Moving for the kids - what does that mean?

[Guest mandajay]

Couple of things i feel i have to share.....

 

I thought this forum was about sharing ideas, advice and support...

 

I have found many posts on this thread really helpful so thanks for those.

 

However i feel some people have gone out of their way to be argumentative and frankly quite rude.

 

I was taught to respect others opinions, agree to disagree in a polite way and

 

If you cant say something nice ...dont say anything at all...

[Chardy]

here here!!!!

[Johndoe]

Because it is the constant moans with some people that you cannot do sports outside because of the weather which is just not true, that does gets my back up, in Fact Brisbane and other cities in Oz have far more annual rainfall than where I live.

 

There ya go again .................Oz versus UK, only now it's the weather :arghh: What the hell has that got to do with what time it gets dark in tazzy?

[Harpersgirl]

The climate in the UK allows all these outdoor activities also plus you can play late into the evening as it stays light till 10.30 whereas in Oz you are limited because of the dark nights,:eek: very little sport is called of due to the weather in my experience, just look at the prem this season, I don't think I have watched one game where it has rained.

 

My husband worked in a school in Suffolk. A state sports college. He ran the most successful tennis academy in Suffolk in terms of junior players. Some of whom played at national and international level. Netball, basketball and girls football were also specialist sports the school offered along with many other sports available at a community level. In bad weather ie heavy rain, fog or snow they had no choice but to call off the play due to health and safety. Dark nights as you rightly say DID NOT affect play as there were floodlights...which strangely enough we find that they have Down Under too. Amazing!!!! :wink:

 

Our youngest son played junior football in a Saturday league. My husband and older sons played in Sunday leagues and evening 5 a side. I do not play any sport due to being allergic...:biggrin:

 

Over the last two winters many many football games were cancelled due to snow... at all levels but specifically in non professional games (which are the majority as I am sure you appreciate!) as the clubs do have the money to maintain the pitches that the premiership has....quite obviously! And as the season has not been going very long as yet it remains to be seen how many prem matches will be called off next year.... but some will without a doubt!!!!

 

I do not say these things to pit the UK against Australia... this has been our experience as a family who have been heavily involved in sport at all levels for many years.

More importantly due to economic crisis the UK is enduring budget cuts which have meant that the schools and councils cannot provide the level of sports that they were once able to.This has a knock on effect to the average family in that they cannot access the facilities or coaching to enable them to play. Yes you can still kick a football about in the park which is great but if the funding is not available then the parks will not be maintained and this will lead to more matches being cancelled in bad weather...which is more than just a drop of rain. Sport is not just about football tho....

 

With the more reliable climate that there is here how can you question that outdoor sport in particular is more attainable?!

[Perthbum]

My husband worked in a school in Suffolk. A state sports college. He ran the most successful tennis academy in Suffolk in terms of junior players. Some of whom played at national and international level. Netball, basketball and girls football were also specialist sports the school offered along with many other sports available at a community level. In bad weather ie heavy rain, fog or snow they had no choice but to call off the play due to health and safety. Dark nights as you rightly say DID NOT affect play as there were floodlights...which strangely enough we find that they have Down Under too. Amazing!!!! :wink:

 

Our youngest son played junior football in a Saturday league. My husband and older sons played in Sunday leagues and evening 5 a side. I do not play any sport due to being allergic...:biggrin:

 

Over the last two winters many many football games were cancelled due to snow... at all levels but specifically in non professional games (which are the majority as I am sure you appreciate!) as the clubs do have the money to maintain the pitches that the premiership has....quite obviously! And as the season has not been going very long as yet it remains to be seen how many prem matches will be called off next year.... but some will without a doubt!!!!

 

I do not say these things to pit the UK against Australia... this has been our experience as a family who have been heavily involved in sport at all levels for many years.

More importantly due to economic crisis the UK is enduring budget cuts which have meant that the schools and councils cannot provide the level of sports that they were once able to.This has a knock on effect to the average family in that they cannot access the facilities or coaching to enable them to play. Yes you can still kick a football about in the park which is great but if the funding is not available then the parks will not be maintained and this will lead to more matches being cancelled in bad weather...which is more than just a drop of rain. Sport is not just about football tho....

