15 things you need to know about parenting in Australia
If you had to create a guideline for parents raising their children in Australia, what would you include on it? Here are our top 15 suggestions. How many of these rules do you follow?
I confess – I am not a full fledged Aussie. But, while I did grow up overseas in a land where being cold is part of everyday life, I have called Australia home for many years now and my kids are born and raised here. Compared to my childhood, day-to-day life with my kids is incredibly different, especially in winter. Here are the 15 life lessons I have discovered since moving to Australia.
1. Tomato sauce goes with everything.
Sausages. Check. Meat pie. Check. Grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. Check. Two minutes noodles. Check. Veggies. Check. Weet-bix. Most likely, check.
2. The perfect Christmas for the kids involves a beach, a BBQ and a body board.
No snow necessary.
3. Kids must follow their parent’s footy team.
Even if said child moves to another state when they are 25 years old, they must remain loyal to the family team.
4. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, cricket is a part of your child’s education.
As a general rule of thumb, the more the parents hate the sport, the more their children will love it.
5. The key to a successful kid’s television series is to cast good-looking men.
I’m looking at you Jimmy Giggle and Eddie Perfect.
6. Rubbers are erasers. Not condoms.
Do not confuse the two when buying school supplies.
7. The Queen has several birth dates.
In most of Australia, it’s the second Monday in June. Queensland and Western Australia residents have to wait until September though. In New Zealand it’s the first Monday in June. In Canada, it’s the last Monday before 25 May. In the UK, it’s the first, second, or third Saturday in June.
Seriously, how old is this woman?
8. Bathers, togs, cossies, swimmers – whatever you call them – they need to be sun safe!
Full body children’s swimsuits are the new black.
9. Natural disasters come with the territory.
Cyclones up north. Fires down south. Floods and droughts in the middle. Just another day in Australia.
10. Nothing stops a tantrum quite like a sausage from Bunnings.
Bunnings, thank you for being you.
11. The rain is an excuse to go outside, not stay indoors.
Summer rain may be the best babysitter out there.
12. Shoes are optional in many areas, but school uniforms are almost always necessary.
Where we live, it is not uncommon to head to the shops without shoes. But if you forget your child’s oversized school hat just one day, don’t even bother showing your face at the next school assembly. No hat? No play.
13. “S” is for suck-it-up, Buttercup.
Snakes, spiders, sharks, stingrays. Pfft. You’re in ‘Straya now, mate.
14. Aussie men make the very best superheroes (and villains)
Chris Hemsworth. Heath Ledger. Hugh Jackman. Need I say more?
15. And, finally, “hockey” refers to field hockey (or the Federal Treasurer) not ice hockey.
But I’ll never agree to this one.
What Aussie parenting rules have we missed?
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