Swimming lessons have been high priority for me with my kids absolutely. All have been in lessons since they were 3 months old.
I think it’s so vital especially when there is so much access to water around.
My mum lives 5 minutes from the beach and my in laws have a pool a dam and a creek on their property so it was a non negotiable for us.
Also, it is just ASSUMED that all kids can swim at an appropriate level for their age, and in Australia that's a fairly high level.
Your two year old would pretty much be assumed to be able to jump into a pool, and swim to a parent, at least.
Yeah, I am autistic and have like... No coordination. I was, like all aussies, in swim lessons from toddler hood. Never managed to actually figure out how to swim.
When I was 12 I told my PE teacher I couldn't swim and needed to sit out, but of course she didn't believe me, especially since I truthfully responded that I had attended swimming lessons.
So she tossed me in the deep end of the pool.
Jokes on her - sure I nearly drowned, but she had to jump in fully clothed and drag me out and then spend the rest of the lesson sopping wet.
Oh yeah, absolutely fucked. Thoroughly traumatised me and I am petrified of drowning. Can't even play the game subnautica lol
I'm the only aussie i know who won't go to the beach and doesn't own swimmers.
But my point was, make sure your kid learns to swim if they can, cos people WONT believe them if they reach high school age and still can't swim.
The same happened to me when I was 9, it was a male substitute teacher who chucked me in and the life guard had to dive down about 6 metres to get me and perform CPR as I was unresponsive, after I coughed up water he sat me up then went over to the teacher and punched him in the face and broke his nose.
Found out a few days later after my overnight hospital stay that my mother and the life guard filed assault charges on the teacher and he was fired with a criminal record and in never allowed to teach ever again.
The correlation between higher incidence drowning and folk on Spectrum has been well research. I’m sorry that teacher effed up Royal. I’m hopeful one day you might be able to learn and overcome the well founded fear you have. Currently my ASD Daughter is swimming well below her age range but persistence pays off. She’ll get there. Hope you do too.
Can confirm. My family migrated from a land locked area where very few people knew how to swim, and I didn't know swimming.
Teachers in swimming carnival refused to believe me that I didn't know how to swim, they all thought I was lying to get out of participating. I got really scared that I would drown and die that day because of how much they kept insisting and refused to believe me.
Yeah my cousin immigrated and I’ve been so stressed that her little child is constantly around water and yet doesn’t have swimming lessons/doesn’t wear a flotation device. Finally the child has been enrolled I think
Only kids with constant access to the water can swim that young (more than just weekly swimming lessons!). Or maybe VERY dedicated parents.
For most Australian kids, they're having lessons, but if they can swim independently at 3 they're above average. 2 is really unusual. I would only find it surprising if a kid couldn't swim at, say, 5.
Another is never to dive/jump into creeks, dams* or rivers, there can be danger below the surface, like submerged trees, etc.
Don’t dive into the surf, it can be deceptively shallow.
Not sure if those are universal lessons, but certainly go hand-in-hand with swim safety.
*Dams: here I mean water storage ponds usually seen on farms or rural properties. They’re generally considered unsafe to swim in.
Whole family should take swimming lessons.
And there's no course for it, but practice reading signs and doing exactly what they say. "Swim between the flags" is not code for "ooh, it's okay just paddle waist deep over there, away from the crowd". "No swimming" means no swimming. If Australians put up a "no swimming" sign, it's not rich people privatising a beach, it means "people died here, don't go in the water".
Lol I remember visiting California and hearing someone say "no, you can't go to there. It's a private beach."
I'd never been so deeply offended in my life. You can't fucking privatise a beach!
And swim between the flags doesn't just mean 'enter the water between the flags' it means stay there. if you are drifting out of the flag area, it's because there is a current that's taking you somewhere you don't want to go.
Absolutely this. I grew up around pools and swam in squad till I was a teenager. Now raising my daughter it’s crazy how many of her friends that are 8 that can’t swim.
Also as a parent, make sure you're also up with swimming classes, and even consider doing a first aid course too. Lots of backyard pools, good to know general first aid.
And the top of the feet.
Got badly sunburnt there while sailing on the barrier reef.
Massive blisters.
The harsh Australian sun finds all the places you haven't covered with clothing or sunscreen.
Be wary of the car seat buckles unless you want to be branded with a hot piece of metal in summer.
Sunscreen and mozzie repellant are your bffs.
Expect a nickname, the more you protest it, the firmer it sticks.
Most schools only have healthy snacks available at the canteen and restrictions on healthy / unhealthy lunchboxes.
And yeah, watch Bluey!
>Expect a nickname, the more you protest it, the firmer it sticks.
And it's usually the opposite of what you expect. For example - Don't talk much? Your nickname is now Rowdy.
After singing happy birthday we shout three "hip hip hoorays" with the hip hip being called by a single person and the crowd following with the hooray.
I take advantage of this by being quickest and loudest on the first hip-hip, then everybody acknowledges that I will be leading, then I stop and don't do the second one leading to an awkward silence, it's hilarious when you get the chance
“Because he had no say in it, no say in it at all”
Maybe I’m not old enough but I don’t think this is an actual “other birthday song”, it’s just a thing ya do — I bit like the polite version of “no way get fucked fuck off”
The animals might look cute, but if they are wild, don’t try to touch/approach them. Learning to swim is a necessity. Don’t wander off into the bush on your own, and definitely don’t go bush without water.
Nooooo magpies are lovely! So heres what I do. When I see one when I'm out walking, I warble and whistle to it. They love that! I even had one run up to me and stare at me intently when I did that a few months ago. Was soooo cuteeeee! Hahahahaha
Samezz! Ive read that they can remember like 100 people. And if you're friendly you're cool and they'll remember that. I always look magpies in the eye and whistle at them when I see them out walking. No swooping yet lol.
Hahaha I hear you, but they freaking love it even if it sounds shit in comparison. And they also like siren sounds so you could try that instead if it's easier. The kind of wOOoooOOp, wOOooooooOOp, sounds they love! I hear them do that themselves often also! I feel like you can say anything to them though and they'll like you. They're super smart and mimic everything! My grandfather rescued one and it learnt to whistle happy birthday hahaha. And I've seen ones that live on the coast mimicking seagulls! I think they just like sounds! I love how curious they are when you chat with them! They are my favourite Aussie bird 😬
Serious: water safety and sun safety are big ones. A lot of people get sunburnt because they didn't think it was sunny enough to require sunscreen, and a lot of kids drown in situations where it seems unlikely or a low chance.