 

With the more reliable climate that there is here how can you question that outdoor sport in particular is more attainable?!

 

Of course football will be called off if the pitch is frozen but it except for last year we have had mild winters for quite a long time and it was rare to call matches off. I play and watch football and golf and have never once been rained off this year and I play twice a week at golf, I honestly people focus on the couple of times games have been called off and focus on that, Oz also has problems with the weather as you cannot let kids play in 35+ heat.

All I am saying is that your original post saying people were restricted a lot due to the weather just does not hold water (if you excuse the pun):cute:

[ali]

Of course football will be called off if the pitch is frozen but it except for last year we have had mild winters for quite a long time and it was rare to call matches off. I play and watch football and golf and have never once been rained off this year and I play twice a week at golf, I honestly people focus on the couple of times games have been called off and focus on that, Oz also has problems with the weather as you cannot let kids play in 35+ heat.

All I am saying is that your original post saying people were restricted a lot due to the weather just does not hold water (if you excuse the pun):cute:

 

The majority of league soccer for kids is played in the mornings from 8am due to the heat. My son has only ever had one game called off in 5 years and that was due to lightening. Does it really matter why people choose to move to Aus or back to the UK - the choices are theirs however they want to express them.

[pinkk8]

My husband worked in a school in Suffolk. A state sports college. He ran the most successful tennis academy in Suffolk in terms of junior players. Some of whom played at national and international level. Netball, basketball and girls football were also specialist sports the school offered along with many other sports available at a community level. In bad weather ie heavy rain, fog or snow they had no choice but to call off the play due to health and safety. Dark nights as you rightly say DID NOT affect play as there were floodlights...which strangely enough we find that they have Down Under too. Amazing!!!! :wink:

 

Our youngest son played junior football in a Saturday league. My husband and older sons played in Sunday leagues and evening 5 a side. I do not play any sport due to being allergic...:biggrin:

 

Over the last two winters many many football games were cancelled due to snow... at all levels but specifically in non professional games (which are the majority as I am sure you appreciate!) as the clubs do have the money to maintain the pitches that the premiership has....quite obviously! And as the season has not been going very long as yet it remains to be seen how many prem matches will be called off next year.... but some will without a doubt!!!!

 

I do not say these things to pit the UK against Australia... this has been our experience as a family who have been heavily involved in sport at all levels for many years.

More importantly due to economic crisis the UK is enduring budget cuts which have meant that the schools and councils cannot provide the level of sports that they were once able to.This has a knock on effect to the average family in that they cannot access the facilities or coaching to enable them to play. Yes you can still kick a football about in the park which is great but if the funding is not available then the parks will not be maintained and this will lead to more matches being cancelled in bad weather...which is more than just a drop of rain. Sport is not just about football tho....

 

With the more reliable climate that there is here how can you question that outdoor sport in particular is more attainable?!

 

:arghh::arghh:

 

For a start the UK and Australia are too big to generalise the weather across the whole country. I have always played competitive sport in London and now in Brisbane....I have had far more matches cancelled in Brisbane due to weather then I ever have in London.

[p182]

Well I asked the question and what a lot of replies I got! Really very interesting.

 

I think what it shows is that our reasons for moving across the world are more complex than the throw away line of "doing it for the kids".

 

Shorter commutes, more outdoor, better job opportunities, and perhaps even better work life balance, the adventure, the climate, seem to be what people are hoping for. These seem to be not just about the kids but also the self and the family as a whole. But particularly they seem to be about the parents improving on their own lot in life, both for themselves and so that it might enhance future opportunities for the kids.

 

Perhaps we can put to bed the myth that this emigration lark is somehow an act of compassion for our kids. It's about a lot more than that, and it's playing out differently for everybody.

