the collins bunch

[Guest thecollinsbunch]

:wacko:Hi this is my first time on pia im 36 and a hairdresser(yes another hairdresser!)my dilemma is my children are 12,10 and 8 and they all say they dont want to move to australia!!!! do 12 ,10 and 8 yr olds know whats best for them?my 8 yr old said to me(i dont mean to be horrible but ill stay with nanny!!!!)what can you say to that.

julie

[Guest Lisajonesey]

Hi Julie!

Welcome!!!

 

Have you sat down and showed them lots of pictures of australia.. and showed them the beaches and things? - I don't have any kids, but friends that have had to do the convincing that haven't taken their children on holiday there, have swamped them with pictures and video's of the area, and the more they talk about it to them, the more they accept it. I'm sure they'll be fine!! - When you're 8 years old, I guess Australia must seem like going to the moon!

 

Good luck!

 

lisa.xx

[Guest karyn1]

Hi Julie, this is my first too!! Kids do think they know whats best dont they lol! Mine are 7 months and 2, so cant put up too much of a protest. What stage are you guys at in your application? We are just looking through agents at the mo!

Karyn

[Guest thecollinsbunch]

Hi Karyn

we have just found our agent and are about to sign contract and then its a long roller coaster ride!!!!! What made you decide on Adelaide?Where do you live now.

[Guest thecollinsbunch]

Hi Lisa

Thanks for great advice i will try that and see how it goes . They have a long time to get used to the idea we have only just found the right agent!!!!!!

julie x

[Guest Dave & Carole]

Our children are 5 and 3, so again, they don't have much say in it.

 

However from personal experience (when I was alot younger!)- my parents moved to Cornwall & left me staying with family friends in Reading when I was 16. I thought I knew best - but even at that age I was wrong. I might have hated them at the time if they'd made me go, but once there I'd have made new friends & it would have become home. As it was, I managed, but now have no roots where they live & no sense of home in Reading either.

 

We have other friends also heading to Adelaide with older children (16 & 18) Although unsure of it & having ups and downs they seem to think as a family it is the right decsion to all go.

 

Don't know if that helps at all. Good luck.

 

Carole

[Guest Suziep]

Hi Julie,

 

When I informed my 14 year son we were hoping to emigrate he was not impressed and promptly told me that he was going to live with his Father (we divorced 13 years ago) he remained adamant and we were beside ourselves whether to proceed with the application. However within a few weeks he started asking questions, i left books of Australia with nice photos in the loo and decided not to press him on the subject and the turn around was amazing probably thanks to some of his school buddies who told him he was an idiot for wanting to stay here! After a long chat it turned out that living in Adelaide wasn't the problem it was actually the flight he didn't want to endure. We have chatted alot about it and hopefully put his mind at rest on a series of over-inflated worries about the long flight. He hates heights and we have agreed on not staying in a high-rise hotel in Hong Kong on the way there instead he wants to stay in a "mud hut" in Bali - a worth while compromise!!

[Dawn&Andy]

our kids were 8,9 and 15 when we came out last year, so not far off your kids ages, only advice i can give really is turn it into a adventure, say its not gonna be forever if they dont want it to be, talk about it as much as you can and get their imput on reasons they dont wanna go and try reassure them, watch every aussie program going, buy a map and show em where it is you will be going, point out all the fun places you might visit once you are here, once you make it look like a fun place to go and in their heads they know if you all hate it you can go back then i think they feel much better about the idea of going.

 

our kids didnt wanna come either, well the two youngest came round to the idea because we talked about this big adventure we was going to have, til last day in uk and we had tears as we left to go to airport and i could have easily given up then listening to the sobbing in the back of the car, it was awful, but they have settled so well, they made new friends pretty easy, they still miss nanny and grandad etc but with promises of them visiting seems to keep those pangs away, the older one who didnt want to come at all, now says after 10 months he never wants to go back, so things can turn around and probably will for many

 

Good luck with your visa process and with selling it to the kids:)

[Guest Bakers]

Hi Julie we moved out in October 2008 with 3 children,1 too young to care (9months) a 6 year old who just liked the thought of living by the beach & a 10 year old who was adament she wasnt coming & wanted to stay with Nanny too,we did a reccie last March & the eldest loved it so it helped slightly but she still found it hard when the time came to make the move & it was heartbreaking but i feel you have to take childrens considerations into account but can't live your life doing everything they want so we stuck to our guns.

On the plane over she said "the day i turn 17 im going home to live with Nan" after 6 weeks she had completely turned around now she tells Nan sorry i might come back for a holiday but i'm never coming back to live they love it &have joined lots of clubs made lots of friends so im happy to say us "horrible parents" did the right thing & it's working well talk to them about it show them as much of life here as you can & if you havent already do a reccie good luck with it all x

[Guest Trakki]

my oldest was 7 when we moved and adament that when he was 18 he was going back to England to live with his mates. A few weeks after arriving the was some sort of disagreement (can't remember what about) and I turned round to him and said 'well, only a few more years and you can move back to England' His reply was 'Why would i want to do that???' He loves it here as do the other children and it has been themaking of him, such a different lad, more confident and alot happier, the school system here suits him so well.

 

Hope it all works out for you

[julie-ruth]

Hi Julie my name is Julie too and I also have 3 children 8,10 and 12 all girls, I know exactly where you are coming form but it was my eldest who has struggled most we have had rant's, rave's, tear's and an awful lot of sulking its an hell of emotional roller coaster you are stepping on, but it is worth it the Australian's are very welcoming and friendly and the school we have put our children have worked very hard at settling them in and its payed off they have lots of new friends and are enjoying new activities things that they couldn't do in the Uk, at the moment I have my younger two are doing Ice-skating lesson I looked into it in England and it was a promise of something for them to do when they came over, my eldest wants to do Horse riding lessons I'm struggling to find a riding stable's but hopefully persistance will pay off with the search. I also had my eldest say she would stay with friends in England than move with us it hurts but stay confident we have been here 4 months and we are still taking each day as it comes but for the most part my kids are so much more happier and relaxed.

 

Julie

[Guest thecollinsbunch]

:oWOW Thanks to everyone who replyed i cant believe so many people did.

Thanks for all your great advise i will take it on board.

THANK YOU

Julie