Lifestyle for kids in Australia

[Dreamy Fish]

Hi there

 

We are currently in the process of applying to Victoria on a 190. I say we, my husband is the main applicant and myself and our three kiddies are coming along for the most exciting ride ever!

 

I've never been to Australia, we are hoping to visit but circumstances change all the time so I am relying quite a lot on reading posts on this forum to get a feel for things. My parents used to live in Sydney for 6 years so they are really behind us doing this as they think it is a fabulous opportunity and a great place to raise kids. I can't imagine the rest of my life never seeing the other side of the world....

 

Sooo, we have been looking at the burbs of Melbourne and I am very taken by Frankston South. Having a look at the school websites and they have such positive outlooks, it is just how I imagine it to be.

 

What I was wondering though was what the lifestyle is like genuinely for children. I have three, a son of 8 and two girls who are 3 and 1.

 

Where we are at the moment, a market town in Oxfordshire, we are really happy but my god it is expensive and full of gym yummy mummies motoring about in their petite Range Rovers!!!! People are quite judgmental and there is a lot of comparing of things like salaries, cars, holidays etc etc.

 

I am quite laid back, I like my kids to have freedom and be independent within reason. I have no problem with my son scaling the tree at the bottom of the garden and dropping into the trampoline below, but for other people, it is a big no no. Likewise he is more than capable of walking into school from the school gate and getting himself to class, but again, I am hugely judged by others who absolutely will not leave their child's side and even after they've filed in, will make sure the coat is on the peg by peering through the window!

 

How safe is Victoria for children? It feels like all the time in the news there are abductions here in the UK. Is it a generally safe area, are kids allowed to play and explore?

 

I get the feeling Australia is big on the outdoors and sports. Here people rely massively of electronic ways of keeping their children entertained, gaming stations etc. What is that generally like in Aus? Maybe I am naive but I don't tend to imagine children there plugged into the latest GTO game.

 

And lastly in my rambling post, consumerism, here the children must have the latest passing fad. Moshis have just passed by and now it is Match Attax and Skylanders. We don't tend to watch live TV which I am grateful for because of the constant bombardment of childrens ads. Which then piles on the pressure because you don't want your kid pick on because they don't have the latest "must have" item. What is Australia like for children from that point of view?

 

Any responses would be very appreciated! It is going to be hard to get to visit so I am heavily reliant on opinions of others who are living it!!

 

Chrissie x

[Nikey]

My rellies in melbourne....4 kids.

 

my observations:

 

They seem to stay children longer

More materialistic

very very sporty

good at climbing trees!

 

Thats just one opinion. Hope it helps.

 

Hi there

 

We are currently in the process of applying to Victoria on a 190. I say we, my husband is the main applicant and myself and our three kiddies are coming along for the most exciting ride ever!

 

I've never been to Australia, we are hoping to visit but circumstances change all the time so I am relying quite a lot on reading posts on this forum to get a feel for things. My parents used to live in Sydney for 6 years so they are really behind us doing this as they think it is a fabulous opportunity and a great place to raise kids. I can't imagine the rest of my life never seeing the other side of the world....

 

Sooo, we have been looking at the burbs of Melbourne and I am very taken by Frankston South. Having a look at the school websites and they have such positive outlooks, it is just how I imagine it to be.

 

What I was wondering though was what the lifestyle is like genuinely for children. I have three, a son of 8 and two girls who are 3 and 1.

 

Where we are at the moment, a market town in Oxfordshire, we are really happy but my god it is expensive and full of gym yummy mummies motoring about in their petite Range Rovers!!!! People are quite judgmental and there is a lot of comparing of things like salaries, cars, holidays etc etc.

 

I am quite laid back, I like my kids to have freedom and be independent within reason. I have no problem with my son scaling the tree at the bottom of the garden and dropping into the trampoline below, but for other people, it is a big no no. Likewise he is more than capable of walking into school from the school gate and getting himself to class, but again, I am hugely judged by others who absolutely will not leave their child's side and even after they've filed in, will make sure the coat is on the peg by peering through the window!

 

How safe is Victoria for children? It feels like all the time in the news there are abductions here in the UK. Is it a generally safe area, are kids allowed to play and explore?

