Aussie mums.. this is our place

[robinpud]

While the rest of the world is sleeping, can we deal with our own pressing issues..... like....
did they ever tell that girl in the BB house her dad had died?

and are bonds knickers any good?

[eidsvold]

adore bonds knickers!!!!!! have bog leg hipsters and hipsters. ALso have the bras - well not at the moment - bf bras - berlei remembra - expensive but worth it.

I don't think they did tell her about her dad. Bit funny though - media beat it up and you think how terrible then it turns out they had been estranged for years and were only just talking via text. Still - no excuse - she should have been told.

[ghosty]

Awright you two
Eids, what on earth are 'bog leg knickers'?
I personally prefer the boy leg ones ...
Anyone see the Absolutely Fabulous on UKTV last week where Patsy talks uses the words Nazi and SWMNBN in the same sentence?? PMSL and thought of Mumsnet

[eidsvold]

pmsl - bog leg knickers are those you have when you are trying to type whilst cuddling a cranky baby

but bonds knickers rock for day to day use!!!

nah - don't watch ab fab - in fact do not think I have seen one episode.

dh's latest interest is life on Mars on ABC sun night. A guy who has been in an accident or something and is in a coma - goes back in time to UK 70's. Police drama with an edge - think it is because it reminds him of his teen years in the 70's.

[robinpud]

today's thing I am wondering about is why the boards are full of people complaining about uk school and none of the australian mums doing the same. Is tha because

1. Australian schools much better and paretns all ecstatically happy?
   
2. not many aussies posting
   3 other more unterstersitng reasons?
   
   My fingers are too cold to type propery!

[eidsvold]

my dd1 is not in school yet BUT she does attend a special education unit which is under the control of the education department. I love the teachers there. They have been fabulous for dd1. Her kindy teachers are gorgeous and we have been so lucky to have such good places for dd1 to attend.

As to school - the one we would like her to attend has a good reputation and I am looking forward to her going there.

perhaps cause in QLd we have a greater freedom to choose where we send our children??!?! Having taught in both systems I think our Qld system is better than what I witnessed in the UK - secondary that is.

perhaps not many of us are online!?!?



how about those bonds undies robin - whaddya reckon??

ghosty am wearing some lovely green bog legged ones as I type this!!

[ghosty]

I dunno about the aussie school thing robinpud. I know we had a long chat by email about aussie schools and the differences you noticed compared to the UK.

The thing is, for me, is that I am not really that much of a fussy mother ... I was a teacher for 10 years and the worst bit about teaching IMO was the parents ... teaching would be great if you didn't have parents breathing down your neck
I vowed never to be one of those.
Also it helps that we are lucky enough to pick our area where we want to live and send the children to school ...
I have found, in Auckland and Melbourne, that although schools have zones, it really isn't the awful lottery to get your child into the school you want that it is in England.
My niece goes to the Infant School near their house. It is attached to a primary school. It is a 5 minute walk from their home. There is NO guarantee that my neice will get into the primary school ... I think that is shocking and appalling. I think the kiwis and aussies have the right idea. If you live in the school zone they have to by law take you ... if there are too many children they HAVE to provide a teacher/space etc. Also, in Melbourne, if you are not in the zone but the school is the nearest to your house the school has to take you.
Simple. Easy.
I like the later school entry of both NZ and Aus (NZ not before 5 and in Aus it can be nearer 6).
In both schools my son has been to now the teachers look happy and relaxed. They don't have TAs but they seem to manage ok.
Parents are expected to contribute to the school financially (in NZ it was over $300 a year, in Aus it is $100) PLUS buy your child's stationery for the year ... $125 this year for DS ...
No one complains ... every one seems to expect it.
Another reason that the teachers seem happy is maybe because they don't have OFSTED? Could that be it?

I have just made friends with a lady who came here a year ago from the UK - her DS is in Yr 4 at DS's school ... she says it is fab, couldn't be happier. Her children are happier although there seems to be more homework than in Buckingham where they came from.

[ghosty]

Eids - my bog pants are green too pmsl ...

