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Brexit

Assuming Brexit happens is anyone advising their children ....

95 replies

frozendaisy · 24/06/2019 09:10

Hello all Newbie here, with things on my mind, so assuming that Brexit is going to happen one way or another, is anyone advising their children to study for subjects that will enable them to leave the UK once they become part of the workforce? That is what we are doing we are, light-heartedly at the moment, suggesting "Canada babies" just to sow the seed. (In case it is usual we have 10 & 8yr olds).

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Mistigri · 24/06/2019 09:33

Not quite what you are asking but my children (who are bilingual and trilingual respectively) have chosen not to study in the U.K. because of Brexit and not knowing how useful a U.K. degree or professional qualification will be in Europe after Brexit.

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Jason118 · 24/06/2019 09:37

If any of my children asked for advice I'd say go for it - the UK is becoming less hospitable and many places have much more going for them.

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Songsofexperience · 24/06/2019 09:45

Not particularly as we don't really know what the future will bring and their home is here. I do encourage them to be the best they can be and to keep up their language skills (they are raised bilingual).
I would really encourage all UK kids to learn another language - I'm convinced it will make a difference, regardless of whether or not they go work abroad.

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1tisILeClerc · 24/06/2019 09:56

Although English is very useful globally, getting a grounding at least in Mandarin (?) and Spanish would enable them to communicate with many others. Also to take any opportunities that they come across, experience is so useful and depending on your overall outlook on life, being in the right place at the right time is surprisingly important, rather than just 'raw' qualifications.

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bellinisurge · 24/06/2019 10:17

I'm assuming that my dd with our support (and with a right to an Irish passport as well as family in the US) will be ok. Her choice to stay here or live and work abroad. I have lived and worked abroad. I have a sibling who still does.

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Broken11Girl · 24/06/2019 10:26

Huh?! It's happening in over 4 months - that's a lifetime to 8 and 10 year olds! They're certainly not thinking about what they want to do as adults. You'll just make them anxious.

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ifonly4 · 24/06/2019 10:38

As they move onto secondary/grammar school, I'd say they should study subjects that interest them and they enjoy. As the time approaches for making decisions on apprenticeships/further education, they'll be well aware from the news and things going on around them of things that should influence their decisions at that time. DD will hopefully be starting at a degree course in September, over the next few years we'll need more people qualified in that area, and there will be plenty of jobs here or abroad.

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1tisILeClerc · 24/06/2019 10:41

Broken11Girl
Indeed a good point at that age but they will ask questions so working out something to say to them would be good for when they ask.
Life will not end, it will just get a bit more difficult and expensive, depending what actually happens in November and beyond.

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frozendaisy · 24/06/2019 10:55

To be honest I am more concerned with the divided society than job opportunities, ours can get EU passports that's not an issue and they are not anxious at all because it's all done with humour :-) we sing "blame canada!" (although of course they are not really sure where that song comes from yet), I just want to plant the seed that if they want to go because the UK is not where they want to be as young adults, that they aren't to worry about us or what we will say they should go.

If the UK loses trade and services, less tax receipts, I just don't want them working to pay more and more taxes for less, and being a grown-up nowadays having to think about pensions (sorry yawn) it might be better for them to just do their working lives and full tax returns elsewhere. Perhaps, perhaps it will all be fine. And it's easier to move anywhere younger.

And as much as I would love them to study for study's sake it's going to cost us about 50K per child per degree which as much as it shouldn't it does make a difference......."you get job!" :-D

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WickedGoodDoge · 24/06/2019 12:46

My DC(17 & 14) decided independently of Brexit that they both wanted to move to Canada (or in DD’s case, probably the US, maybe Canada) so not sure I’m being fair answering your question. DS in particular, is planning on studying a subject at uni which will be useful in his quest for Canada. Grin

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frozendaisy · 24/06/2019 14:10

Do you mind Wicked? Or are you happy for them to leave?