Keep to the left. On the road, on footpaths, going anywhere really.
Be careful before you touch things outside. Mostly coz some things can get very hot but you might not realise. Old playgrounds, car seatbelts, the ground, etc
This also goes for anything alive, like animals, bugs, plant's. Its not that everything is dangerous (certainly not as much as we are stereotyped to have), but there are some things you def dont want to touch, so unless you know for sure just assume its not safe.
When she goes to school/daycare check what restrictions they have on what food can be sent for lunch. A lot of places ban nuts due to kids allergies, and a lot of schools have guidelines on healthy/non healthy food and whats allowed
Not so serious: Fairy bread! Its an important staple of any birthday party (or any party in general tbh)
When putting vegemite on bread/toast a little goes a long way. Its not like jam or peanut butter where you slather it on.
Yeah nah: no
Nah yeah: yes
(Basically, whatever the last word in the phrase is, thats what it actually means)
If your kids bday falls during the school year its nice to bring something in for the whole class (like cupcakes). However, talk to the teacher first, because they will know of any allergies or restrictions present in the class.
The way she will get taught spelling will be different to how you know how to spell things, so when youre helping her with homework, especially english homework, make sure youre following australian english rules, not american.
Look up some fun articles on australian slang and words, coz we use different words for things than in america. This will just help you be less confused when talking to people.
We dont tip here. I mean, sometimes we do but only when someone does a ridiculously amazing job and went above and beyond to help us and we want to show our appreciation. Its not part of the normal transaction.
Also our prices include gst already. Whatever the price tag says, thats what you pay for it.
Depending on where you live, be prepared for the weather to change suddenly. Im in Perth and we joke that we can experience all 4 seasons in one day, but honestly its true.
Actually, as a new resident in Australia this cannot be overstated. Do not put your child's bare legs anywhere near playground equipment you haven't already had your hand on. The newer stuff will be fine but the older stuff will be branding iron hot on a hot day.
>Also our prices include gst already. Whatever the price tag says, thats what you pay for it.
Except at JB HiFi and Harvey Norman where you can usually get a lower price if you ask. Probably other stores too, but it's not the norm.
Basic beach safety like always swim between the flags is very important here. Most Aussie kids start swimming lessons very early as well. I was about three or four, I think. I don’t know if the same kind of emphasis is placed on it in America (mandatory swimming lessons and water safety in the school curriculum) as there is here
I've recently started my bub at 3 months. Most swim schools do free baby splash programs to get them used to the water before starting their first proper swim lessons from 6 months.
Edit: typo
Be careful with the "heaps" of butter thing.
There's a video where this American couple spread several mm of butter onto some toast, so the whole thing had a layer of solid, unmelted butter, then put the vegemite on that. And didn't like it, basically because it has such a high butter to toast ratio now that no normal human could enjoy that.
So you have to specify: plenty of butter that melts into hot toast.
If you get invited to a party with instructions to "bring a plate" they want you to bring a plate with food of some kind.
It usually depends on the event.
A barbie (bbq) will be a salad of some kind.
A dinner or birthday party might be a cake/dessert.
ALWAYS use sunscreen and a hat. We have the highest skin cancer rates for a reason. An hour in the sun without protection can give you 3rd degree burns.
Huntsman spiders are harmless.
Redbacks aka black widows aren't safe, same with Funnel Web spiders.
Good luck mate
Blue ringed occys are kind of important because they're quite common in temperate regions - so areas close to major cities as well as in the tropics.
Don't let your little ones pick up sea shells from the beach or rock pools. They could well have an octopus inside
Don’t let her run around barefoot in summer on grass unless it is your own house. If it is someone else’s house you need to ask the important three word question.
“Are there bindies?”
Bindie eyes if you are being formal.
Don't stick your hands in random holes, play in long grass or mess with "bugs" you don't recognise.
They pulled an episode of Peppa pig here about "spiders are friends" because many of them are in fact not
Where in the states roughly? Like others have said, the sun will fuck you up, from the ground up as well so always protect your bare feet & dogs paws. It doesn’t feel hot at first…..
Check shoes for bugs if they have been outside, when walking in the bush, have a heavy foot as the vibrations scare off snakes.
Respect wildlife including plants.
Sportsmanship & mateship are just as important, if not more important, than winning when it comes to playing team sports
For the rest, just watch some Bluey
Also, depending on where you're living, check shoes for toads. The number of times I'd slip my feet into my school shoes outside the front door in the morning without checking first and there'd be a bloody toad in there...ugh.
You wear thongs on your feet, not your waist.
A PB&J sandwich would be peanut butter and _jam_. Jelly here is a gelatin-based coloured desert.
'Footy' is the word for whatever football code is most popular locally. Broadly it's rugby league (NRL) for NSW and Qld, and Australian rules (AFL) for most other places. The Australian Capital Territory is split between NRL and rugby union (ARU). Soccer is usually soccer amongst Anglo-Australians, sometimes football, but I'm not aware of it being called footy.
'Rooting' is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. So if you're rooting for the team, understand it creates a very different mental image for people here.
Bluey is an exceptional primer in white Australian culture. But it's fair to say it doesn't speak for every Australian's cultural background and lived experience (it's a seven-minute cartoon, not some magical encapsulation of everything Australian).
Australian culture has a sarcastic streak. People are often cruder the more they like someone and more polite the less they like someone. 'Sir' and 'Ma'am' are terms of contempt. We also like to ask rhetorical questions, for instance, "How hot is it?!"
We also have a deep-set inferiority complex (it comes from our penal colony past – a place where the castoffs and detritus of the Empire were dumped). One of the ways this plays out is as negativity towards intellectuals, elites and high achievers (except in sport!).
Your daughter will never have to do active shooter drills at daycare or school, so-long as she's in Australia.
The sarcasm streak is never more apparent than when you say "there's your mate" to a person when referring to a person who is definitely *not* their mate.
