# Advice please. Moving with 3 young children.



## maxine35 (May 21, 2015)

Hello all,

I am new to this group today. My husband and I have decided to move abroad due to the fact we will be receiving some extra money soon and we are looking to the future and hoping to start a better life for our 3 children and ourselves. Our children are presently in a good school here and we would like to make sure that wherever we move that they will firstly be happy and secondly be receiving an excellent education. We don't want to go too far from family that we have here so Australia, Canada is out of the question, so we are thinking of Spain, possibly Cyprus even.

Has anyone got a happy story that involves taking their children away from their schools and friends as this is what is worrying me - I want to give them a happy life and not be selfish about wanting to move as they are happy where we are, it's us the parents that want away from where we live and I don't want them to suffer in any way. 

We are def decided that we are moving out of the country but we are very anxious and want to make sure we do things properly. Any suggestions anyone has would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Maxine x


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

maxine35 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I am new to this group today. My husband and I have decided to move abroad due to the fact we will be receiving some extra money soon and we are looking to the future and hoping to start a better life for our 3 children and ourselves. Our children are presently in a good school here and we would like to make sure that wherever we move that they will firstly be happy and secondly be receiving an excellent education. We don't want to go too far from family that we have here so Australia, Canada is out of the question, so we are thinking of Spain, possibly Cyprus even.
> 
> ...


What age are the children?


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## maxine35 (May 21, 2015)

Hi. They are 8, 5 and 1, all girls


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## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

maxine35 said:


> Hi. They are 8, 5 and 1, all girls


Hi Maxine

My kids were 4 and 8 when we made the move 12 years ago

they went into Spanish state school , it was heart breaking at first as there were no other English kids they could speak to , and none of the teachers had much English either .

Any way they are fine now , with only Spanish friends ( including boy and girl friends )

they are truly bilingual and have no English accent.

But remember id you move to the valencia region , Valencian language will also be taught in School , which caught us by surprise.

But all in all Spain is a great place for kids to grow up !!!

Cheers Tony Agost Alicante


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## maxine35 (May 21, 2015)

Thanks Tony..can you tell me the town you live in please so I can look it up. Thanks


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## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

maxine35 said:


> Thanks Tony..can you tell me the town you live in please so I can look it up. Thanks


Hi Maxine 

We live in the pottery village of Agost just inland of alicante 

Feel free to ask any questions about we it have been here a while !!! 

Cheers Tony


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

tonymar said:


> Hi Maxine
> 
> My kids were 4 and 8 when we made the move 12 years ago
> 
> ...


I concur with the above.

Our children were 9, and twins of 7 when we moved 9 years ago. They all now speak Spanish, Valencian and English fluently.

Our eldest only had 1 year in primary before going on to ESO (secondary school) - for some reason they put him in a year ahead of where he was in UK - as it turned out, it was not a problem.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

maxine35 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I am new to this group today. My husband and I have decided to move abroad due to the fact we will be receiving some extra money soon and we are looking to the future and hoping to start a better life for our 3 children and ourselves. Our children are presently in a good school here and we would like to make sure that wherever we move that they will firstly be happy and secondly be receiving an excellent education. We don't want to go too far from family that we have here so Australia, Canada is out of the question, so we are thinking of Spain, possibly Cyprus even.
> 
> ...


Please be aware that you will have to show that you have means to support all of you and have health-care cover. You will be required within 90 days of arrival to register on the foreigners' list and show that you have an income going into a Spanish bank of 600/650€ per person per month (or capital of 60k per person, also in a Spanish bank account) plus you have to show that you have coverage for health care (at least for the first 12 months, after which you may be able to buy into the Spanish health service). 

I'm not trying to be negative, but it is better that you know right from the start before making lots of plans. You may be faced with similar requirements in other countries.