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MrsSpenserGregson · 24/06/2019 14:12

"Blame Canada" is an excellent song OP Grin

If Canada is dead and gone
There'll be no more Celine Dion

*disclaimer: I like Celine Dion

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Theworldisfullofgs · 24/06/2019 14:14

My eldest is doing French a level and the youngest is busily doing French and German. He will definitely pursue a language. They will probably both emigrate which is good for them and sad for me.
Personally, I think those that can will go. Just like they did in Ireland.
My brother left to work abroad many decades ago (70s) and never came back. I know my mum missed him.

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WickedGoodDoge · 24/06/2019 14:33

frozendaisy I can’t exactly say anything because I moved here from the US in 1990. Grin They probably have their wanderlust thanks to me... Blush

Seriously though, I don’t mind. They’ll only be a plane ride away and in the day and age with FaceTime, messenger etc it’s quite different to when I left home.

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noodlenosefraggle · 24/06/2019 14:49

My children are the same age as yours OP and I have told them to keep up their German (a language both of them inexplicably love Grin) so they can study/work in Europe if they want. They don't like French and don't do Spanish, but I might suggest Spanish or Mandarin when they get to secondary school. They are not entitled to an EU passport, even though both DH and I are through the grandparent rule. They worry about Brexit without me telling them though, as they hear about it but don't understand what it is (ds2 thought we were going to be homeless!) so I felt telling them they were young enough for either it all to sort itself out or decide to live elsewhere would give them a feeling of control over the situation.
Jacob Rees-Mogg predicted that it will take us 50 years to get back to where we are after Brexit. I'm not going to stand by and watch them sacrifice their entire working life to this country on the whim of people who will be long dead before they are even adults.

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Peregrina · 24/06/2019 14:56

Both my (adult) DCs are abroad at present, plus a grandchild. Whether that will remain the case, I can't say, but when I stop to think I realise I could have a very lonely old age, especially if I became widowed.

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SinisterBumFacedCat · 24/06/2019 15:01

My DCs have great careers in fruit picking to look forward too. Wink

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Clavinova · 24/06/2019 15:04

Just to point out that the Canadians inject their beef with growth hormones. Canada also has a free trade agreement with the United States. Oh, wait...

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Parker231 · 24/06/2019 15:07

My DT’s are in their second year of Uni, both trilingual. They are lucky enough to hold non UK passports (Canadian) and neither plan on working in the UK when they graduate.

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thethethethethe · 24/06/2019 18:07

I am encouraging 1 of my DC to learn languages, with a view to studying and then working abroad. The other currently wants to stay in the UK, but that may change.

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frozendaisy · 24/06/2019 19:12

Thanks all. Seems like Canada is popular :-)

We are not even sure that we will be here in 5 years time, if it all goes belly up we might leave anyway then I can't see any of us returning in the near future.

Shame that so many feel like this now but what can you do as an individual apart from what you can with your options.

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noodlenosefraggle · 24/06/2019 19:29

One of my DC's wants to go n to India for some reason. He's never been there. It may be a good option though by the time he's old enough

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PostNotInHaste · 25/06/2019 19:32

DD going into second year of language degree and her and partner (moved over to be with her) are emigrating after.

DS younger and planning to spin out education then depending how things are he’s off apparently. Friend’s DD gone to New Zealand, another lad in Netherlands and more planning to go after they graduate.

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thethethethethe · 26/06/2019 00:02

What reasons do the dcs give?

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fairweathercyclist · 26/06/2019 13:17

To be honest I am more concerned with the divided society than job opportunities

I am most concerned about the two tier system. Those who can get EU passports will be fine, those who can't, will have very few opportunities open to them. I think the OP's children will be ok anyway, because of their age, there's time for things to settle down. But those aged over about 14 and not yet in full time employment (and even then you can lose a job very easily) will be in a very difficult situation if we have no deal.

DS is doing Spanish A level but that won't help him get a job in Spain without an EU passport, although I guess somewhere like Chile could be an option.

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