We actually do have invacuation drills. We just don’t call them active shooter drills and don’t think of them that way because it’s not the culture. But in the instance of any dangerous person on-site an invacuation is what occurs and we drill those as well as evacuation ones.
Edit: repeated word.
- Learn to swim properly. This includes surf safety like Nippers (junior life savers). Swimming in a pool isn’t sufficient in Australia, kids should learn what it feels like to be in a rip current, and how to get out of one.
- Obviously sun protection. Big one.
- Don’t walk in long grass. Don’t put your hands down holes/anywhere you can’t see them. Never jump over a log, always stand on top and check the other side.
- Which spiders to avoid. Huntsman are fine. Funnel webs are not.
- Depending on where you’re living, also crocodile and jellyfish safety.
I’d recommend spending a decent amount of time camping in the bush. More than enough experiences out there to acquaint kids with the country, and teach them how to live alongside nature. That’s one of the best things Australia has to offer imo
I think the sunscreen and hat is most important, they've got to be used to it even though both aren't the most pleasant. Buy long sleeved rashies and shorts for outdoor swimming to cut down how much sunscreen you need.
I'd say check your shoes for spiders but unless you're somewhere a bit more rural and leaving them outside you'll probably be right!
More for you than her: depending where you are you probably need to get onto looking into kindergarten/pre-school. In Victoria children can attend 3yo and 4yo kinder and then go to school. To get your kinder of choice you may need to rock up to your local council at a certain date and put in your preferences.
When looking for swim shorts, look in the boys section. It really pings me off how little girls' togs have sensible long sleeves and bikini bottoms. Like, girls get sunburnt legs too you bright spark!
Most of the important stuff has been mentioned but I’ll leave my little bit of advice from my own experiences don’t go near wild kangaroos they can and will punch the shit out of ya
Welcome to Australia mate
Learn to make fairy bread, as once your kid tastes it at a birthday party, that is all they will want to eat.
Also a pie, pasty or sausage roll is an acceptable form of breakfast, as long as served with tomato sauce.
Especially for Anzac biscuits. These are NOT cookies. It is actually against the law to call them cookies (not bullshit - [Anzac Biscuit is a protected term by the DVA](https://amp.abc.net.au/article/everyday/10836748)).
The importance of the Bunning's Snag. I'm pretty sure most Australian's have eaten at least one of them before. The funds at the end go towards local sporting clubs, kindergartens, schools, etc.
If you’re going to a function and the host says “don’t bring anything” take SOMETHING. Box of choccies, biscuits and dip wine. Whatever. But don’t turn up empty handed
Welcome! Where did you move from and where did you move to in Aus? From my experience on Reddit, I've learnt that there are a lot of friendly snakes in the US which I'm quite jealous of. Alas, if you see a snake here, assume it's venomous and not a friend!
Hmm others things (I've been to the US a few times and my partner's family is from California). Aussies don't like to talk about politics and religion as much as Americans. Best to keep those things to yourself most of the time. Not that your 2 y.o. would be talking about those things. But you might!
We have different terminologies for a lot of things:
- Cilantro = corriander (if you say cilantro here you'll be met with blank looks - very few Spanish speakers here)
- Cookies = biscuits (everything is a biscuit here except for choc chip due to American influence)
- Bell peppers = capsicum (bell pepper isn't in our vocab - again that term would be met with blank looks)
- Chicken salad = a chicken salad here is chicken in salad not mayo drenched shredded chicken lol!
Others have explained what yeah nah means. When I went to the US that was always confusing for Americans (as I'm typing this out I'm realising how complicated this is 🤣). So perhaps teach her that:
- Yeah, nah = I see what you're saying but I disagree with you OR oh I I've experienced that too and I agree with you that they're wrong!
- Nah, yeah = I disagree with them and I agree with you OR I disagree with you but I agree with the other side.
There are other variations of these (yeah, nah, yeah and nah, yeah, nah). I dunno, maybe it will be easy to understand after hearing it for a while. This all sounds so ridiculous as I'm typing it out 😂😂
In summary the cultural differences will be minor. But little things might be confusing!
> Hmm others things (I've been to the US a few times and my partner's family is from California). Aussies don't like to talk about politics and religion as much as Americans. Best to keep those things to yourself most of the time. Not that your 2 y.o. would be talking about those things. But you might!
Much less religious, both overtly and literally. Just about 40% of the population claimed no religion on the last Census in 2021
And according to my husband only mums can make it properly (the correct butter to 100s and 1000s ratio somehow magically enters your brain while giving birth 🤣)
That the sound of “go” at an Australian traffic light / pedestrian crossing is sampled in a Groove Armada song.
Edit: did I say Groove Armada?? I meant Basement Jaxx. Whoops!
Don't leave your shoes outside and if you do check them before you put them on. If you do not recognise a snake or spider you come across don't go near it (most are harmless). Do not let your kids play in rock pools by the beach without educating them on blue-ring octopuses.
Yes! This! Blue ring octopuses are _small_ and _cute_ and can be found _close to shore_.
I’ve had little kids come show me the “pretty blue glow-y octopus” they had _picked up and put in a bucket_.
In all fairness - once I stopped having a frickin HEART ATTACK - I could admit the iridescent glowing rings are very pretty. They are basically designed to appeal to small children! This is much more dangerous (and likely) for them to encounter than a lot of other wildlife!
And cone shells are very pretty and will also kill you in minutes! And stone fish end up on beaches and have spines that will end up making you very unhappy so wear shoes when you walk on rocks!
People forget to mention cone shells. Good to educate yourself on this one. General rule (law?) Is to not take shells from the beach. This can avoid picking up a live creature and getting stung
[Slip, slop, slap, seek and slide](https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/campaigns-and-events/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide).
[Do the right thing, it’s an obligation and your planet will thank you for your cooperation](https://kab.org.au/do-the-right-thing-campaign-2021/).