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

Our son is now 5 and attending Spanish state school. We live in the campo above Torrox Pueblo. He loves the school and has made many friends - Spanish, Italian, English, Romanian and Sudanese - and his teachers, who speak no one work of English, adore him. He is fluent in Spanish and, of course, English and is also learning German. We arrived in Spain when he was 5 months old. His current project is to teach his class teacher English which she finds very funny...


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## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

baldilocks said:


> (or capital of 60k per person, also in a Spanish bank account)


60k per person??? Who has that kind of money? Down our end it is €6k for the family or, as you said, €600 per month per person. Some folk we know who recently applied for residency, received it no problem and were not asked to provide financial proof nor healthcare proof. I think they might have gone on a Thursday....


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

baldilocks said:


> Please be aware that you will have to show that you have means to support all of you and have health-care cover. You will be required within 90 days of arrival to register on the foreigners' list and show that you have an income going into a Spanish bank of 600/650€ per person per month (or capital of 60k per person, also in a Spanish bank account)


Just one small but important point - shouldn't that read capital of 6K per person, not 60?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Thrax and Lynn, maybe you are right. I've never had much to do with rich people so normally think on the lines of the monthly income, but the OP says they are newly wealthy and in view of the employment situation, capital may be their only way of meeting the requirements without doing the money-shuffling fiddle.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

thrax said:


> *60k per person??? Who has that kind of money?* Down our end it is €6k for the family or, as you said, €600 per month per person. Some folk we know who recently applied for residency, received it no problem and were not asked to provide financial proof nor healthcare proof. I think they might have gone on a Thursday....[/QUOTE
> 
> 
> Retired people with life savings or investments, perhaps??? People who own several properties? There seems sometimes to be an assumption that everyone who comes to Spain must be just about getting by. Not true.
> ...


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## maxine35 (May 21, 2015)

Thanks everyone for your advice. I think we will be okay on the money side of things (maybe not 60K per person tho...lol!) it's the schools im worried about most. Haven't slept a wink last night, will be researching all day now x


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## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

maxine35 said:


> Thanks everyone for your advice. I think we will be okay on the money side of things (maybe not 60K per person tho...lol!) it's the schools im worried about most. Haven't slept a wink last night, will be researching all day now x


Hi Maxine 

Yes it is a worry but your kids are young enough to adapt .

If its any consolation when I ask my kids where they prefer its Spain every time !

In my opinion kids seem much nicer here in Spain , some times in the Uk a group of teenagers can seen quite threatening , and the same drink culture dosnt seem to exist here ( for example you can buy beer at Mc domalds here but I have never seen any drunkenness , If Mc Donalds sold beer in the Uk I think you would see plenty of drunken binge drinking youths !

only my opinion though 

Cheers Tony


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## maxine35 (May 21, 2015)

Thanks Tony.. Yeah I'd like to get them away from the UK drinking culture while they're young enough!


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

tonymar said:


> Hi Maxine
> 
> Yes it is a worry but your kids are young enough to adapt .
> 
> ...


Having a few teenage relatives and two Grandchildren I think that's a bit unfair to generalise. Have you never heard of the botellones? Or perhaps they don't happen in your area. Spain has a huge drug problem amongst the youth but I wouldn't post that they are all off their heads hanging around the streets.


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## tonymar (Jan 29, 2015)

Isobella said:


> Having a few teenage relatives and two Grandchildren I think that's a bit unfair to generalise. Have you never heard of the botellones? Or perhaps they don't happen in your area. Spain has a huge drug problem amongst the youth but I wouldn't post that they are all off their heads hanging around the streets.


Yes I agree there are good and bad every where , didnt mean to offend 

Its just my opinion biased on what I have seen and experienced in the Uk 

but I did live in London ! then Romford Essex 

I have never felt the need to cross the road here to avoid a group of youths , and the odd ones that I have seen , off their heads on weed seem very happy and chilled not aggressive 

Cheers Tony


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

As far as behavioural problems are concerned, much depends on where you move to. We live in an inland village (pop. 5,000) and the children, of all ages, seem to be very well behaved and respectful, always answering when they are spoken to. Crime is negligible and children can be out quite late and be safe, I have, even encountered a 6-year old walking home alone from her grandparent's at ten o'clock at night when I have been walking the dogs - it may appear that she is unattended but everyone keeps an eye open for everyone else. There are no stories of an elderly person lying dead for weeks without anybody noticing.