[sully7669]

Would just like add my point of view about moving for the kids. I was a very lucky 3 year old back in the day ( 1972 ) of ten pound poms when my parents decided they were moving to OZ. 7 years later we came back as my dad was homesick, even though his entire family was in OZ. My sister is aussie and my brother is in Melbourne. ( 20 years now) I am now at 42 years old and am myself and my family are moving to OZ as it is the right time for me now!!

My point being in all this is it is an opportunity to be going to OZ as well as a life experience no matter what age you go, and i want my family to experience what I had as a youngster.

[Harpersgirl]

:arghh::arghh:

 

For a start the UK and Australia are too big to generalise the weather across the whole country. I have always played competitive sport in London and now in Brisbane....I have had far more matches cancelled in Brisbane due to weather then I ever have in London.

You can scream all you like but if a sport is being played by children (which are after all the subject of the OP) and there is any likelihood of an injury then that sport WILL be stopped. The UK's health and safety policy is well known.

As the weather can be very inclement in the UK (surely you cannot continue to argue this point?! It is after all what makes our country green and lush!) any school or club offering sport to children will have had to stop matches or games.

If my reference to having a more reliable climate here upset you I apologise however my husband having worked a winter in Perth and only having to cancel 3 squads due to weather as opposed to TOO MANY TO COUNT last winter in Suffolk I think we're fairly qualified to comment. But obviously only here in Perth as I have no idea what the winter is like elsewhere in Australia. :biggrin:

[northernbird]

You can scream all you like but if a sport is being played by children (which are after all the subject of the OP) and there is any likelihood of an injury then that sport WILL be stopped. The UK's health and safety policy is well known.

As the weather can be very inclement in the UK (surely you cannot continue to argue this point?! It is after all what makes our country green and lush!) any school or club offering sport to children will have had to stop matches or games.

If my reference to having a more reliable climate here upset you I apologise however my husband having worked a winter in Perth and only having to cancel 3 squads due to weather as opposed to TOO MANY TO COUNT last winter in Suffolk I think we're fairly qualified to comment. But obviously only here in Perth as I have no idea what the winter is like elsewhere in Australia. :biggrin:

 

I agree and my girls have done 4 years of winter sport here in WA. The only time it will be cancelled is if there is lightening. Winter sport, winter weather. The same goes for summer sport such as soccer and cricket, they play in 40 degrees and think nothing of it.

[Perthbum]

The majority of league soccer for kids is played in the mornings from 8am due to the heat. My son has only ever had one game called off in 5 years and that was due to lightening. Does it really matter why people choose to move to Aus or back to the UK - the choices are theirs however they want to express them.

 

I agree but it does get me a little when people keep saying they are leaving the UK because they can never get out and do things with the kids because it is raining.

Poor excuse.

[Perthbum]

:arghh::arghh:

 

For a start the UK and Australia are too big to generalise the weather across the whole country. I have always played competitive sport in London and now in Brisbane....I have had far more matches cancelled in Brisbane due to weather then I ever have in London.

 

Thank you, nice to see some one agree that you can play sports almost all year around despite the weather.

[Guest robnnic]

We are making to the move because i want to re discover my marriage and family again. We both have to work and we both communte 1hr each way to work. Because of the lack of childcare facilities where i live i work night shifts. my husband comes home at 7.55pm and i leave at 8pm.....that happens 4 nights a week....and most weekends if i'm not working then he is. So yes, my children are loved, however, they don't actually know what its like to be a family as we dont seems to have much time as a family. When we move i will be working full time 3 long days (job already secured) and we will earn enough so initially my husband wont need to work. Hence we will then have 4 days to re discover ourselves.....i can't wait!!!!

[Guest]

Thank you, nice to see some one agree that you can play sports almost all year around despite the weather.

 

Apart from cricket in the summer in England :laugh:

 

Hubby had more games cancelled due to rain than he played. Always the way, British summer invites rain to ruin his cricket season. As soon as the season is over, the rain stops and we have lovely autumn sunshine and blue skies :yes:

[Perthbum]

Apart from cricket in the summer in England :laugh:

 

Hubby had more games cancelled due to rain than he played. Always the way, British summer invites rain to ruin his cricket season. As soon as the season is over, the rain stops and we have lovely autumn sunshine and blue skies :yes:

 

That's real bad luck, no games cancelled this year due to lack of rain this year.