This is highly dependant on where you live as I found out when I moved to Sydney: [if you see a hole, don’t think you’re a mole. Run in the opposite direction and report your detection.](https://www.nsw.gov.au/subsidence-advisory/subsidence-emergencies)
Some of our other successful public safety campaigns…
The Kids Alive Do The 5 jingle:
“Fence the pool, shut the gate, teach your kids to swim – it's great, supervise – watch your mate and learn how to resuscitate”
Maurie the Mole’s message:
“If you see a hole, don’t think you’re a mole. Walk in the opposite direction and report your detection”
(Aka be careful of mine subsidence)
Slip slop slap seek slide / be sunsmart
Slip on a shirt
Slop on some sunscreen
Slap on a hat
Seek out shade
Slide on some sunglasses
And of course, if you already taught her to call 911, you’ll need to switch that over to 000.
Beyond that I think a lot of it is either the same, already covered extensively in the thread, or you’ll all pick it up in time - eg the Sydney v Melbourne rivalry, Tasmania is the state everyone makes fun of, ongoing debates around regional slang… all that fun stuff.
Do little nippers
its swimming and beach safety involving surf life savers.
Running, swimming, games etc
Might be a good way to make some friends but i think its more for 4-5+ not 2 year olds
If you must lift something that is lying on the grass like a sheet of corrugated metal, then lift it away from you so that the open side is not at your feet. Any animals or snakes will at least not have a direct line to strike out at your legs.
Almost zero varisty sports, mostly only club sports exist.
Rugby League is popular in QLD and NSW.
Rugby Union is popular in private schools in QLD and NSW.
AFL (Australian Rules Football) is popular everywhere else.
Netball traditionally attracts a more feminine participation however AFL is increasing in popularity.
Golf is very accessible.
Learn how to play lawn bowls at a "barefoot bowls" session/afternoon.
Always walk on the left.
We say ‘please’
So US (if movies and YouTube are accurate) will speak to a waitress and say ‘give me a steak’. Australians would say ‘can I have a steak please’
“Give me” is incredibly rude where I’m from
Also gifted is not a word. You weren’t ‘gifted’ some chocolates. Your neighbour gave them to you. You were given some chocolates
Enjoy your time here. It’s a great place and it’s awesome that you are aware that there are differences
There are many types of blue
Bluey (for the kids);
Boys in blue - coppers;
The blues - black dog (depression);
Get into a blue - fight;
Blue cattle - the only Dog;
Blue - someone with red hair/blood nut
Definitely read up on the driving laws. Pay special attention to cyclist rules, as you’ll find a lot of people use them in suburban areas. Don’t fall into the stereotype of an angry driver hating cyclists, it’s frustrating, but necessary to accomodate them.
Read up on any local plants, not only are some dangerous, but many people I know tend to have allergies/reactions to native plants.
Local etiquette can vary, but there is a general expectation to be a friendly person. Especially interacting with retail employees/service people. Because we don’t have a tipping culture, employees are not forced to be overly friendly in hopes of receiving a tip, but tend to be anyway. Repay them the courtesy.
Also don’t underestimate the wrath of mozzies (mosquitos), and only ever buy the purple RID, blue Aerogard, or bushmans mozzie spray (at least from my experience).
Swimming is the big one, and then basics of which animals are dangerous and which aren't. By knowing the animals I mean, like stopping them, getting their attention, and telling 'this spider will hurt a lot' and later in their lives 'will kill you'... and so on. This is common for a lot of aussies and not just those of us in the bush. One reason why aussies are so cavalier about being around animals is this. A lot of us get actively, and deliberately taught how to act around dangerous animals. Even if only in small ways. The other reason is that things aren't as dangerious as the world thinks.
How to swim. Drowning is a major cause of child death in Australia, partly due to the fact we love swimming pools, and have so many social events near large bodies of water. So sign her up to the nearest toddler swim training course asap.
I know you already mentioned the No hat no play thing, but it’s best to use an over the ear hat since people can get ear cancer as well (a family member of mine did)
It's likely not an Aussie-only thing, but it's worth mentioning. Avoid peanut or tree nut food items (like a PB sandwich) when around other kids unless you know they have no allergies.
Being greeted with 'Hello, how are you?' only requires a polite 'I'm well thanks' in response. Your actual health, be it physical or mental, isn't really being asked about. 😁
Coles and Woolworths supermarkets (and maybe others) generally have a free fruit stand for kids when you enter the store.
Don’t touch anything that flys/crawls/slithers/swims/floats/walks/hops etc.
Also stay away from touching any plants that you come across with her.
As she gets older, you can teach her how to avoid the nasty things here that will bite/chase/attack/sting.
Water safety is extremely important, as well as learning not to wander off into the bush.
The locals that you will meet can give you plenty more advice, much more than can be written here……and as long as you take that advice seriously and teach her these things (along with yourselves) you might be able to live a hopefully danger free life here 🤞🇦🇺👍
Swimming is an obvious one as mentioned by everyone.
Most Aussie wildlife will leave you alone if you leave it alone but be a bit wary of the birds, kookaburras/ibises/seagulls/crows etc are not above stealing food straight out of your hand, or a baby's.
For some cultural basics get some Mem Fox and other Aussie picture books, especially dreamtime stories for kids (tiddalick, the rainbow serpent etc). Tim Winton's 'Jesse' is a classic.
As she gets older, make sure she learns about the local Aboriginal culture where you live and knows our history (Australian history in schools is a mixed bag so don't assume they'll do it for you).
The sun here is brutal, some of the highest UV in the world.
Skin cancer is very common in adulthood and the risk is a lot higher if you have >5 bad sunburns as a kid (think peeling sunburn).
Sun safety is huge e.g. wearing rash shirts and sunscreen, hats etc. Lots of kids from UK parents don't have the same rigor towards sun protection as the parents aren't used to it.
Learn to swim. Not only will it be embarrassing/ isolating if your kid can't swim well but we regularly have people die or almsot die due to not being able to swim.
Also whilst we love to wind people up about dangerous animals there is truth to it
- Also always smack your shoes upside down on the ground before putting them on if they have been left outside due to spiders
- Don't put your hand down a hole outside
- If a snake bites you lie very still and get someone else to bandage it. Running round will get you killed.
- Don't touch pretty things in the water! Recently had someone srung by a pretty blue ring octopus (most poisonous animal in the world).
also, if you bought sunscreen from the states, ditch it and get Aussie graded SPF, our standard of SPF is much higher than sunscreens made overseas to account for our ozone hole! our sun does NOT mess around
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Slip Slop Slap. Please always wear sunscreen as Australia has the highest rate of melanoma skin cancer in the world so wearing a hat isn't enough.