I have only encountered one piece of graffiti. They are brought up to respect both other people and their property. We had a small problem a couple of years ago but they were expats and their children, but they've gone back to where they came from. Here there is plenty to keep children occupied when they are not at school - football, judo, karate, art classes, music classes, we have two bands, chess club and much more. There are lots of private classes as well, because it is recognised that, in order to get on, the chances of finding employment will rest outside the village and possibly in another country (France, Germany, Switzerland, UK, etc.) so proficiency (B1 or B2) in another language is going to be important as are good levels in other academic subjects, e.g. maths.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Depends where you live in any country. Lots of graffiti in Malaga and around the CDS. In Spanish too so it isn't the Brits Lots in the UK but none where I live. Even the pretty wooden bus shelters are spotless but get close to cities and there is plenty. I don't think you can blame teenage drinking on the lack of things to do in UK. Our neighbour is like an unpaid chauffeur ferrying her kids around to various activities. Just some anti social kids who prefer to hang around and do nothing in inner cities.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Isobella said:


> Depends where you live in any country. Lots of graffiti in Malaga and around the CDS. In Spanish too so it isn't the Brits Lots in the UK but none where I live. Even the pretty wooden bus shelters are spotless but get close to cities and there is plenty. I don't think you can blame teenage drinking on the lack of things to do in UK. Our neighbour is like an unpaid chauffeur ferrying her kids around to various activities. Just some anti social kids who prefer to hang around and do nothing in inner cities.


In Uk, it is not just in inner cities, it is also in many other places, even villages in the southeast. BTW, I wasn't suggesting that all the bad behaviour here was down to expats and their families, just that the very limited amount we had in the village, was.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

Isobella said:


> Having a few teenage relatives and two Grandchildren I think that's a bit unfair to generalise. Have you never heard of the botellones? Or perhaps they don't happen in your area. Spain has a huge drug problem amongst the youth but I wouldn't post that they are all off their heads hanging around the streets.


I was going to ask the same!
It's a mistake to think that problems don't exist in Spain. There are problems with underage drinking, problems with binge drinking, drugs of various classes. Bullying is raising its head too although it's interesting to note that the English word is used to describe this concept as up to about 15 years ago it wasn't something typically encountered in the Spanish schools. Of course there were cases, but they weren't systematic and indiscriminate.
On the other hand it seems to me that there is a lot less violence in society in general and that too is reflected in young people's behaviour. I do find that there is, not necessarily more respect for people, but certainly less interest in antagonising, insulting, making people's lives a misery or beating the SS**** out someone which leads to, imo a less violent society.
However, the rate of domestic violence doesn't appear to be improving very much


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I was going to ask the same!
> It's a mistake to think that problems don't exist in Spain. There are problems with underage drinking, problems with binge drinking, drugs of various classes. Bullying is raising its head too although it's interesting to note that the English word is used to describe this concept as up to about 15 years ago it wasn't something typically encountered in the Spanish schools. Of course there were cases, but they weren't systematic and indiscriminate.
> On the other hand it seems to me that there is a lot less violence in society in general and that too is reflected in young people's behaviour. I do find that there is, not necessarily more respect for people, but certainly less interest in antagonising, insulting, making people's lives a misery or beating the SS**** out someone which leads to, imo a less violent society.
> However, the rate of domestic violence doesn't appear to be improving very much


Interesting but quite why it was thought necessary to divide the stats into all year and up to November, I don't know. I wonder how many cases there are of men being killed by violence.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

baldilocks said:


> Interesting but quite why it was thought necessary to divide the stats into all year and up to November, I don't know. I wonder how many cases there are of men being killed by violence.