[NowPerth]

It's not so much that you can't do sports in the rain, more that it's not so much fun in the rain (and cold). A bit like scout camp. It always goes ahead despite the atrocious weather, but it isn't as much fun and is much harder work in the rain than in the dry. Drying out massive soaked tents is difficult and time consuming. So is washing muddy sleeping bags, boots and tents after a hiking trip. A campfire on a balmy evening is much more enjoyable than one in therain with a howling wind.

[Perthbum]

It's not so much that you can't do sports in the rain, more that it's not so much fun in the rain (and cold). A bit like scout camp. It always goes ahead despite the atrocious weather, but it isn't as much fun and is much harder work in the rain than in the dry. Drying out massive soaked tents is difficult and time consuming. So is washing muddy sleeping bags, boots and tents after a hiking trip. A campfire on a balmy evening is much more enjoyable than one in therain with a howling wind.

 

You do realize we are in the middle of the driest year on record in the UK.:laugh:

[Guest Guest31881]

You do realize we are in the middle of the driest year on record in the UK.:laugh:

 

Strange thing is, if you Google driest year on record for UK, you can only find two entry's that confirm this, and both are by Perthbum on migration forums, The actual records show "Parts" of UK are having their driest period or you find Driest period since records began for some parts of UK. I have looked and cannot find anything that said the Whole of UK is driest year on record.

[northernbird]

Strange thing is, if you Google driest year on record for UK, you can only find two entry's that confirm this, and both are by Perthbum on migration forums, The actual records show "Parts" of UK are having their driest period or you find Driest period since records began for some parts of UK. I have looked and cannot find anything that said the Whole of UK is driest year on record.

 

Yes but that wouldn't sound as good now would it.

 

Perthbum and his previous guises on all these expat forums spout the same generalised rubbish about the square kilometre surrounding where he lives while he passes it off as being about the whole country or city!

[Johndoe]

Strange thing is, if you Google driest year on record for UK, you can only find two entry's that confirm this, and both are by Perthbum on migration forums, The actual records show "Parts" of UK are having their driest period or you find Driest period since records began for some parts of UK. I have looked and cannot find anything that said the Whole of UK is driest year on record.

 

Spoilsport! :biggrin:

[Johndoe]

Yes but that wouldn't sound as good now would it.

 

Perthbum and his previous guises on all these expat forums spout the same generalised rubbish about the square kilometre surrounding where he lives while he passes it off as being about the whole country or city!

 

Well I never! :shocked: You mean Poobum is actually someone who's been here before? :swoon:

[Harpersgirl]

I agree but it does get me a little when people keep saying they are leaving the UK because they can never get out and do things with the kids because it is raining.

Poor excuse.

 

:err: At the risk of prolonging the agony where does anyone actually say that the above is their reason for emigrating to Australia?

[Johndoe]

:err: At the risk of prolonging the agony where does anyone actually say that the above is their reason for emigrating to Australia?

 

That's nasty. :biggrin: You'll have the poor bugger trawling through zillions of old posts............odds are, he might find someone posting just that and odds are, they'll be returnees or ping pongers.

[Guest china]

Interesting post - as an older 'child' (ok I'm 25 but still!) - I graduated with a first class degree in environmental management from a top university and couldn't get a job. I was unemployed for over a year, in which time I applied for both 'career' jobs, and other jobs such as supermarket, petrol station etc, none of which I managed to get. The only job I managed to win (it was very competitive) was a six month UNPAID job, on the other side of the country from where I live - which I took, and lived away from my partner, returning home twice a month due to the cost of travelling. I know that my situation is not rare in the UK, and I sincerely hope that there are more opportunities for me to be able to have a career in Oz, because honestly there don't seem to be many for me :-(

I haven't got any children of my own, but I reckon that a country where I have a better chance of having a career will certainly be better 'for the kids' when they eventually happen.

:-)