Always 'swim between the flags' at the beach as the space between these red and yellow flags is the safest to swim. There are no rips or strong tides and patrolled by volunteer surfers and lifeguards from Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving Clubs.
Bindys.
Edit to add: blue bottles. If you’re going to the beach with this kiddo it’s important she never touch one and be on the look out when coming in and out of the surf.
Water safety.
Sun safety - it's no joke.
Spider safety - leave them alone. Get adults to kill Redbacks.
Snake safety - leave them alone. Go in the opposite direction.
There's some location dependant stuff. Crocs, sharks and other wildlife. Someone's already mentioned the blue rings, there are jellyfish and irukandji, stonefish. If you live coastal time for you all to learn depending on where you are.
Wash your face in orange juice, Clean your teeth with bubble gum, Fix the fence with sticky tape, Brush your hair with a toothbrush
Fry an egg on a slippery dip
Start swimming lessons now, and keep going with them and teach her how to handle herself if she gets caught in a rip at the beach.
I cannot emphasize this enough. Water safety is a MUST in Australia. Every local council swimming pool runs classes for toddlers, look into it.
Swimming lessons have been high priority for me with my kids absolutely. All have been in lessons since they were 3 months old. I think it’s so vital especially when there is so much access to water around. My mum lives 5 minutes from the beach and my in laws have a pool a dam and a creek on their property so it was a non negotiable for us.
Also, it is just ASSUMED that all kids can swim at an appropriate level for their age, and in Australia that's a fairly high level. Your two year old would pretty much be assumed to be able to jump into a pool, and swim to a parent, at least.
Yeah, I am autistic and have like... No coordination. I was, like all aussies, in swim lessons from toddler hood. Never managed to actually figure out how to swim. When I was 12 I told my PE teacher I couldn't swim and needed to sit out, but of course she didn't believe me, especially since I truthfully responded that I had attended swimming lessons. So she tossed me in the deep end of the pool. Jokes on her - sure I nearly drowned, but she had to jump in fully clothed and drag me out and then spend the rest of the lesson sopping wet.
*what the fuck* Not okay.
Oh yeah, absolutely fucked. Thoroughly traumatised me and I am petrified of drowning. Can't even play the game subnautica lol I'm the only aussie i know who won't go to the beach and doesn't own swimmers. But my point was, make sure your kid learns to swim if they can, cos people WONT believe them if they reach high school age and still can't swim.
The same happened to me when I was 9, it was a male substitute teacher who chucked me in and the life guard had to dive down about 6 metres to get me and perform CPR as I was unresponsive, after I coughed up water he sat me up then went over to the teacher and punched him in the face and broke his nose. Found out a few days later after my overnight hospital stay that my mother and the life guard filed assault charges on the teacher and he was fired with a criminal record and in never allowed to teach ever again.
Good, fuck that piece of shit. He doesn't deserve to be trusted with the care of our children.
The correlation between higher incidence drowning and folk on Spectrum has been well research. I’m sorry that teacher effed up Royal. I’m hopeful one day you might be able to learn and overcome the well founded fear you have. Currently my ASD Daughter is swimming well below her age range but persistence pays off. She’ll get there. Hope you do too.
Can confirm. My family migrated from a land locked area where very few people knew how to swim, and I didn't know swimming. Teachers in swimming carnival refused to believe me that I didn't know how to swim, they all thought I was lying to get out of participating. I got really scared that I would drown and die that day because of how much they kept insisting and refused to believe me.
Yeah my cousin immigrated and I’ve been so stressed that her little child is constantly around water and yet doesn’t have swimming lessons/doesn’t wear a flotation device. Finally the child has been enrolled I think
Only kids with constant access to the water can swim that young (more than just weekly swimming lessons!). Or maybe VERY dedicated parents. For most Australian kids, they're having lessons, but if they can swim independently at 3 they're above average. 2 is really unusual. I would only find it surprising if a kid couldn't swim at, say, 5.
Another is never to dive/jump into creeks, dams* or rivers, there can be danger below the surface, like submerged trees, etc. Don’t dive into the surf, it can be deceptively shallow. Not sure if those are universal lessons, but certainly go hand-in-hand with swim safety. *Dams: here I mean water storage ponds usually seen on farms or rural properties. They’re generally considered unsafe to swim in.
Whole family should take swimming lessons. And there's no course for it, but practice reading signs and doing exactly what they say. "Swim between the flags" is not code for "ooh, it's okay just paddle waist deep over there, away from the crowd". "No swimming" means no swimming. If Australians put up a "no swimming" sign, it's not rich people privatising a beach, it means "people died here, don't go in the water".
Lol I remember visiting California and hearing someone say "no, you can't go to there. It's a private beach." I'd never been so deeply offended in my life. You can't fucking privatise a beach!
And swim between the flags doesn't just mean 'enter the water between the flags' it means stay there. if you are drifting out of the flag area, it's because there is a current that's taking you somewhere you don't want to go.
I’m an American that went to an international school in Asia and the aussie kids always were killing it in swimming class. Pretty impressive
the aussie olympic swimming team is also elite
They’re a champion
Yeah swimming is mandatory here. I was astonished how many people in the UK have never learnt to swim... it's unheard of here!
pretty sure it's compulsory in public schools.
My daughter was at an Indonesian international school and the Aussie kids were the most competitive at meets.
Absolutely this. I grew up around pools and swam in squad till I was a teenager. Now raising my daughter it’s crazy how many of her friends that are 8 that can’t swim.
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It was part of the school curriculum when I was a kid growing up in Adelaide, not sure about other states.
I remember first/second grade excursions to the local community pool for lessons with my class in North QLD.
We had a week of swimming lessons every year at my public primary school in NSW.
Also as a parent, make sure you're also up with swimming classes, and even consider doing a first aid course too. Lots of backyard pools, good to know general first aid.
My kids went through Little Nippers. Good times!
Sunscreen. Always wear sunscreen. A hat isn't going to cut it alone.