 

I get the feeling Australia is big on the outdoors and sports. Here people rely massively of electronic ways of keeping their children entertained, gaming stations etc. What is that generally like in Aus? Maybe I am naive but I don't tend to imagine children there plugged into the latest GTO game.

 

And lastly in my rambling post, consumerism, here the children must have the latest passing fad. Moshis have just passed by and now it is Match Attax and Skylanders. We don't tend to watch live TV which I am grateful for because of the constant bombardment of childrens ads. Which then piles on the pressure because you don't want your kid pick on because they don't have the latest "must have" item. What is Australia like for children from that point of view?

 

Any responses would be very appreciated! It is going to be hard to get to visit so I am heavily reliant on opinions of others who are living it!!

 

Chrissie x

[Penelope Pitstop]

In my experience, having been here 4 years and having 2 children who have during this time been aged 6-11 and 10-14, there isn't a lot of difference from the UK. The kids all seem to be addicted to electronic games - playstations and X-boxes for the older ones, DS's and ipods/iphones/ipads for the younger ones. Often on the last day of school term at primary school they have 'games day' when you can bring in electronics, and my youngest was moaning that she was the only one in the class without an ipad/iphone (probably an exaggeration but the peer pressure to have the latest gadget is there). Several friends of my eldest had pre-ordered the new PS4 (costing A$550!) so they could get it as soon as it came out. My son desperately wanted Grand Theft Auto 4 when it came out but it was R-rated here (over 18s) and we refused to let him have it at 14 - but several of his mate's parents bought it for their sons no problem. Out shopping I have seen parents in the aisles keeping their young children occupied by sitting on the floor with a i-pad.

 

We live near the beach and at first the children loved it and wanted to go all the time - they still enjoy it now but the novelty wore off after about a year and at times we have struggled to get them down there.

 

On the plus side, when my eldest was younger he did skateboard to and from (primary) school, which I thought was very Australian, and the better weather means they can do that more often. There are lots of opportunities for sport too. For younger children there also seem to be a lot more playgrounds around, which fortunately are not frequented by loitering teenagers as in the UK, so there are far more opportunities to just take the kids to the park. Children are given far more independence at school. I was shocked at first at the lack of security at their primary school, when the bell goes for the end of the day the kids are just left to wander out of the classroom on their own, whereas in England the teacher would only let the (younger) children go by handing them over to a known parent/carer. I remember on the first day going to my youngest's classroom to pick her up, only to find it deserted, the last lesson of the day had been held in the library and the children were dismissed from there - I of course had no idea where she was.

 

People generally seem much more relaxed about letting their kids do their own thing - for example at our locla surf club lots of the young children all hang out at the front of the club on the grass, playing ball or 'it' even in the dark, whilst the parents are upstairs drinking in the bar. Nobody seems to worry that they might be getting run over or be wandering off or picked up by shady characters!!

 

As for materialism, no different. There are loads of ads on childrens tv, constantly bombarding them with the latest toys, and no restriction (yet) on advertising fast foods during kids programmes either. Swaering is also a lot more widespread so if you are the type of person who tries to protect your kids from too much foul language, you will have a hard time in Australia. My youngest has been forced to listen to some very colourful language at school from one particularly out-of-control child.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Penelope Pitstop

[Quoll]

Not terribly much different I suspect. My observation has been fewer kids playing outside in Aus and more teens trawling the malls but others have kids who play outside a lot - I suspect it is what they are used to. They all love their Wiis and Playstations and no one likes to be seen in KMart joggers! Lots of organized sport - with very competitive parents. Being good at sport is good for bullyproofing kids (the artier ones may well be bully magnets).

 

Education - less rigor IMHO but it suits some kids, usually more those in the middle - kids at either end of the ability spectrum probably not well catered for.

 

Take out shares in the Sunscreen factory and be prepared to put your hand in your pocket for a whole lot of school/medical/dental/sports activities that you may not have at the moment.

 

Enjoy the adventure!

[Petals]

I think that it will depend on where you are going to live and the friends your children make at school. Peer pressure is alive and well.

 

My children were children well into their teens but then I lived in an area which is on the fringe and has countryside all around. Of course these days since my children grew up its changed and mums tend to do the play with this child and that child date stuff which I abhor. In fact one of the reasons we moved from a suburb to the Peninsula was my dislike of arranged play.

