[gina]

We're still at the 'thinking about it' stage (although I think we've decided really!) and my children, son 20, son 17 and daughter 14 are open to the idea. My 19 year old daughter isn't keen. We are quite an outdoorsy family. Children have all been in local football/netball teams and sons like fishing. My older son often shoots at the local farm. We all enjoy camping, walking, scenery, etc so New Zealand sounds perfect for us. One of the main reasons to come would be to give the children a better life, safer environment, less crime etc. On reading the different threads everyone says how much their (younger) children enjoy their freer, cleaner lives in NZ. Unfortunately I've read a few things about young adults leaving for a bit of excitement! Although my husband's dream is to be miles from anywhere I've told him we need to be very close to the city for a few years for the kids (young adults!) to have plenty to do. Do any of the teenagers moan about boredom? I know that my husband and I want different things from life now but if we get to New Zealand we can wait till the kids are older. Also living in the South East (Essex) I can't see them ever getting on the housing ladder. Is this a problem in New Zealand as I understand wages aren't as high there?

[JandM]

I sympathise. I expect all emigrating parents would love to know that everybody will be happy with the move if you make it, and all settle down and live nearby. But nobody can ever get that sort of guarantee, because there are too many things we can't influence that also have a bearing on our children. Wherever we live, teenagers are going to be making decisions about their future, whether they tell us straight out or not. They will soon be adults, and if we try and tell them what to think then, we've lost them. The best to hope and aim for is a good friendship, respectful in both directions, and that way they touch base and share, whatever they're doing and wherever their lives take them.

Don't all teenagers at times moan about boredom, whatever opportunities they have? I'm not being only facetious here - seems to me it's part of the phase they have to pass through, to fuss about whatever lifestyle their family provides as being somehow not what they would've chosen. Faced with this, my grandmother used to say, 'Keep on keeping on - whatever you do is sure to be wrong.' But I think you're right that yours will have a better chance of being happier, with access to the amenities.

[Steadybears]

Just what i feel Gina about our 18 year old coming over with us - leaving his friends and brothers behind - all so many decisions. Thanks Jand M - a lovely thread - loved the 'Keep on keeping on...." We neveer know whether we have done the right thing. Just hope and pray that he will meet new friends quickly and not feel as though hes missing out with everyone back here.

Thanks

[Potato]

We're still at the 'thinking about it' stage (although I think we've decided really!) and my children, son 20, son 17 and daughter 14 are open to the idea. My 19 year old daughter isn't keen. We are quite an outdoorsy family. Children have all been in local football/netball teams and sons like fishing. My older son often shoots at the local farm. We all enjoy camping, walking, scenery, etc so New Zealand sounds perfect for us. One of the main reasons to come would be to give the children a better life, safer environment, less crime etc. On reading the different threads everyone says how much their (younger) children enjoy their freer, cleaner lives in NZ. Unfortunately I've read a few things about young adults leaving for a bit of excitement! Although my husband's dream is to be miles from anywhere I've told him we need to be very close to the city for a few years for the kids (young adults!) to have plenty to do. Do any of the teenagers moan about boredom? I know that my husband and I want different things from life now but if we get to New Zealand we can wait till the kids are older. Also living in the South East (Essex) I can't see them ever getting on the housing ladder. Is this a problem in New Zealand as I understand wages aren't as high there?

I'm 23, single and male- I don't find NZ boring at all. But everyone's different :)
Getting on the housing ladder is as much of an irrelevance in NZ as it is in the UK for first time buyers. Perhaps irrelevance is not the right word for everyone. Although all the people I know my age have no interest in buying houses. Property is the exclusive domain of older people fortunate enough to have climbed onto the ladder when it was actually a feasible desire. I think this is the case in both countries. I've not met anyone who has any deep issues with renting at all. It's quite enjoyable and really the only realistic choice anyway.
Perhaps if demand for housing drops (like that's ever going to happen!) then us younglings will wake up to a world where we might be able to afford our own home, :) but I find it unlikely.