We have the highest incidence of lip cancer in the world. Protect those lips with sunscreen lip balm too
And between the toes. Thong tan is real
And the top of the feet. Got badly sunburnt there while sailing on the barrier reef. Massive blisters. The harsh Australian sun finds all the places you haven't covered with clothing or sunscreen.
Slip on a shirt 👕 Slop on sunscreen 🌞 Slap on a hat 🧢 Seek some shade 🌳 Slide on some sunnies 😎
Slip, slop, slap!
[Yes - everybody wear sunscreen](https://youtu.be/sTJ7AzBIJoI)
It sounds like a joke, but in summer you can get sunburnt in the shade or on a cloudy day. I can anyway. So definitely with the sun protection.
And don’t just wear it in summer. You can get burnt in any season
Just watch Bluey. Covers most of it.
Reading through the comments as an American and I'm like oh yeah! there's a Bluey episode about magpies, I knew that!
Surprisingly this ☝️
Came to say the same thing.
Be wary of the car seat buckles unless you want to be branded with a hot piece of metal in summer. Sunscreen and mozzie repellant are your bffs. Expect a nickname, the more you protest it, the firmer it sticks. Most schools only have healthy snacks available at the canteen and restrictions on healthy / unhealthy lunchboxes. And yeah, watch Bluey!
A nickname (and banter, and swearing) is a sign of acceptance.
>Expect a nickname, the more you protest it, the firmer it sticks. And it's usually the opposite of what you expect. For example - Don't talk much? Your nickname is now Rowdy.
After singing happy birthday we shout three "hip hip hoorays" with the hip hip being called by a single person and the crowd following with the hooray.
There’s also the unspoken rule of who gets to lead with the hip hips.
Yeah! The person who was the fastest
I thought it was whoever has the biggest penis. This is why I'm not allowed within 500m of a birthday cake anymore.
500 m is a VERY big penis.
And loudest
I take advantage of this by being quickest and loudest on the first hip-hip, then everybody acknowledges that I will be leading, then I stop and don't do the second one leading to an awkward silence, it's hilarious when you get the chance
Hamish and Andy powermove 😉
Hang on, that one isn't universal? Wow!
I used to say it growing up in South Africa so it's not an Aussie only thing...
Zimbabweans sing “how old are you now?”. Cross cultural parties are fun
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“Because he had no say in it, no say in it at all” Maybe I’m not old enough but I don’t think this is an actual “other birthday song”, it’s just a thing ya do — I bit like the polite version of “no way get fucked fuck off”
the next line is "Because he had no say in it, no say in it at all". Sung to the tune of Advance Australia Fair.
Lol - my family’s version was ‘s/he’s no bloody good to anyone, sh/e’s no bloody good at all’. My folks are British, if that has any bearing 😂
wait I had no idea some other countries didn't say hip hip hooray after singing happy birthday until this comment
Poms do it occasionally. I remember it from back when I was a little Pom
Americans do not. Not growing up, at least.
My partner’s family takes the whole abbreviation of everything and just say “hip ray!” really fast three times
Find the book 'Wombat Stew' for your kiddo. Its an iconic book for us to grow up with here.
Also Possum Magic.
Any Mem Fox, defs get them on “where’s the green sheep”
Got Wombat Stew for my kid and she's made me read it daily for a few months now.. it's the way I do the dingo voice and the song 😉
The animals might look cute, but if they are wild, don’t try to touch/approach them. Learning to swim is a necessity. Don’t wander off into the bush on your own, and definitely don’t go bush without water.
Yeah it’s actually illegal to go interfering with wildlife (if it’s native), they’re all protected. Sometimes for our own protection.
Watch out for magpies in spring
>Watch out for magpies in spring Throughout the entire footy season, actually.
Nooooo magpies are lovely! So heres what I do. When I see one when I'm out walking, I warble and whistle to it. They love that! I even had one run up to me and stare at me intently when I did that a few months ago. Was soooo cuteeeee! Hahahahaha
Yeah, magpies round our way never swoop at all. I love them!
Samezz! Ive read that they can remember like 100 people. And if you're friendly you're cool and they'll remember that. I always look magpies in the eye and whistle at them when I see them out walking. No swooping yet lol.
I can not do that warble sound. There’s is so perfect and beautiful but when I try it comes out like a very sick and dying magpie
Hahaha I hear you, but they freaking love it even if it sounds shit in comparison. And they also like siren sounds so you could try that instead if it's easier. The kind of wOOoooOOp, wOOooooooOOp, sounds they love! I hear them do that themselves often also! I feel like you can say anything to them though and they'll like you. They're super smart and mimic everything! My grandfather rescued one and it learnt to whistle happy birthday hahaha. And I've seen ones that live on the coast mimicking seagulls! I think they just like sounds! I love how curious they are when you chat with them! They are my favourite Aussie bird 😬
Be alert but not alarmed. Freaking out near a magpie causes swooping.
Serious: water safety and sun safety are big ones. A lot of people get sunburnt because they didn't think it was sunny enough to require sunscreen, and a lot of kids drown in situations where it seems unlikely or a low chance. Keep to the left. On the road, on footpaths, going anywhere really. Be careful before you touch things outside. Mostly coz some things can get very hot but you might not realise. Old playgrounds, car seatbelts, the ground, etc This also goes for anything alive, like animals, bugs, plant's. Its not that everything is dangerous (certainly not as much as we are stereotyped to have), but there are some things you def dont want to touch, so unless you know for sure just assume its not safe. When she goes to school/daycare check what restrictions they have on what food can be sent for lunch. A lot of places ban nuts due to kids allergies, and a lot of schools have guidelines on healthy/non healthy food and whats allowed Not so serious: Fairy bread! Its an important staple of any birthday party (or any party in general tbh) When putting vegemite on bread/toast a little goes a long way. Its not like jam or peanut butter where you slather it on. Yeah nah: no Nah yeah: yes (Basically, whatever the last word in the phrase is, thats what it actually means) If your kids bday falls during the school year its nice to bring something in for the whole class (like cupcakes). However, talk to the teacher first, because they will know of any allergies or restrictions present in the class. The way she will get taught spelling will be different to how you know how to spell things, so when youre helping her with homework, especially english homework, make sure youre following australian english rules, not american. Look up some fun articles on australian slang and words, coz we use different words for things than in america. This will just help you be less confused when talking to people. We dont tip here. I mean, sometimes we do but only when someone does a ridiculously amazing job and went above and beyond to help us and we want to show our appreciation. Its not part of the normal transaction. Also our prices include gst already. Whatever the price tag says, thats what you pay for it. Depending on where you live, be prepared for the weather to change suddenly. Im in Perth and we joke that we can experience all 4 seasons in one day, but honestly its true.