[ghosty]

Oh, by the way, I had a fab morning ...
Woke up originally feeling a bit crap and lonely with nothing planned for the day ... just me and DD ... which is fine but the novelty is wearing off lol ...
But at 9 o'clock I got a phone call from a lady I have met a couple of times who said she was a bit at a loose end and did we want to go with her and her DD to feed the ducks?
I ACKCHERLY have a FWIEND who rang me up to see what I was up too
I was delighted to accept the invitation and we had a lovely mooch around the Yarra Bend Park, went down to the boathouse for lovely coffee and to feed the ducks, then to the swings ....
Didn't get home till 1pm ...
She's lovely, from Canada, married to an Aussie ...
What have you done today so far??

[suzywong]

hello

your morning sounds great ghosty, glad you aren't billy no mates anymore

I took ds1 to the child physio to check on his strength and motor skills (he's what would have been known in the old days as a flat foot), then ds2 was to have a playdate but he's snotty so we came home and have paired up all the big/parent fluffy toys with their babies and we have family groups of red pandas, koalas and kangaroos- natch, dogs, monkey, frogs and bunnies and we have put the kookaburra and the penguin together seeing as how they both have beaks.


Re schools - we live in an affluent MC area with "nice" families and hardworking mainly SE Asian immigrants and the primary school is so fantastic that the newest permanent member of staff has been there 10 years - that has to say something. The high school the Fragrant Wong Brothers will go too is of equally high standing and runs a Special Arts Programme. DH went to both schools and it's one of the reasons we moved back. However, a lot of people at the school gates, mainly mothers of girls, periodically murmur about taking their kids out at year2 to go to private schools but I think that's merely snobbery and I have heard of someone putting their daughter down for a private school miles away so she can learn "poise".

I am rambling
I know

[ghosty]

LOL at 'poise' ...
I have that ... NOT!!!

I really think the private school thing here is more a status/snob thing than for better schooling. Especially in the MC areas like you describe Suzy. I met a lady the other day who has pulled her kids out of private school to put them in DS's school because the music program is so good. Can't really complain ...
Also, Dad of DS's new 'first best friend' told me that he is thinking of NOT sending his DS to the local private school as he is so far unimpressed by his elder son's experience there (Yr 7).

Interesting.

[eidsvold]

i too giggled at 'poise' lot of money for poise.

ghosty I was gobsmacked at what the school provided for children in the UK - exercise books etc.

You have summed it up rightly though. I know with dd1 - I rang the local school - 5 minute walk at most from our house about enrolling dd1 for next year. Told to call back in Oct - they take all children who enrol and no problem that she has special needs - just ask to speak with senco when time comes.

you almost have three stratas of education here though:

govt school
catholic ed - can often be seen as just as 'poor' in terms of income as state schools.
private schools that charge exorbitant fees and you have to enrol babes at birth or ultrasound!!!

having seen what some private schools produce though - our local schools are fab and could not ask for better.

[eidsvold]

great day - that sounds fab ghosty.

me - sold t-shirts at kindy - let dd2 have a play, went to library. took dd2 home for lunch and early sleep - she has not had said sleep!!

back to pick dd1 up. Home - but had a visitor so coffee and bickies with friend. now just thinking about what to get dds for dinner.

have a prac nanny starting at the end of the week. Have her two days a week and two one week blocks - she might be very bored with my life BUT hey - if she can survive our mad house - she can survive almost anywhere.

[eidsvold]

oops forgot to add my poo episode in there. Dd2 calls me to her room to show me she has changed her nappy!! - picture it - dd2 in dd1's clothes - inside out mind you, wipes with poo on the floor and pooey nappy on the floor - which she stands on and manages to smear poo in to the carpet. [ewwwwwwwwwww] so clean carpets - can't wait until they get ripped up BUT we are still waiting to do main rooms so that will be a long time coming.

her clothes were inside out cause it was inside out day at kindy today!!

[eidsvold]

have you guys joined the do not call register - kinda like the telephone preference service in the UK

here

[suzywong]

I'msorry eids, I annot even bring myself to read your post but you havemy sumpathies


ghosty, I 'm thinking of bringing ds2 to Melbourne in November for an origami convention.

