Tulip Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I live at home at the moment, due to saving up for the visa and moving, husband lives with me too. Part of living at home means I get to spend plenty of time with my favourite kid in the whole world, my little brother. He's very much like me and my elder brother (out of six kids, we three are the most alike to each other) and frankly hilarious. I'm very close to him, and he's very close to my husband too, and in general I'm pretty sure I'm going to miss him the most. What is really puzzling me right now is how to tell him we'll be leaving. His birthday is at the beginning of June, we're planning on leaving end of may or mid-June, so I don't want to leave it too late to tell him lest I wreck his birthday. Once we've lodged the visa and done the medicals and police check, I'm thinking it'll be about five months before we leave. Is that too early to tell him? I have no idea how to break the news and would appreciate the advice of others who've done the same. Buying him a present seems an obvious one but to be honest he's not a very materialistic kid and he's quite emotionally clingy, always hugging you and telling you he loves you, I don't think a toy will wash with him. Answers on a post card please. I had contemplated telling him it's a holiday but would hate to think he thinks everyone that goes on holiday never comes back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I think you have to tell him now and get him use to the idea, maybe arrange that the week before you leave you will take him away for the weekend, maybe show him Australia all the cool places and tell him he can visit you and when he is 18 he could come and stay with you on a WHV. It's going to be hard, I think my OH struggled more leaving his brother although now they hardly talk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonandsarah Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I agree best to tell him sooner rather than later. We have a 5 year old, until sunday when she turns 6 (who of course we can taking with us lol) and we have kept her in the picture so she can get used to the idea of not seeing aunties, friends grandparents etc, they are young and they adjust well but keep him in the picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSmithFamily Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I would say tell him as soon as you can. It'll be less of a shock when you do go Sent from my Lumia 800 using Board Express Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I think I'd tell him now to give him time to get used to it all. I'd probably include in it how usually adults and couples usually live in their own home (house) and visit their parents and that you guys living there for a while has been for a reason etc. Hopefully he'll understand and appreciate its time for you to go live your lives in your own place and knowing already your hubby is an Aussie he may put two and two together as you are talking. Explain it isn't forever, that you'll be in touch and there are things like Skype. We show our son books about Aus, he has bedtime stories from Aussie writers with Aus animals and so on in them. He doesn't grasp just how far away Aus is of course but he knows lots about it and we talk about it happily whenever he asks. I'd be open and honest with your brother now and give him plenty of time to get used to the idea. I'd perhaps suggest doing something like suggesting once you are there that you try to find him something each month to send back. Something really Aussie, be it a boomerang, an Aus green and gold tee shirt, a football (not the round one ) and the odd book and so on. Even something like a Cherry Ripe for him to try or Tim Tams. Also, it might be nice (and you can get good deals for first time orders) doing a photo book of you and him (if you have pics). So he can look back at it and see some pics with a few words and remember them. My MIL does one for my son for every visit she makes to the UK to see us and he loves looking at them and talking about them for many months after she has left and even a year later will still pull them off the shelf and browse and ask questions. Or failing that a scrap book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Some great advice as usual, thanks guys. I'll tell him this weekend and see how we go. Snifter, love your idea of sending back a present each month, hopefully that will help him adjust and feel better about it. Maybe a special day together just me, him, and my husband will go down well too, goodness knows I'm going to miss him more than he'll miss me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Some great advice as usual, thanks guys. I'll tell him this weekend and see how we go. Snifter, love your idea of sending back a present each month, hopefully that will help him adjust and feel better about it. Maybe a special day together just me, him, and my husband will go down well too, goodness knows I'm going to miss him more than he'll miss me. if you can afford it and your mum and dad are happy with it could you buy a device so he can have access to skype whenever he likes/can. i know its not always practical but my eldest got an ipod touch for Christmas and she is facetiming /skyping all the time. not all devices are as expensive. good luck not a nice conversation to have :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulip Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 A bit out of our budget but my mum has an iPhone 4 and I have an iPhone so facetiming is not out of the question at all! Great idea, hadn't thought of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxcooper Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 My daughter is 7 and i agree with the above posts. Skype or facetime is a must. My daughter has a tablet which cost £80 and its perfct for skyping. I'd say asap and dont be sad when you tell him. make it all upbeat amd say you are going to live where there are kangaroos, koalas etc and that you'll all save to get him a holiday there as soon as you can and ask him if he'd like that. The main thing is to make it sound like an adventure, not a sad event. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.