ali Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 My son was 7 when we arrived in Aus. We still joke that we'd been here a year when he asked at dinner one night if we were still on holiday. He was 18 in September and when we asked what he wanted as a gift he said he would have loved to have a pint with his dad whilst watching Preston North End (our local club). So he and his dad have been in the UK for the last 10 days - he's loving the football "it's on TV every night", he's absolutely freezing but having a great time. Hubby took him to see his old school and he asked where the big field was ... "that's it" my hubby said "it hasn't changed". I did wonder what he would think about the UK being his first trip back, as I wondered when my daughter made a brief visit on her way back from Rome. Both of them have said they enjoyed the time but "I couldn't live there". Looks like the won't be flying the nest just yet 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 I think the majority of people think they couldn't live anywhere apart from the main place they grew up as a child, probably from about 10 years old onwards. However if you had never moved to Australia, obviously they would be living in the UK and probably just as happy as they are now. I'm sure they wouldn't think "I can't live here" if they lived in the UK and didn't know any different. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 27, 2018 Author Share Posted January 27, 2018 Of course they wouldn't know any different - but they have lived in two places - my daughter half her life in UK, half in Aus, my son, slightly longer. My children are well travelled and whilst holidaying isn't the same as living, they have experienced different countries so are able to make a comparison (which was the point of my post really). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imapla Posted January 27, 2018 Share Posted January 27, 2018 12 hours ago, ali said: Of course they wouldn't know any different - but they have lived in two places - my daughter half her life in UK, half in Aus, my son, slightly longer. My children are well travelled and whilst holidaying isn't the same as living, they have experienced different countries so are able to make a comparison (which was the point of my post really). Ha ha mine are in the same situation and they also couldn't live here (UK) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 11 hours ago, Imapla said: Ha ha mine are in the same situation and they also couldn't live here (UK) He is loving the amount of football he's seeing though and having an awesome time. I'm just glad he's staying with his grandparents and I won't have too much washing to do when he gets home (his Nan will have done it for him lol). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 On 27/01/2018 at 01:02, ali said: My son was 7 when we arrived in Aus. We still joke that we'd been here a year when he asked at dinner one night if we were still on holiday. He was 18 in September and when we asked what he wanted as a gift he said he would have loved to have a pint with his dad whilst watching Preston North End (our local club). So he and his dad have been in the UK for the last 10 days - he's loving the football "it's on TV every night", he's absolutely freezing but having a great time. Hubby took him to see his old school and he asked where the big field was ... "that's it" my hubby said "it hasn't changed". I did wonder what he would think about the UK being his first trip back, as I wondered when my daughter made a brief visit on her way back from Rome. Both of them have said they enjoyed the time but "I couldn't live there". Looks like the won't be flying the nest just yet Yes our boys are the opposite and say they couldn't live there in relation to Australia which of course is home to them and I found quite surprising. It' a good thing though as it means they feel settled and happy and that's all we can ask for with our kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulya Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 I also couldn’t live back in Blighty. Far better life here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 9 minutes ago, Bulya said: I also couldn’t live back in Blighty. Far better life here Yes for some it is, for others it isn't. That's to be expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 We often travel back to Australia and often run the idea of living there past the kids. They generally greet the suggestion with horror. The concept of leaving the UK fills them with terror. Maybe I've made the UK too idilic for them. I do have to admit, when I take my bike up on the south downs it is hard to think of a better place to live. Well, a better place to ride anyway. The youngest I think would go. He has cousins of a similar age. The eldest might go, if he could see a future there workwise. But I doubt I'd get my middle child there. Still, they all have passports so the option is always there. They have almost spent enough time in Oz for their kids to get passports by descent when/if they have them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booma Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 my parents are visiting at the moment & they said today they not looking forward to going back to UK. My mother never liked living there but my father refused to leave. They said they are going to look at coming to oz but I think they might be to old now but my father is a doctor so who knows. I hope they can come 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 15 minutes ago, newjez said: We often travel back to Australia and often run the idea of living there past the kids. They generally greet the suggestion with horror. The concept of leaving the UK fills them with terror. Maybe I've made the UK too idilic for them. I do have to admit, when I take my bike up on the south downs it is hard to think of a better place to live. Well, a better place to ride anyway. The youngest I think would go. He has cousins of a similar age. The eldest might go, if he could see a future there workwise. But I doubt I'd get my middle child there. Still, they all have passports so the option is always there. They have almost spent enough time in Oz for their kids to get passports by descent when/if they have them. Let's face it England is a lovely