Guest Trac Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 My husband and I are seriously thinking about moving to Australia, and reading through this forum many of my thoughts and dilema's have already been answered, except for a couple. What age do children start school - reception? What do stay at home mums do - apart from housework and shopping - with their younger sibblings? Are there mums and tots groups? Music Time etc? I am a very sociable mum who loves a good natter. I look forward to hearing from anyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Angie Posted October 10, 2005 Share Posted October 10, 2005 Hi Trac Where are you heading we are hoping to go somewhere near Melbourne. I have four children 4, 9, 12, and 14 I know children don't start school until they are rising 6 (the term they are 6 in) The school year goes from January to December. Hope this is some help. Good luck Angie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ironmaggi Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Hi Trac Are you going anywhere near Sydney? We're off in the New Year and as I'll be giving up work here and ending up a Mum there I'd love to know where to get support. Also - in case anyone knows, what is the Medicare system in view of me being 1/2 way through my Ante-natal here?? I don't want to appear like I'm just going to Oz to have a baby [like some immigrants here...who then go back again!] All help welcomed! think I'm going to need it... :roll: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrerRabbit Posted October 11, 2005 Share Posted October 11, 2005 Hi All Can't comment an baby'toddler groups in Oz but I'll vouch for Medicare - we visited Sydnet this time last year and our 11 month old got bronchialitus(Spelling!) on the plane over. She was really tired, vomiting, limp and we wen tot heloca GP surgery who was excellent. They were so helpful to us we were really taken aback - the care was much better than you get here in the UK. Although the medical costs could be recovered on our insurance policy, they went out of their way to charge us as little as possible ($40!!!) so we didn't need to make a claim. She had immediate attention with drugs prescribed and administered in the surgery - no going off trying to find a chemist - and this wasn't in the city but in a regular suburb. So I can't comment on ante-natal care but the care we needed at the time was there - no waiting 3 days for an appointment.... :shock: Ironmaggi - see you're off in the new year - we're aiming for February. Putting the house up for sale this week and fingers crossed, visa granted before the end of November. How about you? :?: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ironmaggi Posted October 12, 2005 Share Posted October 12, 2005 Ironmaggi - see you're off in the new year - we're aiming for February. Putting the house up for sale this week and fingers crossed, visa granted before the end of November. How about you? Hey Brer... we're not sure yet, Hubby's been offered a job which he's accepted...they were muttering about 5 weeks!! :shock: ...to sell a house too! Maybe he'll have to go out first or come back. We're just waiting for official confirmation etc. Can't believe they'll rush a visa through quicker than a few months. We're hoping post Xmas but equally we can't wait too long as I'm due in May and wouldn't be able to fly! [plus would rather be settled a bit first!] Cheers for now Maggi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sunshine Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Hi Trac. I am stay at home mum here in Adelaide with two girls. The eldest started reception here, when she was 5 years, 2 months but they don't have to be in school here until 6. Our youngest was 3 when we arrived and we filled our time with playgroup (mums and tots to us) usually only on Friday mornings as that's the day our kindies aren't open in Adelaide, swimming, storytime at the library, tumble tots, shopping, walks on the beach and coffee mornings with other mums. Now she is 4 she goes to kindie 2 ams and 2 pms so our days are pretty much filled up! Hope this helps Sunshine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ironmaggi Posted October 13, 2005 Share Posted October 13, 2005 Hi Sunshine! Did you have your children here or there [or one of each?] Any comparisons at all? Did you find the variety of activities you have with the kids helped break the ice and make new friends over there? Thanks Maggi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sunshine Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 Hi Sunshine!Did you have your children here or there [or one of each?] Any comparisons at all? Did you find the variety of activities you have with the kids helped break the ice and make new friends over there? Thanks Maggi Hi Maggi Had both my girls in the uk, been here just over a year now. I've made friends mainly through the kids, it seemed to happen when the eldest started school, she was lucky enough to be in a small class so I really pushed myself forward and forced myself to talk to whoever was around! I'm quite a shy person so this was quite tough but it worked, (although I weeded out all the mums that worked and concentrated on the ones that didn't I have made one really good friend from the school, who I can go to for almost anything and her group of friends has also adopted me into their "mothers" group because my two are the same ages as all theirs so I've been very lucky. Others friends I have made are all expats that I have met through the Adelaidebrits website which has a social section. I think to some degree its really up to you to make the first moves and just try and get out and meet as many people as you can, as then you're bound to "click" with a few of them. Sunshine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dodge Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 stay at home mum? i guess if ur sexy i will visit u when hubby is at work LOL i think it will be a big job just settling into a new country and im sure chasing away the spiders will keep u busy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BrerRabbit Posted October 14, 2005 Share Posted October 14, 2005 I'm with you on the spiders front.... :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bob and ginnie Posted October 17, 2005 Share Posted October 17, 2005 You don't need characters like Dodge to "come and chase the spiders away', because they aren't a drama. Kids are a great avenue of getting to know others in Australia. Some will have been here all their lives and will have a network of family and mates, some will be newcomers and receptive to making aquaintances and friends more readily, but whatever the situation, as Sunshine has said, it's a case of you getting out of your comfort zone and going more than halfway to make the first approach. You may be pleasantly surprised how friendly Australians can be . . . especially if they hear that you've just come from the U.K. Just as loads of Poms and Scots have rellies in Australia that went out years ago and never came back, so Australians have mates and rellies in the U.K. and may themselves have gone there a few years ago, working in Britain and travelling around Europe and the Middle East. You never know where your first conversation will end up???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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