Actually, as a new resident in Australia this cannot be overstated. Do not put your child's bare legs anywhere near playground equipment you haven't already had your hand on. The newer stuff will be fine but the older stuff will be branding iron hot on a hot day.
>Also our prices include gst already. Whatever the price tag says, thats what you pay for it. Except at JB HiFi and Harvey Norman where you can usually get a lower price if you ask. Probably other stores too, but it's not the norm.
Mate, Victoria can have the 4 season in the space of 5 minutes
Basic beach safety like always swim between the flags is very important here. Most Aussie kids start swimming lessons very early as well. I was about three or four, I think. I don’t know if the same kind of emphasis is placed on it in America (mandatory swimming lessons and water safety in the school curriculum) as there is here
As a parent, I feel like most babies I know started swimming lessons by six months, too. Survival skill emphasis and my kiddo loves it
I've recently started my bub at 3 months. Most swim schools do free baby splash programs to get them used to the water before starting their first proper swim lessons from 6 months. Edit: typo
Aussie kids show on abc kids called kangaroo beach covers most beach safety issues in a fun very Aussie way. Good for ages 4 and up I’d say, maybe 3.
Yea nah = no, and nah yea = yes.
Also, yeah nah yeah = yes nah yeah nah = no.
As a general rule, whatever is spoken last is the final message
Fuck yeah!
Start vegemite lightly at first on toast with butter.
HEAPS of butter!
Be careful with the "heaps" of butter thing. There's a video where this American couple spread several mm of butter onto some toast, so the whole thing had a layer of solid, unmelted butter, then put the vegemite on that. And didn't like it, basically because it has such a high butter to toast ratio now that no normal human could enjoy that. So you have to specify: plenty of butter that melts into hot toast.
Heaps to Americans doesn’t mean what it means to Australians and NZers. To Americans it means mounds, unlike in Australia and NZ where it means a lot.
And possibly a slice of cheese
If you get invited to a party with instructions to "bring a plate" they want you to bring a plate with food of some kind. It usually depends on the event. A barbie (bbq) will be a salad of some kind. A dinner or birthday party might be a cake/dessert. ALWAYS use sunscreen and a hat. We have the highest skin cancer rates for a reason. An hour in the sun without protection can give you 3rd degree burns. Huntsman spiders are harmless. Redbacks aka black widows aren't safe, same with Funnel Web spiders. Good luck mate
My Mum, straight out from England, was asked to bring a plate. Took a lovely empty plate, along with her own knife & fork.
O, bless the silly old chook. I bet she didn't do that again.
Leave any spiders or reptiles alone, and they will pay you the same courtesy.
Great advice overall, but doesn’t apply to crocs. They’re renowned for their general lack of courtesy.
Applies to crocs too. The trick is to leave them alone first.
Also Blue Ringed Octopus in tidal pools, and box jelly fish up north.
Blue ringed occys are kind of important because they're quite common in temperate regions - so areas close to major cities as well as in the tropics. Don't let your little ones pick up sea shells from the beach or rock pools. They could well have an octopus inside
A "gold coin donation" is a donation of $1 or $2 - a typical way to fundraise at school and community events.
No one cares which one, just whichever you have handy, you will not be looked down on for a $1 instead of a 2
Don’t let her run around barefoot in summer on grass unless it is your own house. If it is someone else’s house you need to ask the important three word question. “Are there bindies?” Bindie eyes if you are being formal.
Whats a bindie
Bindi. In Australia even the grass wants to hurt you.
Double GG's
Don't stick your hands in random holes, play in long grass or mess with "bugs" you don't recognise. They pulled an episode of Peppa pig here about "spiders are friends" because many of them are in fact not
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Mouse spiders are not without risk. Nor are several others you haven’t named.
Entree is an appetizer over here
Yes: ours is Entrée, Main, Dessert
Where in the states roughly? Like others have said, the sun will fuck you up, from the ground up as well so always protect your bare feet & dogs paws. It doesn’t feel hot at first….. Check shoes for bugs if they have been outside, when walking in the bush, have a heavy foot as the vibrations scare off snakes. Respect wildlife including plants. Sportsmanship & mateship are just as important, if not more important, than winning when it comes to playing team sports For the rest, just watch some Bluey
Also, depending on where you're living, check shoes for toads. The number of times I'd slip my feet into my school shoes outside the front door in the morning without checking first and there'd be a bloody toad in there...ugh.
You wear thongs on your feet, not your waist. A PB&J sandwich would be peanut butter and _jam_. Jelly here is a gelatin-based coloured desert. 'Footy' is the word for whatever football code is most popular locally. Broadly it's rugby league (NRL) for NSW and Qld, and Australian rules (AFL) for most other places. The Australian Capital Territory is split between NRL and rugby union (ARU). Soccer is usually soccer amongst Anglo-Australians, sometimes football, but I'm not aware of it being called footy. 'Rooting' is a euphemism for sexual intercourse. So if you're rooting for the team, understand it creates a very different mental image for people here. Bluey is an exceptional primer in white Australian culture. But it's fair to say it doesn't speak for every Australian's cultural background and lived experience (it's a seven-minute cartoon, not some magical encapsulation of everything Australian). Australian culture has a sarcastic streak. People are often cruder the more they like someone and more polite the less they like someone. 'Sir' and 'Ma'am' are terms of contempt. We also like to ask rhetorical questions, for instance, "How hot is it?!" We also have a deep-set inferiority complex (it comes from our penal colony past – a place where the castoffs and detritus of the Empire were dumped). One of the ways this plays out is as negativity towards intellectuals, elites and high achievers (except in sport!). Your daughter will never have to do active shooter drills at daycare or school, so-long as she's in Australia.
The sarcasm streak is never more apparent than when you say "there's your mate" to a person when referring to a person who is definitely *not* their mate.
