Raising a NZ Baby

*waves* Hi there!

I won't say welcome to NZ just yet but I can confirm you are making a great decision, I have been living here in NZ for nearly 14 years now and love it! (Originally from Canada)

I can't tell you much about schools either, but there are plenty of both outdoor and indoor places for children to play - but the proximity / density depends on where you live. I'm on the North Shore and I'm really happy to be raising my daughter here, she is nearly 2yo and there are plenty of good kindergartens and primary schools around.

Medical services here are OK, for your baby you will probably want to enrol with Plunket and they do free scheduled health checks at certain intervals for your baby and also check development etc.

We personally have health insurance as going to the doctors is not *that* cheap, but that too can vary depending on where you live. So we claim back about 80% of the cost, although it also depends on if you are eligible for a High User Card or Community Services Card, and these can bring down the cost of visits too.

Hospitals here are fine but it depends on what you need them for! I know we have a few nurses around and people who have had more experience with the public health system than I have.

Anyway, welcome to OhBaby! and we look forward to getting to know you better!

Hi SAmom and welcome.

I love NZ and wouldn't raise my children anywhere else (although this is coming from someone who's never lived anywhere else).

We've found that in many suburbs and towns you have a choice of several parks within walking distance and the proximity of most things in NZ means you can get away for child-friendly weekend or day trips very easily.

I agree with Pearls that it's a good idea to register with Plunket once here. They check and record your childs progress, offer advice and can introduce you to other mums in your neighbourhood with similar aged babies.

We've found the public health system very good whenever we've needed to use it and our family doctor is excellent.

I hope the move goes well.

Hello,

Welcome to OhBaby! 

In regards to school, you can get some real bad ones and then you can get very good ones, I think it all depends on the community and the teachers and students. Do you know where you are going to settle once you get here?

Doctors, I've been with my same doctor for 13years, he is wonderful, he is a member of the PHO which means we get cheaper healthcare and prescriptions. You have to enrol with your doctor to get that, it isn't based on income or anything like that. Like Pearls said, there is the community services card also, which entitles you to cheaper care.

Plunket, again it depends on the community as to whether or not you get a good nurse, ours is ok.

There are some great parks in Auckland, then some not so great.

Good luck with your move.

hehe can you tell Kels is our resident nurse?

I am from South Africa and have been here since my daughter is ten months old. Welcome to the site.

Schools are a bit different and the big thing is that the kids can go to school on their fifth birthday but by law have to be in school when they are 6. (most parents sent their kids when they are five years old) School hours is a lot different as well.

We have creches just like in SA. And then you have playgroups, kindy's and playcentres for preschoolers.

There is lots of stuff to do in auckland for kids that is either free, really cheap or can cost some money. I love the parks over here. What NZ think is not safe is almost like the safest in SA.

I would never take my girl to a park in SA where we go here quite often.

Other difference is that not a lot of people have their own swimming pools. But the public swimming pools is just awesome. Only negative I can say is that there is not much cupboard space over here in most of the homes but you get use to it really quickly and dont hoard as much (or hoard it all in the garage.

Thanks so much for all the replies... feeling like we need to make the move sooner than later.
SMoody, you are right, I would never take my baby to a public park in SA... never mind going for walk;)

Welcome SAmom *waves* . I dont know the Auckland area that well as I am originally from Canterbury but just wanted to say hi and NZ is probably the best country in the world to raise children, hehe IMO anyways!
Also my DH is originally south African. He was going to put a big speal on here for you both most people have already answered your q's just nicely

All the best with your move over. The SA community is pretty big in NZ especially Auckland. Where in SA are you from?

Hi SAmom, good luck with your move

I live in East Auckland , and about ten of my closest friends are south africans,its a pretty big portion of the community here, we even have a few south african butchers around too.
And you can still support the sharks, you'll find plenty of supporters here too.

*just had flash back of watching Springboks vs Allblacks at friends house with 20 south africans, and after the Boks won they danced around me singing "haka haka morphy queer, Sean Fitzpatrick ,bite his ear, yessis we're gonna kill those bloody keeeweees" ...explains so much ...*

anyway! yes, move over and we can meet you , its a great place to live, really, i wouldnt want to live anywhere else

mmmm Biltong........yummy

No! I think my MIL gets it from Janssens in BB. (We never have to buy it)

Where is Freds?? Is it dry??? I find its often too wet here.... Do they have Peri Peri???

Now I want Biltong!!!!!!

FIL and I have been discussing making our own.

Edited by melnel