 

I do not see children playing around these days as much as they used and mums tend to get the four wheel drive out and take them to school despite the fact that some can get there very easily. We have three schools within ten minutes of our home and my neighbours drive their kids to school

 

Its not the country or the place, its the way we bring our children up and how much peer pressure they are subject to that turns them into the adults they become.

 

My two boy, baseball, soccer, golf, cricket and now he has grown up still involved heavily in sport. My daughter, piano, violin, tennis and still heavily into music.

 

They will find their niche

[flag of convenience]

Kids out here in OZ rather wrapped up in cotton wool as well. There's a school on my street that is full of Yummy Mummies in SUP's dropping and collecting their kids at the assorted time. Best not to try and drive past during those times as they often block the road due to parking bays being all full.

 

Kids don't tend to play outside. High level of awareness into stranger danger to the point of absurdity. Kids play electronic games as elsewhere. Really little difference from what you describe in UK from what I can see.

As others noted materialism is very rampant in Australia as well. There are the beaches to entertain young kids with parents keeping a beady eye on them on them naturally as can be dangerous places.

[Wellers and Whitehead]

Maybe check out Australian missing and endangered children on Facebook...with regards to child abductions..attempted abductions etc..so you get a clearer picture that's its not just in the UK.

[caramac]

My children have been children in both countries and I really don't see much difference in lifestyle. Most of their experiences have been very similar. I think it's probably easier to parent small children in Australia (sunscreen takes less time to put on than layers of waterproofs!), but I don't think teenagers have significantly different lives.

 

Mine have done swimming, riding, gymnastics, D of E, drama etc etc etc in both countries (although all have been cheaper in the UK).

Yes, in Australia they can spend more time at the beach and there are more days where the weather is sunny, but being in the UK has given them the opportunity to travel more (school trips to Europe are way cheaper from here. Actually, they have been cheaper than the school trips within the state in Aus. Just our experience..) and they've all done lots of exchange trips.

 

Mine are all older now and their peers in Aus are all doing pretty much what ours are here - similar uni courses, parties, travel etc. They seem to spend as much time on social media as each other and seem to know about the same computer games.. :wink:

 

Our experience is that the Yummy Mummy and the Toorak Tractor are as alive and well in parts of Australia as they are in parts of the UK, as is the fixation on wealth and material possessions, but, as in the UK, it depends on the area you live. We moved from one area in Perth because of that attitude and found somewhere which couldn't have been more different. Where we live now is like that - no one gives a monkey's what you do for a living, where your children go to school or how much you earn, but we have lived in places where those are the first questions asked when you meet someone new! It's just the same.

 

Our girls were/are children well into their teens - our 19 year old has her first serious boyfriend and the younger two still aren't interested and still go for movie and popcorn sleepovers with their friends at 17 and 15. There are as many very protective 'helicopter' parents in Aus as here. I remember letting our 15 year old get the train from Sydney's North Shore into the city and other parents being horrified because the train had to pass through Chatswood (very Asian area) and wasn't I scared of the triads!!!

 

People are people and they don't vary much from one western society to another! That said, have a great time - Victoria is a beautiful state. It's probably where we'll end up in another two or three years if we decide to go back again. :smile:

Edited January 10, 2014 by caramac

[Guest]

My experiences are in Perth so I'm not sure how they compare to Melbourne but if anything my son did less there. We lived on a typical modern estate in a village in Scotland, from 3/4 he was playing out in the street - all the kids played together, the older kids looked after the younger ones. Neighbours kids would always be knocking on the door and we'd have kids in and out and he'd be in and out of neighbours houses too. They all went to the local school, there was no roads to cross anf=d they'd walk to school together.

 

Of course in Scotland the weather does impinge on an outdoors lifestyle and we really thought he'd have a better lifestyle in Perth but what we found was that 'playing out' wasn't the norm. He'd have arranged 'play dates' and we'd be invited around as a family to school friends houses for drinks/dinner/BBQ's etc. and the kids would play but that wasn't even every weekend.

