Expatriate kids

[lis48]

Just had an English friend of a friend to clean the house prior to visitors. The woman was trailed around by a very bored 15 year daughter. The girl picked up one of my books and glanced through it. "Would you like to borrow it?" I asked her. "Nah," she replied,"The words look too long. Do you have any with big easier words, like Noddy?" "Didn't you learn to read long words in school?" I asked. "Nah. We came out to Spain last year when I was 14 and it wasn't worth going to school here in Spain. Can't get a job though cos I'm too young and don't like Spanish."
I've heard this so many times before.
There seems to be a whole sub culture growing up, certainly along the Costa de la Luz, of children just below school leaving being brought here to face a very limited future. Maybe there would be nothing for them in England but what about parental responsibility to give them a chance?

[safeashouses]

I think it's the kids of today and I blame parents. What will the children of the next generation be like heaven knows! Children today are allowed to watch too much television and spend too much time on computers and games consoles. Parents haven't time or don't make time to read to their children in order to establish an interest in books. How many children these days see their parents reading a book? Children are bored because they lack imagination, the imagination obtained through reading.

And txtspk don't get me started on that one.

I'm innocent I don't have any children and from the ones I know I'm pleased I haven't.

[chrisuk]

This kind of action leads to our next problem...crime..parents to blame 100%, up bringing along with the important respect gets you along way in todays world, without it you fall, seen it too many times to care anymore

[spanish_lad]

i see it every day - all the teenagers over 12 either enrolled and bunking or not even enrolled in school in the first place. who else is to blame except for the parents ? kids cant or wont enroll themselves will they ??

is it illegal to not go to school like it is in the uk?

[kevin77]

Just read the 'Parents in Andalucia' section of this site and you will get some tales of what being a parent really means to some people.
Even last week we had some wannabe newlifer perfectly content to flush her childs education and emplyment prospects down the toilet in order to fulfill her dream and relocate to Costa de la Luz. I might add that she was encouraged by safeashouses.

[fullthrottle]

Not all parents are like that, we have bought our children here to take advantage of a better education, morals and culture, we have waited 5 years to make sure we understood the implications. we have also moved to a local area not a tourist area. we fully hope to intergrate not think we are on holiday. i can not understand any parent who would not consider a childs education as the most important thing .

[chrisuk]

Excellent considering the turmoil in the UK with the education at present, I dont think it really matters where you live, its the responsibility that determined what you did to ensure your children have a education.

Cheers

[Susi]

I am sure that I read in a Spanish paper a few days ago that home education was either not allowed here or frowned upon. I will see if I can dig out the article.
Please don't lump all us parents together. Some of us have come here because of our children, not in spite of them. However, I agree that too many parents don't consider their childrens' futures.

[worldbookday]

Having found it hard to buy good quality childrens English Books here in Andaulicia, I now sell them! Sutiable for 0 - 14 yrs pm me for further info.
As far as I am aware it is a legal requirement to send you child to school here, though as in the UK you can home educate.

[spanish hopes]

Just read the 'Parents in Andalucia' section of this site and you will get some tales of what being a parent really means to some people.
Even last week we had some wannabe newlifer perfectly content to flush her childs education and emplyment prospects down the toilet in order to fulfill her dream and relocate to Costa de la Luz. I might add that she was encouraged by safeashouses.

Better than to be discouraged from everything by our local adolescent cynic.

[spanish_lad]

oooooh mr hopes, what are you trying to imply ?;)

[spanish hopes]

oooooh mr hopes, what are you trying to imply ?;)

Getting a little touchy there young man aren't you. My comment was directed at the adolescent kevin, though you are a bit of a misery guts at times.

[spanish_lad]

apology accepted dear sir

[spanish hopes]

I will have a drink on you when I am over on wednesday, you can pay me next time we meet.

[anewlife]

Being 14 in school and in general is difficult enough in England, let alone Spain!! Why on earth bring a child over at that age at a crucial time coming up for GCSE's etc.????

