Wishful Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hi I am applying to take the kids for 6 months in 2012 ( they went with me when they were 5 and 7 when we go in 2012 they will be 14 and 12 ), I am hopeful that they will then see the magic that is England but for some strange reason they don't and want to live in Aus ( which is where they were born and where there father lives ) has anyone left grown up kids in Aus to move to England and if so how old were they. I desperately want to move back to UK but my dad dragged me here 23 years ago when I was 17 and I wont do that to my children I want them to have choice. Has anyone successfully done the 6 month here 6 month there successfully and iso how....I am really desperate for any advice thanks in advance !!!:no: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Hi Sorry to hear your dilemma. I know your mentioning 6 months, but how about a shorter holiday there first, maybe 3 - 4 weeks. Your children are roughly the same age as mine and I know if I said I wanted to go somewhere for 6 months they would be upset, however, if I made it sound more like a holiday I think they could be won over. There are quite a few of our members who have left grown up children in the UK to come to Oz and maybe they can give you some feedback. Big hugs and I hope everything works out for you. Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishful Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 HiSorry to hear your dilemma. I know your mentioning 6 months, but how about a shorter holiday there first, maybe 3 - 4 weeks. Your children are roughly the same age as mine and I know if I said I wanted to go somewhere for 6 months they would be upset, however, if I made it sound more like a holiday I think they could be won over. There are quite a few of our members who have left grown up children in the UK to come to Oz and maybe they can give you some feedback. Big hugs and I hope everything works out for you. Kate Thank you yes we are taking them next Christmas for 3 weeks first.....then 6 months in 2012 maybe only 3 but no less....Its so hard :shocked: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 We took ours at 14 and 15 for a holiday and they thought it was ok but boring and wanted to get back here. My son goes to other places overseas than uk so does my daughter when they travel. They both have dual citizenship of course two passports but have no desire to settle anywhere but Aus. Just talking to my brother today about it and he wishes our Mum had stayed in UK when she went back for a year when he was 16. You have to do what you have to do and the chilldren have to do what they wanted to do. Like you we did not want to be dragged around the world by our parents but that is what happened and the place that we feel affinity with is home, and now its Australia and if we returned tomorrow I know my adult children would not come and that is fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I dont think it would be responsible to do it with kids for 6 months each way once they are in HS - far too disruptive to their education IMHO. And unfortunately then the only time you can really take them for decent trips is the Christmas holidays and that isnt the best time to see England (this time of year is just glorious!!!). As a one off then maybe they will be OK but it wouldnt work if you wanted to do it on a regular basis. However, do not despair, many Australian kids cannot wait to escape once they have finished school or uni and many find themselves living back in UK/Europe and you dont see them for years especially if they have dual citizenship. One of mine has done just that - his "gap year" is now coming up for 7 years and his career is firmly planted in UK. Once they see their friends spreading their wings then they will probably want to do it too but not now that they are in the throes of high school friendships. Should also add that when my son did the trip with us at about that age, he thought it was on the boring side as well! If you are kid free then, yes, my parents did the 6 month about think for 15 years. They loved it but eventually decided that they were better served in UK and are now to frail to make the trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishful Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 how old were you quoll when your parents did that or were you already here thanks for the advice....I think it would be great for them to do it as a one off for 3-6 months...even maybe for the 7 weeks summer holidays over there and take school work with us thats not a bad idea actually !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 how old were you quoll when your parents did that or were you already here thanks for the advice....I think it would be great for them to do it as a one off for 3-6 months...even maybe for the 7 weeks summer holidays over there and take school work with us thats not a bad idea actually !! My parents did it every year once they retired at 64 - I had been here a few years by then. That worked for us as the kids got to know their grandparents while growing up. They did 6 months in each direction - October to March in Aus and March - October in UK. Life was one perpetual round of golf until they hit 80 and decided it was too hard to continue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i need stimulation Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 My parents did it every year once they retired at 64 - I had been here a few years by then. That worked for us as the kids got to know their grandparents while growing up. They did 6 months in each direction - October to March in Aus and March - October in UK. Life was one perpetual round of golf until they hit 80 and decided it was too hard to continue. how did they manage it? am i right in thinking they were self employed and made good money? i'm thinking of this myself, there is things i like about here,and my parents and mums family lives here but the insularity of the place is getting too much for me i could however be very happy in living here 6 on 6 off i hate my situation but i have the advantage of not having kids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 how did they manage it?am i right in thinking they were self employed and made good money? i'm thinking of this myself, there is things i like about here,and my parents and mums family lives here but the insularity of the place is getting too much for me i could however be very happy in living here 6 on 6 off i hate my situation but i have the advantage of not having kids They had been self employed but not uber wealthy. At the time it was cheaper for them to come to Australia because of the rate of the £ against the $. They built a granny flat on our block of land and bought a car, joined up to the local golf club and they were set. They got evisas for 6 months, registered for reciprocal medicare entitlement and had a nice little life. Their pension was still paid into UK as technically they were UK residents and they had a private pension as well as the state pension. I could happily do that too but I have an intransigent Aussie husband who wont countenance the idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emcooper Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I certainly dont think its strange they dont want to go, its still 2-3 years away and they may change their minds by then. The first time I came to the UK was on holiday when I was 10, that was for 8 weeks. Then I saved up and came when I was 18 for a month, to see rellies etc. One of my cousins said why dont you come over for a year and work. At the time, I couldnt think of anything worse. Personally there was no way I ever wanted to live in the UK. When I got back home I decided that it would be great experience Im lucky to have dual nationality too so thought I would try it for a yr or 2 (5 yrs later im still here) we are now applying for a defacto visa for my partner. My point is, just because they dont like it now, doesnt mean they wont want to in the future. As previously mentioned, once high school etc has finished, so many ppl want to go travelling. I know thats not necissarily what you want to hear as Im sure its going to be heartbreaking to have to leave your kids but you have to look at it from their perspective also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wishful Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 I certainly dont think its strange they dont want to go, its still 2-3 years away and they may change their minds by then. The first time I came to the UK was on holiday when I was 10, that was for 8 weeks. Then I saved up and came when I was 18 for a month, to see rellies etc. One of my cousins said why dont you come over for a year and work. At the time, I couldnt think of anything worse. Personally there was no way I ever wanted to live in the UK. When I got back home I decided that it would be great experience Im lucky to have dual nationality too so thought I would try it for a yr or 2 (5 yrs later im still here) we are now applying for a defacto visa for my partner. My point is, just because they dont like it now, doesnt mean they wont want to in the future. As previously mentioned, once high school etc has finished, so many ppl want to go travelling. I know thats not necissarily what you want to hear as Im sure its going to be heartbreaking to have to leave your kids but you have to look at it from their perspective also. Thank you I know...thats the hard bit that I cannot nor do I want to MAKE them do something.......im sure it will all work out eventually.....thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i need stimulation Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Thank you I know...thats the hard bit that I cannot nor do I want to MAKE them do something.......im sure it will all work out eventually.....thank you i've noticed a lot of aussie kids find it boring in uk but when they are older they love it when they are still minors there isn't really much for them to do anyway, but when they get older they can live like an adult and often realise the social,party life over there is more fun and far less insular and i think that explains it the kids over here while still at school have a constant social life for obvious reasons but when they start working it seems to dwindle big time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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