 

Parents I met were just as anxious as parents here. About the only difference I noticed was my sons friends all seemed to have knives - eventually I gave in and Santa brought one. It was a cultural difference and they weren't seen as weapons rather tools.

 

As full time working parents the same chores have to be done on a weekend in Australia as they do in Scotland so it leaves little time for going to the beach and the likes and between the flies and the heat and the wind (depending on the time of year!) we ended up spending as much, if not more time indoors.

 

You could just as easily move in the UK and find what you are looking for - we moved back to a different village and before we had even moved in, the neighbourhood kids were calling around for my son is play out. He goes down the burn and they build dens, dams, climb trees - it just makes me so happy

 

I haven't read other replies and I have no doubt other people have experiences quite opposite - my point is that it's not a difference between the UK and Australia it's down to where you live in both countries - you can have whatever lifestyle you desire in either.

Edited January 10, 2014 by Lady Rainicorn

[VERYSTORMY]

I will say first we dont have children

 

But, driving around and wandering around where we live, I don't see many kids playing out.

 

The beach will be busy this morning with lots of families and kids. But only till about 11am. Most parents I think here in WA are fairly sun aware and we are due for a day in the mid 40's today so lots will be gone before the uv gets too bad or the wind comes in and drives people off the beach anyway.

 

There are always lots of kids buying games in the games shops in the shopping centre and I think sitting in front of a screen is just as popular here.

[Freckleface]

I think what your kids do really depends on you, your lifestyle and the example you set.

 

I grew up surfing, swimming, doing various sports and playing in the bush. My kids did the same things as I did through the day and played with electronic gadgets etc at night. My younger nieces and nephews who are aged between 8 and 16 are following a similar pattern as well.

 

Unlike many posters I am an Aussie so I don't know if that makes a difference but I don't hide from the sun or run inside when it gets a bit hot. I wear sunglasses and appropriate light weight clothing, pop a bit of sunscreen on my nose and wear a cap but that's about the only concessions I make/made for myself or the kids.

 

You won't find many children playing in the street - largely because they have back yards to play in.

[Dreamy Fish]

Thanks so much for your replies. It's been a real eye opener, I have had a very Enid Blyton-tinted view of things!!!

 

Freckleface, as I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking about the responses and I wondered the very thing you actually posted, if being an Aussie made a difference :-)

Edited January 11, 2014 by Dreamy Fish

[Dreamy Fish]

Freckleface, as I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking about the responses and I wondered the very thing you actually posted, if being an Aussie made a difference :-)

[Freckleface]

Freckleface, as I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking about the responses and I wondered the very thing you actually posted, if being an Aussie made a difference :-)

 

 

In all honesty I don't think it does. My OH is a Pom and he doesn't hide inside, nor do his family or any of the other Poms we know.

 

I think some people just cope with heat better than others. It's probably something you get used to over time as well. We live in Canberra and it gets cold here in winter. I nearly died when we first moved here but now I look back and laugh when I remember how many layers of clothing I used to put on when I went outside.

[VERYSTORMY]

Have to say, I think it is a parenting thing and that parenting has changed over the years. I grew up in north Yorkshire, but not a nice town - Middlesbrough. But I was never home. I spent the entire summer holiday camping in the woods with mates. Even in mid winter in the snow, I would shoot out after school and normally get in trouble for not coming home on time.

[trabonita]

I agree that it is down to the family/children not the country you live in. We are very outdoors people, we walk the dog in the woods, we play outside all the time even in winter and we camp. I do think my children will have an even better outdoors lifestyle in Australia because having better weather does make us want to spend even more time outdoors as a family. My daughter is still very young, but she will definitely be the last of her friends to get an ipad etc as I don't want her growing up with electronic things as her first choice for play although I know it will happen!

[Quoll]

Coping with the heat is a personal thing I reckon - I hate it and spend far more time doing stuff outside in UK than I ever did in Aus when most of the summer I would be inside with the curtains drawn all day. One of my sons still lives in Aus and hates the heat too. His girls barely play outside at all as their mum is paranoid about the heat and sun (won't put nasty chemicals on them). My other son quite likes the heat (the one born in UK! And who has emigrated back) but is still very bemused by the way the Poms witter on about the winter weather (he grew up in Canberra and only didn't cycle to school when it went below -7C). My husband (Aussie born) likes the heat but doesn't feel cold in a UK winter and is outdoors most of the time. It must be nice to enjoy hot weather but the older I got the less able I was to handle it. 20-22C is my ideal but I can rug up against the cold! Just walked 8 miles today and expect to do the same tomorrow! Fabulous!