I agree that too many children play XBox etc. and computer games (ours does it as well, but he did in the UK too), but the younger the child, the easier it is to learn the language. At 14 it will be getting more difficult to learn it (a child is a sponge at learning - the younger the better).

Our son is 10, he came here 12 months ago and has read 2 Harry Potter books (they must be 600+ pages each!) and is now into Alcatraz of all things - he is reading the book and watching the movie, but is very interested in it. No doubt he will move onto something else soon!
From learning about Florence Nightingale in school in the UK, there is nothing he couldn't tell us about her - he researched the internet no end and that was 3 years ago when he was 7!! If your child is interested in something then they will persevere with it and I believe it is up to the parents to encourage them, as we did and still do.

[Marina]

anewlife, I brought my 3 teenagers over at "that crucial time". The eldest was due to start A levels and the middle one was due to start GCSE's. It seemed like a good time to me.
I put them all into an International School and they are all doing well. The eldest has now finished school and returned to the UK to go to University as planned.
The two still here, just love it, and are very glad we made the move. The seventeen year old who thought I was "ruining his life" when we left England, now does not even want to go on holiday as he loves being here so much.
While they are by no means fluent in Spanish yet, they are picking up the language well ( my son gained an A* at GCSE), and have Spanish as well as British friends.
They have benefited in so many ways by living here and have all gained hugely in confidence.

[angel]

I like Marina brought my kids here too at that crucial time. They were 14 & 15. At first we tried a correspondence course for their GSCE's from the UK but studying at home did not give them the motivation or social engagements. We could not afford international school so they went into a Spanish high school and in just 18 months became fluent in Spanish and passed all their final exams. It was incredibly hard work and they had extra lessons nearly every night of the week.

They are now in their first year of "bachillerato" (Spanish A levels) and doing very well. After such an achievement it has given them a sense that they can do anything they want to if they put their minds to it.

I agree very much that the parents make the difference (well I would), but their education was my priority - I felt I could not move to Spain and not give them the same opportunities in life as if they were still back in the UK. Obviously now they are even better equipped as they are bi-lingual.

[lis48]

I'm glad so many parents seem to put their children's education first and the girl I spoke about was hopefully an exception. I don't think any parent needs worry about their child missing out on GCSEs as they are being phased out in the UK and are really redundant with AS levels determining university entrance. Giving your child a chance to become bilingual is far more important than GCSEs and I don't think any parent should hesitate about schooling in Spain. The bachillerato is as acceptable for English universities as A levels. A bright child will do well under either system and a lazy child do equally badly but at least the lazy child will have gained fluenct in two languages!

[angel]

Hi Lis48, what I forgot to mention was that my kids are in a minority in their Spanish school. Unfortunatley most of the English children (there are not many, and only 1 other in bachillerato) do not see school as important and are hardly ever there. Most of them do seem to leave before gaining their "titulo" (once they reach 16), leaving them without any qualifications and these are kids who have been in Spain a long time and speak fluent Spanish (but often cannot write it very well and English even worse!)

I think that there is a problem from what I have seen in their school. These children are often from the "campo" with difficult situations at home; take drugs, drink a lot and think that the free life that they all lead (including the parents) in Spain is just great.

We lived in a rural village in Andalucia for a while and what goes on amongst the ex-pat population is unbelievable - it is a wonder that thier kids ever get to shcool - it was like an inland version of "The Beach".
I shall say no more - probably said too much already!!!

[lis48]

I can imagine Angel. Sounds just like the sixth form college where I taught in England. That's exactly why a B grade from a comp is seen as the equivalent of an A grade from a private school. I still think universities give expatriate children a definite advantage when it comes to entrance, or that has always been my experience. Personally I would prefer to educate my own kids in the England for primary but in Spain for secondary up to university. I would rather bring them out to Spain at 12 years than at 5 despite the greater social difficulties. But most parents here seem to prefer the opposite which doesn't seem to make sense to me as I think they lose out on the English basics that become essential for progress later on.