WHERE'S BEST TO LIVE IN NZ AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW: PART4!!!

[AngryBeaver]

Arrgh,had to start a new thread!

Yes,you can get more land in Tauranga. Well,somewhere like Omokoroa or somewhere.Wouldn't want to live much closer than that. And I woulkdn't want to live at he Mount. Lovely as it is. Too touristy,imo.
We would like enough land for a pool (eventually) maybe a sleepout and still enough for a veggie patch and garden for kids. Don't neeed acres +. Wouldn't say no though,if we could afford it! Be nice to have a few sheep or something/

I think Mum would have to fly to Tauranga. So that would be
Manchester-London,London-Singapore, Singapore-Aukland,Aukland- Tauranga
Bad.

justa howws the back? Hope physio was a help,we may have driven past you!
Your house sounds great.
My mums friend lives in Silverdale.She has about an acre with some sheep etc
Wasn't overly impressed at but didn't give it a proper look I suppose,just stopped to buy flowers for Mums friend! Always worth another look

littlest unfortunately the issues do relate to race as Maori and Pacific Island population are horrendously over represented in areas such as bad health, low academic achievement, drug and alcohol abuse, DV, child abuse. Not to say it doesn't happen within pakeha. I also believe it is all directly related to poverty too, but race does play a complicated part in it IMHO.

sibble I totally get what you mean about going to the root of the problem. My absolute passion is family support work, but since having my own family not sure I can summon up the mental energy, patience and stamina to do this work. It is really hard work and woefully underpaid. It is really is about those basic skills and getting to good enough!

Awful weekend of weather here, rain, rain, rain. So tempted by all the Christmas stuff but have to keep remembering that we only have one suitcase each to bring with us in Jan!

AB are you okay? Check in and let us know x

I think the free fruit/snacks at morning tea is a really good idea - all the kids are in school then and they still have the rest of the morning and afternoon at school when hopefully their concentration will be better.

How you can get the message through long term, I don't know. I watched that Campbell thing about the lunch boxes at the high and low decile school. Some of the kids at the low decile school had nothing but some had chippies, big cookies etc - which obviously don't cost less than buying bread, cheese, apples etc - it's just giving them stuff that isn't really as good for them, how do you teach people that?

Speaking of schools, my dd1 has her first day today. She barely even said goodbye when we left, too busy!

Justabout, that's appalling! I'm assuming it wasn't a teacher, was it a janitor-y person (no idea what they're called in NZ schools). Really terrible thing to say. Hope the school get back to you quickly.

good grief justa - words fail me!!! Luckily they aren't failing you - good email! I can just imagine the Principal's shoulders slumping when (s)he clicks on it - Man how much grovelling/firing of dodgy staff members lies ahead!!! Let us know asap what happens next. I can't believe that, given all that you already have to handle in your day-to-day life, that you've also just been insulted like this to your face by someone so lacking in insight and compassion. I hope you haven't been too shaken up. Big hugs xxx

PS finding all recent posts re social deprivation/breakfast clubs/George Orwell/chips-over-fruit-when-skint fascinating - thanks girls

Yay whatshesaid for your DD1's first day at school. I just know my DD1 will be like this, not giving her crying, emotional mum a second thought.

justa that is awful. Not sure how you managed to not deck him once kids were in class what a horrible attitude on your behalf.

justa - and so they should apologise, that's terrible.

justa thats terrible!!

i mean, wow.

Justabout- that is shockingly unprofessional behaviour. I hope he get a bollocking. Not what your kids need to be hearing. I hope they are okay.

Sibble- that's so interesting. Have you come across the Fruit Trees for Schools project by Mount Eden Village people?

Inexcusable - sounds like he'll get a bollocking.

My Tesco order arrived. DS 3 pissed in my new shoes before I even got the tags off. Put on new trousers and DS2 mashed a strawberry into them. This is why I buy cheap clothing on special at Tesco!

longwhitecloud thanks for asking. I'm alright, have had a bit of a slump today but I'll get there.
justa, that is absoloutley, jaw droppingly awful. Sounds pretty aggresive as well. Somebody like that should NOT under any circumstances have close contact with children imo.
And er, caretaker AND teacher?? Yeah, cos you can interchange jobs willy nilly as you choose can't you?
Dd often says, when I grow up I'm going to be a vet, a pilot, a teacher, and a doctor...
He must be a bit like that!
Wonder what he'll be tomorrow.

lolly you made me giggle for the first time in a while, thanks for that!

lolly too funny. He he hope the shoes dry out!

justa, sorry my post was a bit ranty, I had the red mist yesterday evening .
Normal(ish) again now and capable of rational(ish) responses.
lolly hope your shoes weren't suede?!

justa I've been trying to think about what to say about what happened and I'm still speechless. Glad to see they don't seem to be making excuses for him at least.

We're off to North Shore Hospital again tomorrow - DD2 got a last minute dietician appointment. I wonder can they keep up their record of appointments on time or early...

Still thinking of you AB.

An absolutely speechless at that Justa. Hope you get a bloody good outcome from your email. I agree with AB He really doesn't sound like he should be anywhere near children.

Sorry Lolly Had to laugh, I've just had to find my shoes after they've been put in microwave/posted out the door/add in other obscure places. Not had them pissed in yet.

Hope appointment goes well vvv

Picked up my new car this morning, boys seats fitted (thought I might have a bit of trouble as small car, Big car seats but car is more spacious than it looks) so happy now. Don't have to be stuck in the house.

My Tesco order has literally just been delivered, I am off to open it in a locked room where no small children can sabotage me...

xMin- great news about the car. Life in NZ is hard without.

I got a call this morning to tell me there were dolphins in St H so we got ready super fast and finally I saw sea mammals from the beach where I live! Three pods of between 3 and 9 just hanging out. There were loads of people watching and it was AWESOME.

Made up for a rather shitty homecoming.

Lolly- you could Trademe the shoes.....

Cool about the dolphins :)

My Tesco stuff is great. Sizes are quite big, maybe UK sizes are a bit bigger? The 5-6 stuff looks like it will be massive on my just 5year old. Doesn't matter though, she'll grow into it.

Lovely girls fleecy hoodie for £3.20 - really can't complain!