce 2.60 Cheese and Lettuce 2.40 SINGLES Ham 2.20 Cheese 2.20 Egg 2.30 Tomato 2.20 Peanut Butter 1.70 Vegemite 1.70 Curry Egg 2.30 Each additional filling 0.40 Salad Sandwich with - carrot, lettuce,cheese,tomato & sprouts 4.00 Salad Sandwich and Ham 4.30 Salad Roll and Ham 4.60 Salad Pack 4.50 Salad Roll & Egg 4.00 FROZEN GOODS AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER ONLY AFTER 1.15 pm (Not delivered to the classroom) Milo Ice-creams 1.50 Billabongs -Choc, Triple Swirl 1.50 Frosty Fruits-Tropical 2.00 Frozen Fruit Juice Tubes 0.70 Juicys – 100ml sachets, 100% fruit juice 1.00 Frozen Orange ¼’s 0.10 Frozen Pineapple rings 0.50 Tub frozen Strawberry yoghurt 2.00 Tub frozen Fruit salad yoghurt 2.00 Slushy’s 1.50 Please supply a PAPER bag (no plastic bags) with child’s NAME, GRADE AND AMOUNT OF MONEY enclosed. Foreign coins will not be accepted. For health reasons, please wrap money before putting into order bag. PAPER BAGS CAN BE PROVIDED at cost of 10c Price variations will appear in Quay Notes. * Items available on Monday and Tuesday Only

I had that happen to me yesterday! A mum at school and fellow member of P&F committee - we were passing the time of day when one of her friends walked into playground and she literally turned her back on me and a minute or two later walked off with them saying goodbye over her shoulder! I was left thinking oh right, bye then! Shrugged it off as had 2 kids with me to be busy with. I'm not going to get on with everybody straight away but did feel a bit put out :-/ and still very much the newbie (like you can't tell as soon as I open my mouth anyway :-)

Simple answer is yes.

I had my jewellery in my suitcase because our hand luggage was so heavy with all the stuff for the kids. I think my perfumes were in there too. Was fine - no customs questions. I really wouldn't wear loads of jewellery on the flight - could get v uncomfortable, lost or nicked and a major faff having to take it all off at the machines. Heirloom quality stuff in hand luggage and never let go it for 24 hours!

We're in Torquay though hubby works in Geelong. Real estate dot com will show the rental/purchase prices in both areas. What drew us here was that the kinder, primary and secondary school are next door to each other (till 2014 at least!) which saves my sanity during school runs. The beaches are gorgeous and a lovely selection of restaurants. There is a good skate park next to the library. There are good local sports provisions too for football, soccer, netball etc. My kids are starting cricket next week. We do travel to Wuarn Ponds for swimming lessons once a week and Grovedale for gymnastics twice a week and that's also the nearest cinema. Good luck with your decision - it's a tricky one but I chose Torquay while we still lived in England and was able to show the kids the school website etc to prepare them for the move.

http://help.marksandspencer.com/faqs/delivery-collection/freedelivery-aus-nz Just heard about this from a lady at playgroup today and thought some PIOers may be interested?

We found our through stayz and found that emailing the owner took forever to get a response so actually phoning may sort out whether they're actually available or not - sometimes they've not updated stayz for changes? Welcome to Geelong for Feb! We're just down the road in Torquay but hubby works in Geelong.

That is your TFN for life I believe. Maybe check out the ato website?

We also bought ours over in our suitcase - though I think in retrospect, we could probably have done without the balance board lol

We were in our holiday accommodation when we got the kids into school. Ours is a large primary school and the only State primary around for miles (kilometres??? doesn't quite sound the same lol) so no issue with catchment areas.... I guess different story if city based??? And of course different State - so may as well be a different country. In fact come to think of it - haven't needed to show anyone apart from Centrelink our rental agreement.... We used the receipt for our holiday rental to join the library cos they needed proof of address in the Shire lol Re-reading this - I've not been of much help at all except to say - even this 2 week holiday between term 3 and term 4 is driving me crazy - you must be a Saint x

Royal Melbourne Show? We're going to brave the weather tomorrow and check it out!

My eldest 2 have finished a whole term at school and it's only because I'm sorting the school entry for my 3rd and kinder entry for my 4th, that I've looked into vaccs. They're having Hep B - need 3 shots each a month apart (they had varicella vaccs in Dubai). But there was no problem for them to start school without the relevant certificate - maybe cos starting half way through the year and not into Prep?

For us everything revolved around the job - location and timing. It was offered while we were still in the UK though only after some pretty serious hounding of the agency and use of contacts. Without having sold the house we simply couldn't have afforded to come over without a job to come to. It also helps crystallise where you will be living - that helps you decide on schools etc - so the kids can start straight away on their settling in.

The only downside to employment in Oz for my husband is that he's now a contractor which he's hating because of the insecurity whereas he was an employee in the UK. I have pointed out that no-ones job is safe even as an employee (esp in UK) but he just says his old company was posting profits and doing well so he should have been "safe". Here he has met people who have been contracting for decades and that has re-assured him some :-) This insecurity is the only fly in his ointment at the mo and he's enjoying his new job which is stretching him rather than self confessed "coasting" in UK. We were so pleased to have a job offer we didn't even considering negotiating - which is where new migrants could get a raw deal.

From my experience (2 in a large primary grade 3 and 2 - just finishing up their first term) they have done so much that is not traditional learning already. Bike ed, Masterchef style cooking lesson in Indonesian recorded on film, sand dune conservation excursion, swimming intensive programme, overnight camp away from home and it goes on. The school has facilities that our small village UK school could only have dreamt of. My son is being stretch by his teacher because he is more than able but when I'd asked for harder homework for him in England I was always told "we need to make sure he has the basics sorted first" which he did because he did his homework in under 30 seconds sometimes (literally!!!) and got about 99% of his spellings right each and every week. He got bored with school and started putting the wrong answers (by 1 each time) to see if it got noticed !?! My daughter has really settled nicely and is loving the lower levels of pressure she has here - rather than missing a playtime if she didn't do well enough in her spellings - she is much less stressed about school and when I asked her teacher if she should drop back a year because she always struggled with homework in the past - I was told she's not the bottom of the class and has settled in really well. I'm going to relax and let the professionals do their job - the system here seems to concentrate on the child and their confidence and life skills rather than exams. Obviously there is a need for exams and gradings but I am starting to realize they're not the end of the world and this from a Chartered Accountant with a degree in Law. I love that they're getting the chance to be children with a childhood of climbing trees and being chased by waves after school rather than straight home for homework that is either boring or stressful.