Yes, wierd. It must be something to do with the end of the domestic violence year not coinciding with the calendar year!


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Isobella said:


> Depends where you live in any country. Lots of graffiti in Malaga and around the CDS. In Spanish too so it isn't the Brits Lots in the UK but none where I live. Even the pretty wooden bus shelters are spotless but get close to cities and there is plenty. I don't think you can blame teenage drinking on the lack of things to do in UK. Our neighbour is like an unpaid chauffeur ferrying her kids around to various activities. Just some anti social kids who prefer to hang around and do nothing in inner cities.


Sometimes people see what they want to see.
There are villages in Spain with problems too. High unemployment leads to social disengagement wherever you are in the world and the same is true of all parts of Spain, inland, coastal wherever. I was talking to a British immigrant who's lived in Spain for thirty years, has a finca in a small village in the hills above Gaucin, almost bilingual. He was complaining about the insularity and prejudices of his predominantly Spanish pueblo, about the almost 100% unemployed youth who hang about drinking and making nuisances of themselves. Obviously he was not given rose-tinted specs when he moved there.

When we lived in a rural area in the UK, it was common for kids in one village to foray out to beat up kids in a neighbouring village as Friday might entertainment, free too. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened here too.
And as I moved to Spain, not Paradise or the Garden of Eden, it wouldn't surprise me one bit.


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## Lynn R (Feb 21, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> Sometimes people see what they want to see.
> There are villages in Spain with problems too. High unemployment leads to social disengagement wherever you are in the world and the same is true of all parts of Spain, inland, coastal wherever. I was talking to a British immigrant who's lived in Spain for thirty years, has a finca in a small village in the hills above Gaucin, almost bilingual. He was complaining about the insularity and prejudices of his predominantly Spanish pueblo, about the almost 100% unemployed youth who hang about drinking and making nuisances of themselves. Obviously he was not given rose-tinted specs when he moved there.
> 
> When we lived in a rural area in the UK, it was common for kids in one village to foray out to beat up kids in a neighbouring village as Friday might entertainment, free too. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened here too.
> And as I moved to Spain, not Paradise or the Garden of Eden, it wouldn't surprise me one bit.


We have groups of unemployed men (not teenagers) who sit outside drinking, chattiing, sometimes playing and singing flamenco, but apart from not being good at clearing up after themselves (leaving bags of bottles behind for the street cleaners to take away the next morning instead of taking them to the bins) I wouldn't say they caused a nuisance. They drift off home at 11 pm and there's no aggression or violence in public. I do wonder where the money for all the beer comes from, though, given that benefits are supposed to be so meagre.

There has been noticeably more grafffiti in this town during the last 12 months, seemingly due to the efforts of a couple of good-for-nothings who want to "tag" everything in sight. I wish I knew who they were as their tags would be written on their foreheads in indelible ink for all to see - complete idiots. The Ayuntamiento make improvements and the next minute shiny new things are covered in their scribble. It makes me so mad.


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## brocher (Mar 21, 2011)

maxine35 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I am new to this group today. My husband and I have decided to move abroad due to the fact we will be receiving some extra money soon and we are looking to the future and hoping to start a better life for our 3 children and ourselves. Our children are presently in a good school here and we would like to make sure that wherever we move that they will firstly be happy and secondly be receiving an excellent education. We don't want to go too far from family that we have here so Australia, Canada is out of the question, so we are thinking of Spain, possibly Cyprus even.
> 
> ...



Maxine, Spain is exactly the same as the UK in as far as they will adapt and be fine if their parents are in a position to look after them well. State schools will be much as they are in the UK- some very good, some less so- though it is fair to say they have been hit hard with budget cuts due to the crisis. 

I believe it will cost you a lot more to send your children to sate school in Xpian than it does in the UK, as you have to pay a lot more for books, etc.

Main thing is whether you/ hubby will be looking for work. Unemployment is sky high and it could be very hard for you as a family if need to find work.


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