place to live in all honesty and you kids sound much like ours, they can't even imagine living there again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amber Snowball Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 19 minutes ago, Booma said: my parents are visiting at the moment & they said today they not looking forward to going back to UK. My mother never liked living there but my father refused to leave. They said they are going to look at coming to oz but I think they might be to old now but my father is a doctor so who knows. I hope they can come That would be lovely for you all. I hope they can come over too! It’s a long way, going backwards and forwards visiting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramot Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Most posters children appear to be quite young still, so you never know where they might end up. Life can take some unexpected turns. Will be interesting to catch up in 10 years time, to see who is where. Of My 2 who have moved to Australia, my daughter is 37 been here 6 years and son is 43 been here 13 years. so apart from living part time with us in Brunei, due to schooling, uni and working in UK, they have spent considerably more of their lives in UK. They are completely settled in Australia, with no desire to go back to UK. and as they are adults rather than young children I doubt they will change their minds. We retired to Australia 15 years ago and Even though our only grandchildren are in UK, we have no intention of living there again, we go back every year to spend time with them, would hardly go back otherwise, and leave happily to come home, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 21 minutes ago, ramot said: Most posters children appear to be quite young still, so you never know where they might end up. Life can take some unexpected turns. Will be interesting to catch up in 10 years time, to see who is where. Of My 2 who have moved to Australia, my daughter is 37 been here 6 years and son is 43 been here 13 years. so apart from living part time with us in Brunei, due to schooling, uni and working in UK, they have spent considerably more of their lives in UK. They are completely settled in Australia, with no desire to go back to UK. and as they are adults rather than young children I doubt they will change their minds. We retired to Australia 15 years ago and Even though our only grandchildren are in UK, we have no intention of living there again, we go back every year to spend time with them, would hardly go back otherwise, and leave happily to come home, We never know what's around the corner. My two are 22 (almost 23) and 18 - they might both meet partners and their journey takes them to foreign shores - but for the moment they're happy to call Australia home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 15 minutes ago, ramot said: Most posters children appear to be quite young still, so you never know where they might end up. Life can take some unexpected turns. Will be interesting to catch up in 10 years time, to see who is where. Of My 2 who have moved to Australia, my daughter is 37 been here 6 years and son is 43 been here 13 years. so apart from living part time with us in Brunei, due to schooling, uni and working in UK, they have spent considerably more of their lives in UK. They are completely settled in Australia, with no desire to go back to UK. and as they are adults rather than young children I doubt they will change their minds. We retired to Australia 15 years ago and Even though our only grandchildren are in UK, we have no intention of living there again, we go back every year to spend time with them, would hardly go back otherwise, and leave happily to come home, When I finished my schooling here in England when I came back with my parents all I wanted to do was get back to Australia, there was no way in my mind I was going to live permanently in England. I ended up staying longer than anticipated and married a lovely English girl then we both went to Australia and fully intended staying forever. Being an only child my wife was dreadfully homesick so we decided to go back to the UK for a couple of years, that visit was what made me see the real England I think and make me realise that I was actually much more English than I had thought. A move back to a new location (Brisbane) saw us buy our first house and start a family and we both thought we were settled. Following a chat at the dinner table it was decided a move 'home' might be in order and the rest is history lol. We love it, the kids love it so 99% it's our last move. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 59 minutes ago, newjez said: We often travel back to Australia and often run the idea of living there past the kids. They generally greet the suggestion with horror. The concept of leaving the UK fills them with terror. Maybe I've made the UK too idilic for them. I do have to admit, when I take my bike up on the south downs it is hard to think of a better place to live. Well, a better place to ride anyway. The youngest I think would go. He has cousins of a similar age. The eldest might go, if he could see a future there workwise. But I doubt I'd get my middle child there. Still, they all have passports so the option is always there. They have almost spent enough time in Oz for their kids to get passports by descent when/if they have them. I guess I posted the thread, in part because this in my sons first trip back and he's always retained his 'Englishness" and really saw it throw rose tinted specs .. I suspect it had something to do with attracting the ladies lol. So I was really interested in how he would view it. It's good that he's been back to see it for himself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted January 28, 2018 Author Share Posted January 28, 2018 2 hours ago, bristolman said: Yes our boys are the opposite and say they couldn't live there in relation to Australia which of course is home to them and I found quite surprising. It' a good thing though as it means they feel settled and happy and that's all we can ask for with our kids. Definitely - our children (no matter how old they are) being settled and happy is all we can ask for. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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