[flag of convenience]

Freckleface, as I was getting ready for work this morning I was thinking about the responses and I wondered the very thing you actually posted, if being an Aussie made a difference :-)

 

No I don't believe it does. Being a kid in Australia appears vastly different these days from when I was a kid here. I rode my bike to school from age eleven. Even with a large back and front yard I played with the neighbouring kids in the park and we were out and about.

There wasn't the degree of concern in society over a whole host of issues that make parents paranoid these days. Not forgetting kids probably prefer electronic stimulation than the old rough and tumble of yesteryear anyhow.

[starlight7]

What I notice today is that the kids make playdates and play at each others houses in a more arranged way than it used to be. My 4 were brought up in an outer suburban area and were rarely home- they used to wander around the backyards with all the other kids and go to parks/playgrounds/friends' houses. Never any problems at all and sometimes about 5 o 6 kids would lob up and I'd give them tea or lunch or whatever. Now my grandchildren who live in Melbourne ( 10,8 and 6) are dropped off at their friends houses by pre-arrangement. They are all outdoor types and like to swim , play cricket or wander around but it is much more restricted than it used to be. They also pay to attend various things like gymnastics, dancing, cricket teams, footie teams etc after school. The only 'extra' I remember paying for was music lessons for one of them. I do, however, get the impression that kids here are happier than I remember in the UK- their parents don't seem so aggro but that may be just the people we know/knew.

[Dreamy Fish]

Thank you so much for your replies, I really appreciate it and it's been interesting as it's the first time I have ever heard from anyone else either in Oz or on their way.

 

By the sounds of it it is down to us to find like minded people and the sort of areas where my little imps can be criss crossing cul-de-sacs to call on their friends in bare feet!!

 

My husband read all the responses and he was very encouraged by them so that's good :-)

 

Chrissie x

[Paul1Perth]

Thank you so much for your replies, I really appreciate it and it's been interesting as it's the first time I have ever heard from anyone else either in Oz or on their way.

 

By the sounds of it it is down to us to find like minded people and the sort of areas where my little imps can be criss crossing cul-de-sacs to call on their friends in bare feet!!

 

My husband read all the responses and he was very encouraged by them so that's good :-)

 

Chrissie x

 

My wife and I both love the beach and outdoors and live close to the beach, within walking distance. Both our kids rode their bikes to school in secondary school summer and winter. Primary school they could walk to in 5 mins. They are out a lot and love the beach. They don't sit around sunbathing though. they are usually on their boards (surf club paddle boards) swimming or just messing about with friends. There is a big park at the back of the beach too and it's usually pretty full of young kids and teenagers, especially at weekends. I find it quite refreshing that, like another poster from Adelaide, I see parents come to the surf club and the kids go outside onto the park where they have a basketball hoop and sometimes organise a game of cricket between themselves.

 

Parents aren't out there "keeping a beady eye" on them, they are usually in the bar having a drink, chatting to friends and enjoying the ocean view off the balcony. If they are like us we say stay together and keep an eye on your mates and each other and come and tell us if anything looks a bit suss.

 

Sure the kids like computer games, playstation, WII and everyhting else that other kids around the world do, but they get bored after a while and want to be outside. Don't know if this is just because we live in Aus or because it's the difference in us as parents but they have 4 boy cousins and 6 girls in the UK and when they came out here on holiday they were nowhere near as fit as our two are. They loved going out when they came and we took them for a bike ride that my kids do without thinking about it. Every one of them was complaining that it was a long way and "how long will it be before we get back". They got into it eventually and went back a lot fitter.

[NowPerth]

Hi. Like anywhere it depends a lot on who you make friends with, who your neighbours are and which school you go to. However, I'll share my experiences with 4 teens in Perth.

 

 

They don't seem to have the same 'crazes' in school for collectable cheap tat that you are under pressure to by from the newsagent, like football cards, or Panini stickers, or plastic characters.

