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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Wanted Down Under - did anyone else watch the episode last week and think the woman was totally and utterly selfish?

10 replies

Notalone · 14/05/2012 19:10

For anyone who doesn't know this programme, a family go to Australia for a week to sample the life they may have out there to decide if they want to move there or not. They live in a house they could afford, do a job they may end up doing there and the kids do some sort of activity or visit a local school.

An episode last week featured a woman from Wiltshire who was the ONLY one who wanted to move out there. Her 2 teenage DD's, her 7 yo DS and her DH were all unenthusiastic, even after sampling all Australia had to offer and gave it the thumbs down. Financially they may have been better off (though there was a probability he would have to work 60-70 + hours per week while she was probably not going to work at all) and her DD's who had a different father to her DS would be taken away from their dad who saw his kids everyday and said he would be heartbroken if she took them all that way to live which made them cry when they saw the video of him saying that. There was a bit where all thair family and friends were saying what they would miss about them which had all the kids in tears, especially their DS who said would miss his nan too much if he went while she sat there looking totally unmoved.

The end showed her packing a suitcase, pouting and saying that she couldn't understand why they felt that way and there was nothing at all holding them in the UK.

I really don't understand how anyone can think it is ok to remove children who are close to their father and take them all the way down under where they will never have the same relationship again despite Skype etc. I have a far from amaible relationship with my ex who can be downright evil to me yet despite this I would never ever contemplate doing this. What do you think - AIBU or is she?

OP posts:
Methe · 14/05/2012 19:13

They probably just wanted a free holiday.

NatashaBee · 14/05/2012 19:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mosman · 14/05/2012 19:16

Bet t made great tele though

Notalone · 14/05/2012 19:19

It was great telly - I was Shock the whole way through they she even thought that was ok. She kept saying I don't want to regret this, I have always wanted this I I I.

For the record I have always wanted to live in American and my qualification means I can do this if I want, but I would never take DS away from my evil fuckwit ex his loving father

OP posts:
boohoohoo · 14/05/2012 20:11

I`ve seen a few of these when either one parent is leaving a child behind from another relationship, I can never get my head around it!!! Why would anyone do that!

Notalone · 14/05/2012 20:45

Exactly boohoo. I don't understand it either. There is no way on this earth I would move that far away from my DS. Then imagine being the parent whos ex partner is taking their children away ? Sad. The way this woman said without an ounce of conscience that there was nothing to keep them there. I just thought, you selfish cow. What bloody planet are you on???

OP posts:
siilk · 14/05/2012 21:18

I am always incredulous as to what the people on the show actually expect to find in Oz. I am Australian myself and I am amazed by some of the expectations and opinions on the show. Move into the North Shore of Sydney and be mortgage free on £200,000!!!!!! Ha a million maybe!

fedupofnamechanging · 14/05/2012 21:29

That programme is so manipulative though - they deliberately record heartbreaking messages from the loved ones, that rip the family to shreds with the idea that they will be causing all this distress if they dare to do what they want with their own lives. Horrible, horrible programme.

And they show the family houses that they can't possible afford.

Agree with you that it is selfish to take kids away to another country, if they have a close relationship with their other parent.

Notalone · 14/05/2012 21:50

Yeah I agree that the programme is manipulative. Definitely! They really "sell" the lifestyle when the families in question probably cannot afford the properties they are shown in their wildest dreams. But they can't manipulate her cold expression and the "nothing to keep us in the UK comment".

OP posts:
fedupofnamechanging · 14/05/2012 21:55

Well, she might find a court order does!

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