[eidsvold]

suzy melbourne is fab - would love to take the whole family there.

[eidsvold]

no sympathy needed - usually would be pleased at some show of independence but I am so knackered at the moment.

[robinpud]

Ghosty- your day sounds good. It ism amazing how little acts of kindness transform your day. I have been inundated today with soccer stuff to borrow after dd made the pssa soccer team which will save me a lot of money.

Eids- you day sounds .. interestesting.. I don't miss changing nappies I'm afriad.

Did you see in the news that the number of immigrants choosing Sydney iis down from 42% to 32% as they choose Perth, /brissy and Adelaide etc due to the high cost.
We are at the house prices here!

[ghosty]

Suzy ... origami convention? Is that code for something (like 'major piss up') or do you do origami for real? Either way - GROOVY!!!!!
Come and STAY! I can help you with DS2 if you are busy at said convention (as long as he doesn't do that scary face too often )...
If you can't stay, promise me a coffee or wine (or both? )

Robin, not surprised by the Sydney statistics ... we couldn't afford to live in and equivalent nice area in Sydney on DH's salary ... but can in Melbourne ...

[eidsvold]

what's the weather like down your way today ghosty - very rainy here - YEH!! Are you sure you're not up our way??

[DCsnatchsunhill]

Hi All,
Eidsvold, the weather in Melbourne is rather gloomy. It's been pretty grotty for a while now, and I'm just so COLD all of the time. Is it my imagination that Duvets are not as thick and snuggly as in the UK??

Ghosty, if you ever fancy a meet-up then just let me know. We're always looking for a good excuse for a day out and we could meet half way up...St Kilda, Mordialloc...
We're down at Dromana at the moment.

We're also going through the school process at the mo, it's all everyone is talking about. there is only one school that is close to us really, and even that one we'll have to drive to (serves us right for choosing quiet area really) but I've only heard good things. What questions should I be asking though - I'm not sure if I could tell a good school if I fell over it!

[eidsvold]

dc snatch - we got a fab doona ( duvet) from target that is in fact 2 in one - one light one and one medium one that you then put together to make one really warm one iyswim. Was expensive but worth it.

we are just so pleased with rain - we have not had rain in so long and our dams were getting to dangerously low levels where they had to shut some off for fear of algae etc getting into water!! so no complaints here!! Although having to go out and about with three little ones in this kind of weather is very stressful trying to keep them all dry etc - I still am grateful for the rain.

[robinpud]

No rain here eidsvold. Am sitting here typing with fingers that are purple with cold. I thought that I was leaving this sort of discomfort behind in the UK. It is 12 degrees in my family room, up from 10 when we got up. I spend a lot of time fantasising about radiators! We have 2 doonas on the bed already!
anyway off to do some vigorous house work to get the circulation going. Dh reckins it is cheaper for me to go and sit in gloria jeans than to put the reverse cycle on. Then am going to the gym' cos it's warm!

Ghosty- dh's uk teacher salary is far higher than anything he would get here. We couldn't afford to live here particularly cofortably, although radio this morning said Sydney is going to be a waterless,polluted, traffic congested urban jubgle in 30 years time

[eidsvold]

very cool 18 or so here - higher than your twelve BUT much cooler than the warm 27 or so we had been having.

[arfishy]

Aha. So this is where you're all lurking. How is everybody?

I was back in Blighty then dealing with jetlag but I'm back now armed with a new stash of M&S knickers.

It's FREEZING cold here. In the mornings me and the cats huddle next to the one gas fire we have fighting for supremacy. I've just seen a poor bride standing shivering on the Anzac bridge underneath the grey skies having her photos taken.

Agree robinp about Sydney house prices. We're thinking of buying a small investment property and then just getting a big house by renting. Much cheaper than a mortgage on an equivalent place. We need to see a financial advisor though as Aussie finances are so different to UK and I have no idea where to start really.

I've just got DD into a school and am very pleased. I'm not religious and was struggling to find a non-denominational one. I did it in the end and am v.happy. Not sure why nobody is whingeing about Aussie schools tho. I suspect they are much better. DD's certainly is a million times better than anything I'd find for her in the UK.