 

Pressure for branded clothing and trainers is not as strong and seems to start at a later age.

 

Mine walk to school almost all of the time, partly because of where it is but also because of the weather. Walking, cycling, skateboarding back from school with your mates is more appealing when it's not constantly raining.

 

Drinking alcohol seems to start a year or two later and isn't as prevalent. I know this doesn't apply everywhere, but my children's Aussie mates aren't going out getting drunk at the weekends when their friends back in the UK are.

 

I agree with a previous comment on here, that if a teenager has a knife it's more likely to be a camping or fishing tool than a weapon.

 

Scouts (+ guides, joeys, venturers etc) is great for them. It's way more expensive here but they get to do loads of outdoor stuff (camping, kayaking, fishing, rafting, bridge building etc). Cadets is a fantastic alternative and much cheaper. It's often run during or after school. There are lots of alternatives (fire, police, air etc)

 

Cigarettes are so expensive that most teenagers can't afford them

 

Outdoor education is an alternative school subject to PE at most schools. It suits those who like outdoor sports but aren't great at ball games or competitive sports. They do climbing, cycling, kayaking, camping, abseiling, fishing, swimming at the beach, surf life saving etc

 

Off topic, but kitting out for school is expensive, so do your research on the other threads on here about what you are going to need to buy so it isn't such a shock when you arrive.

[Dreamy Fish]

Can I please ask for any personal experiences of Derinya? I've tried emailing the school direct but have yet to receive a response.

 

Is there generally a waiting list or if you're in catchment can you expect your kids to be allocated a space?

 

What are the class sizes like, are there teaching assistants also in class? Is uniform pricey or does the same apply as in some UK schools where supermarkets offer reasonably priced uniforms?

 

Also out of interest, and because I've just read an article about a UK family facing jail for taking a pre-booked holiday during term time, what is the general policy on school absences, ie for a family holiday? It's not something we've actually ever done but I was just wondering.

 

Any personal experiences and recommendations for this school, or others in the area, would be fab.

 

Hope you're coping ok with the heat. I'm about to go to bed and the wind is howling and the rain lashing down- deep joy!!

 

Chrissie x

Edited January 14, 2014 by Dreamy Fish

[Petals]

Long time since my children were at school. Derinya is a nice school in a very nice area and depending on how close you live you probably would drive them to the school. The area around Derinya is an affluent area with large houses on larger than average land. Its near to the border with Mount Eliza. Have never heard anything bad about it. Probably will need to live in the zone though and the same goes for Frankston High School. Uniform probably sold at the Bounty Shop in Frankston. It should have a site. They prefer children are not taken out of school for holidays but of course sometimes its necessary for one reason or another but have not heard of anyone being taken to Court.

 

When my daughter was doing her teaching rounds, secondary school, one of the rounds was in October one year and a child turned up at school who had been missing for the whole year. They are trying to address this problem with children though.

 

I sent my children to top Tyabb primary school which is close to where I live and they liked it a lot and then I sent them to private school for secondary.

 

Its our long summer holidays now and the teachers do not usually go back until a day or so before term starts, not sure about office staff. Teaching assistants are not usually used in our schools as they do not have a degree but parents do drop by to do reading if they are not working.

 

Special needs children need to have funding in place first before being provided with a teaching assistant who has qualifications suitable for the child.

 

Schools run their own budgets.

Edited January 15, 2014 by Petals

[Ausborn]

From my point of view. I don't know how anyone can say children don't have a different lifestyle here in oz. Might not be better to some folk, but different in my opinion. Unless the child sits in front of the tv enjoying technology all day, which I realise happens with anyone around the world. The lifestyle is different here if it's embraced. My family, cousins and friends envied me as a child growing up in oz. I'm the only One in my family born here. They always assured me how lucky I was growing up around the beach and water sports and trail biking in did.In saying that though, my cousins did progress too a better education that me, but my childhood was very different. When my parents came to Australia they came here for a better lifestyle for us kids. It worked for them and everyone else in there friends circle that came out from uk and Scotland.I was a beach kid from the time I could walk. I still wouldn't change anything. Even though I'm a tradie, the money has me in a better position than all my university educated cousins. So win win.