Better For Children: South Africa Or Australia?

[Cramer]

What about loss of their identity??

....

. . . . but at least they'd have an identity . . . . as an Australian . . . . . if they want that!

Thanks Bob

In the last few years before coming over, I felt more like a stranger in my own country than I have ever felt since being here, Australia feels like home.

[Craig01]

As a parent, I have consciously changed the course of history for my two young children by moving us to Australia. I have absolutely no guilt in doing so .... none. When they are older, I will tell them what life was like for us in the 80's growing up, what life was like during the decay of the late 90's and how the rot had set in by the time we left in 2011/12, I will ask them if they think I made the right choice by coming to Oz .... I suspect I know what their answer will be.

With not another sole in sight, I found myself walking down a badly lit alleyway the other night. I came up behind two youngish (16 maybe?) girls that were walking in the same direction .... as I passed them I realised that they did not even flinch or look over their shoulders when they heard my footsteps coming up from behind. This is the way life should be lived.

[Joeemm]

Hi there

Our son was born in Australia, and I don't mind saying that we would not have it any other way. We actually postponed having a family in South Africa because we felt so strongly that it was just not a place we wanted our children to grow up. Our son is a very happy little almost 4 year old :-)

I honestly cannot see any reason why anyone with children who has the opportunity to leave South Africa does not grab it with both hands. Like anything else there is a cost and lack of contact with family is one of them. But weighing the risks of living in South Africa and the way the government is stacking the deck against them against the chance of a safe, happy life where they can achieve what ever they want to, I just cannot see the difficulty. It's as they say a "no brainer".

I believe that in the end, children will generally thank their parents for moving.

[AAAZR]

I know a lot of Afrikaans people that send their children to English Private schools so its not just by emigrating that the language is "lost". We daily see Van der Merwes or Jansen van Rensburgs that don't understand one word of Afrikaans!!

[SusterAnna]

Yes, I know we have made the right decision to emigrate and never doubt it, but...

then you hear Bok van Blerk sing "DeLaRey" and Leani May being a "boeremeisie" and the pride in being an Afrikaner wells up in me. I remember those strong feelings, that a handfull of "boere" can accomplish anything against any odds if they put their minds to it. That the dust and the soil runs deep in all our veins, no matter where we are. That the passion with which we speak and live have to do with the country that shaped us and is inherent to who we are.

But perhaps the new generation of South African children won't have those feelings. Although my children still speak fluent Afrikaans they do not know any of the Boer hero's and very little of the country’s history. The strength that held the Afrikaner Nation together in the past seems to have disappeared - it is no longer sweat and "saamstaan" and faith and courage. Or is it? Would out children have embraced that part of the Afrikaner culture if we had stayed? Will they be poorer for it to live in a country where everything is easy and comes easy, will they also be poorer in culture? Shoe, sorry guys, but you caught me on one of those days with this subject...

[Cramer]

....Although my children still speak fluent Afrikaans they do not know any of the Boer hero's and very little of the country’s history. ....

While it is great that they adapt to the Aussie culture it it is up to us to teach them their roots. And a lot of the stories are great ones that should not be lost.

....The strength that held the Afrikaner Nation together in the past seems to have disappeared ......

That is because there are no leaders of substance and that unfortunately is not just limited to the Afrikaners. "Don't Touch me on my Studio" comes to mind.

With regard to both these quotes above, the one thing the ANC have succeeded in doing since they came in to power is destroy a once proud and powerful nation and they did it while we were watching and doing nothing, for fear of being labled, taking everything away. Renaming streets, eliminating non black history in our skills and now we split up and spread around the world. But as I said before, we can teach our kids where they came from and about their past so its not our loss its South Africa's

[SusterAnna]

You are right Cramer, we know we are here for a reason, and we do not go back, but we need to tell the stories to our children of where they come from. It is obvious from AGenerationLost's post (the writer who started this tread) that children come to a certain age and then start asking serious questions on where they are from and why they have been taken out of their culture and heritage. I agree, we need to be able to answer them then.

[Craig01]

...my response to this question

....at 22 seconds into the video (remember these on SABC?)

Copy/Paste the link below into your browser if it does not play

[Bob]

Our kids wont miss SA. My baby is 9 mths old. She is going to be a wonderful authentic Australian Sheila! And i couldnt be happier! I want my kids to be global citizens.

I've been to Sweden, Denmark, England, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and about 27 years ago, to South Africa. . . . . just about everywhere where there is multiculturalism and I can't honestly seeing it working anywhere effectively.

I still see people living among their own peoples, be it in London or Paris or Amsterdam or Stockholm. There are whole suburbs of people populated by various ethnic groups and no-one else.

If multi-cultualism was such a success, why don't I see West Indians enjoying living alongside Nigerians or Indians, or Malays, or Chinese, or other Europeans??

I live in Australia.

Please . . . . please . . . tell me where there is a "global" country on Planet Earth and I will emigrate there.

You want your kids to all grow up being "global" citizens.

What exactly do you mean by that?

That we all enjoy each other's cultures, eat each other's favourite dishes and watch each other's national dress and dances?

Then sit around and sing "kum-ba-yah" with each other?

If you find a place like that on Earth, promise me that you will tell me of it first!

I need some reassurance on what all the politicians have been telling me over the past few years, since 1973, when Multi-culturalism was introduced by the Whitlam Labor Government in Australia . . . . . but then again, do I hang on every word that politicians tell me ???????

The latest research into trustworthiness among the man-in-the -street in Australia ranks politicians about the same as used car salesmen. . . . at the bottom of the list of 50 professions!

So . . . . . if I believe what Australian politicians tell me about multi-culturalism . . or what British politicians in Britain tell me . . I guess I can believe every word that my local used car salesman tells me.

Perhaps that second hand car with 450 000 kms on the clock really was driven to Church on a Sunday by a little old lady! . . . . or maybe not????

If you hang on every word that everybody says, you'll be a very mixed up person, at the end of the day.

I prefer to look around, observe with my own eyes, see it for it really is and then make up a mindset, regardless of the hype that I've heard about things over the years.

[Cramer]

So True Bob, it s the differences that attract us to each other but also keep us apart!

[candivw]

So True Bob, it s the differences that attract us to each other but also keep us apart!

So true, we think we are all so different but I work with a Chinese girl, some Aussies and a British girl. We all get along really really well because deep down we are similar. Sure our cultures etc may be different but morals are the same.

On another note while in RSA I never noticed it but here I have, it's how different say people from Durban are to say people from JHB? I never really noticed it before but I can do now!!

[AllisonW]

Hi Bob,

When i spoke of my children being global citizens i was not referring to multi culturism.

I was referring to them developing into people that feel secure in their own identity, that is seperate from their national identity. I was referring to them not being afraid of being anywhere or with anyone. Being able to take risks. Having travelled as you have i think that travelling, living in multiple places broadens your world view, changes who you are. They dont have to do anything they dont want to. As i said i dont have a strong cultural identity and it doesnt bother me. I think its one of my familys strengths.

[Bronwyn&Co]

I am obviously an English-speaking South African. Sometimes, I will encounter another English-speaking South African in Brisbane who insists on speaking (bad) Afrikaans to me. What's that about? Irritating....