One of the many reasons I'd rather bring my children up here...

[Diane]

Portrait of a VERY modern 14-year-old: Tattoos, piercings and drinking alcohol | Mail Online

 

I've always said that generally kids here are able to be kids longer.... I know the Daily Mail is a scandal rag and probably this article should be taken with a pinch of salt, but for goodness sake....!!!!!

[Guest puff the dragon]

Portrait of a VERY modern 14-year-old: Tattoos, piercings and drinking alcohol | Mail Online

 

I've always said that generally kids here are able to be kids longer.... I know the Daily Mail is a scandal rag and probably this article should be taken with a pinch of salt, but for goodness sake....!!!!!

 

And you think there arent any here?

seen plenty of them around here in adelaide and on drugs/smoking too

[Guest moonraker1959]

I have to agree with Puff,I think Australia is far more liberal and accepting of kids that dare to be different.As far as the alcohol and drugs go,I used to live in a "quiet"hills town 10 years ago(In South Australia)and my kids then were only 9 & 11,but I knew of other older kids who were regularly boozing and smoking pot.Sorry but thats the truth.I'm not saying it does'nt happen here,of course it does,but its the same where ever you go is'nt it?

[Guest katsmajic]

12 yr old daughter regularly informs us APPARENTLY of some girls in her class who are BRAGGING ABOUT having sex already.

Several have their belly buttons pierced and 2 have facial/lip piercings.

But of course the school policy says 1 pair of standard earrings only...

Daughter actually complained re the piercings and was APPARENTLY told they didnt really have a say if these girls choose to this to themselves and their parents let them.

[Guest fredhargreaves]

Diane - you are obviously homesick and trying to convince yourself coming here was the right choice.

 

While you have been surfing the UK papers you've obviously missed all the news here about schoolies weeks in just about every state where the cops have to abandon their normal duties and turn up in military formation to control the rowdies.

 

You could even have tried Stirling pageant, which this year having been put forward to mid-November, when it was assumed that all the school-aged ones would be home swatting up for their exams (in tourism, media studies etc) still managed to have quite good amount of hooliganism afterwards.

 

Don't worry - if the weather's hot around New Year you should be in time for a riot at Glenelg where drunken rowdies toss bottles at the cops, who sadly are not armed with machine guns.

 

Suggest stay away from the Daily Heil - it thrives on shock horror bad news.

 

BTW for reading the UK papers pressdisplay.com website has the whole of most papers (not the cut-down internet version). If your local libray subscribes you can get on for free.

[lorluc]

12 yr old daughter regularly informs us APPARENTLY of some girls in her class who are BRAGGING ABOUT having sex already.

Several have their belly buttons pierced and 2 have facial/lip piercings.

But of course the school policy says 1 pair of standard earrings only...

Daughter actually complained re the piercings and was APPARENTLY told they didnt really have a say if these girls choose to this to themselves and their parents let them.

 

I suppose the policy may be directed at what you can actually see in the way of piercings....obviously facial ones you can...

 

My daughter had her belly button pierced for her 14th birthday....not an issue as far as school is concerned as its covered up....and not an issue for me either to be honest......but then i am pretty easy going with my daughter (she is 15 now)....although i have put my foot down on the tongue piercing (for the moment)...as her belly button took months to heal! Dread to think what it would be like if your tongue went yucky....

 

My other daughter has a rather large tattoo and is planning others...but its their choice to be honest....their the ones that have to live with it..not me!

 

Piercings & Tattoo's doesnt mean they are bad kids..........and think its wrong to assume that they are wayward just because of it....

 

I read the article originally posted by Diane, and to be honest its not unique to the UK....I know of girls who are just like that article here in OZ, so dont be fooled that its different over here....

[Guest katsmajic]

I agree that the original article is not unique to the uk, i was highlighting it does gone on here too.

The issue my daughter has is shes at primary school still, ok my opinion has rubbed off on to her, but i do think 11/12 is way too young to have facial and body piecings - maybe im old fashioned but i think its just plain wrong.

[Diane]

Diane - you are obviously homesick and trying to convince yourself coming here was the right choice.

 

While you have been surfing the UK papers you've obviously missed all the news here about schoolies weeks in just about every state where the cops have to abandon their normal duties and turn up in military formation to control the rowdies.

 

You could even have tried Stirling pageant, which this year having been put forward to mid-November, when it was assumed that all the school-aged ones would be home swatting up for their exams (in tourism, media studies etc) still managed to have quite good amount of hooliganism afterwards.

 

Don't worry - if the weather's hot around New Year you should be in time for a riot at Glenelg where drunken rowdies toss bottles at the cops, who sadly are not armed with machine guns.

 

Suggest stay away from the Daily Heil - it thrives on shock horror bad news.

 

BTW for reading the UK papers pressdisplay.com website has the whole of most papers (not the cut-down internet version). If your local libray subscribes you can get on for free.

 

Dunno how long you've been here Fred, but I'm way past the homesick stage!!

 

Thanks for your kind thoughts though!!!!

[lorluc]

I agree that the original article is not unique to the uk, i was highlighting it does gone on here too.

The issue my daughter has is shes at primary school still, ok my opinion has rubbed off on to her, but i do think 11/12 is way too young to have facial and body piecings - maybe im old fashioned but i think its just plain wrong.

 

 

Yeah, i agree 11/12 is too young....I wouldnt have allowed either of my girls to have anything done like that at that age....

[Diane]

I'd be far happier with piercings than I would be with tattoos anyway - at least piercings heal (kind of) when you get bored with them!

[Guest fredhargreaves]

You were effeectively slagging off the UK. I see no need for that. British expats in other locations don't do that and neither do expats/migrants here from other countries.

 

The UK is a fantastic place - ask the 500,000 Aussies who live there long term.