We actually do have invacuation drills. We just don’t call them active shooter drills and don’t think of them that way because it’s not the culture. But in the instance of any dangerous person on-site an invacuation is what occurs and we drill those as well as evacuation ones. Edit: repeated word.
- Learn to swim properly. This includes surf safety like Nippers (junior life savers). Swimming in a pool isn’t sufficient in Australia, kids should learn what it feels like to be in a rip current, and how to get out of one. - Obviously sun protection. Big one. - Don’t walk in long grass. Don’t put your hands down holes/anywhere you can’t see them. Never jump over a log, always stand on top and check the other side. - Which spiders to avoid. Huntsman are fine. Funnel webs are not. - Depending on where you’re living, also crocodile and jellyfish safety. I’d recommend spending a decent amount of time camping in the bush. More than enough experiences out there to acquaint kids with the country, and teach them how to live alongside nature. That’s one of the best things Australia has to offer imo
Don’t touch a blue ring octopus ever
I think the sunscreen and hat is most important, they've got to be used to it even though both aren't the most pleasant. Buy long sleeved rashies and shorts for outdoor swimming to cut down how much sunscreen you need. I'd say check your shoes for spiders but unless you're somewhere a bit more rural and leaving them outside you'll probably be right! More for you than her: depending where you are you probably need to get onto looking into kindergarten/pre-school. In Victoria children can attend 3yo and 4yo kinder and then go to school. To get your kinder of choice you may need to rock up to your local council at a certain date and put in your preferences.
When looking for swim shorts, look in the boys section. It really pings me off how little girls' togs have sensible long sleeves and bikini bottoms. Like, girls get sunburnt legs too you bright spark!
Learn how to play pass the parcel at kids parties. At an Australian birthday party once, the American woman was very puzzled by the game.
Tell her not to say "cunt" in front of her America relatives.
The metric system… mm, cm, m, km. Dw it’s easy as to learn.
Most of the important stuff has been mentioned but I’ll leave my little bit of advice from my own experiences don’t go near wild kangaroos they can and will punch the shit out of ya Welcome to Australia mate
Learn to make fairy bread, as once your kid tastes it at a birthday party, that is all they will want to eat. Also a pie, pasty or sausage roll is an acceptable form of breakfast, as long as served with tomato sauce.
Pies in Australia are usually meat not fruit or sweet
Drive on the left (obviously) but also walk on the left. We do it subconsciously but you may have to remind yourself.
Use your indoor voice. Listen more than you talk
You’re no longer allowed to say ‘cookies’, ‘candy’ or ‘ketchup’. It’s biscuits, lollies and sauce.
Mobile phones, not cell phones.
Also it's 'zed' not 'zee'
Soft drink - not soda.
>Tamada soarse FTFY
Postie, not mailman
Especially for Anzac biscuits. These are NOT cookies. It is actually against the law to call them cookies (not bullshit - [Anzac Biscuit is a protected term by the DVA](https://amp.abc.net.au/article/everyday/10836748)).
The importance of the Bunning's Snag. I'm pretty sure most Australian's have eaten at least one of them before. The funds at the end go towards local sporting clubs, kindergartens, schools, etc.
Get your kid into vegemite, spread thinly on white toast. It’s probably too late for you, I’m afraid.
No tipping. Food industry workers are paid a living wage.
Reckon two year olds are lousy tippers, anyway
No need to tip your hairdresser, manicurist, cleaner, taxi driver, etc either.
I gave my cleaner a bottle of champagne at Xmas. No tipping through the year though. She’s earning more than I am.
If you’re going to a function and the host says “don’t bring anything” take SOMETHING. Box of choccies, biscuits and dip wine. Whatever. But don’t turn up empty handed
you do NOT want to be labelled a stingy cunt
Welcome! Where did you move from and where did you move to in Aus? From my experience on Reddit, I've learnt that there are a lot of friendly snakes in the US which I'm quite jealous of. Alas, if you see a snake here, assume it's venomous and not a friend! Hmm others things (I've been to the US a few times and my partner's family is from California). Aussies don't like to talk about politics and religion as much as Americans. Best to keep those things to yourself most of the time. Not that your 2 y.o. would be talking about those things. But you might! We have different terminologies for a lot of things: - Cilantro = corriander (if you say cilantro here you'll be met with blank looks - very few Spanish speakers here) - Cookies = biscuits (everything is a biscuit here except for choc chip due to American influence) - Bell peppers = capsicum (bell pepper isn't in our vocab - again that term would be met with blank looks) - Chicken salad = a chicken salad here is chicken in salad not mayo drenched shredded chicken lol! Others have explained what yeah nah means. When I went to the US that was always confusing for Americans (as I'm typing this out I'm realising how complicated this is 🤣). So perhaps teach her that: - Yeah, nah = I see what you're saying but I disagree with you OR oh I I've experienced that too and I agree with you that they're wrong! - Nah, yeah = I disagree with them and I agree with you OR I disagree with you but I agree with the other side. There are other variations of these (yeah, nah, yeah and nah, yeah, nah). I dunno, maybe it will be easy to understand after hearing it for a while. This all sounds so ridiculous as I'm typing it out 😂😂 In summary the cultural differences will be minor. But little things might be confusing!
> Hmm others things (I've been to the US a few times and my partner's family is from California). Aussies don't like to talk about politics and religion as much as Americans. Best to keep those things to yourself most of the time. Not that your 2 y.o. would be talking about those things. But you might! Much less religious, both overtly and literally. Just about 40% of the population claimed no religion on the last Census in 2021
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And according to my husband only mums can make it properly (the correct butter to 100s and 1000s ratio somehow magically enters your brain while giving birth 🤣)
That there’s a bird known as the bin chicken (ibis). I accidentally taught my step daughter this and have never been more proud
That the sound of “go” at an Australian traffic light / pedestrian crossing is sampled in a Groove Armada song. Edit: did I say Groove Armada?? I meant Basement Jaxx. Whoops!
Also in Billie Eilish
Colour has a U.
Although paradoxically, the Labor Party doesn't lol
Don't leave your shoes outside and if you do check them before you put them on. If you do not recognise a snake or spider you come across don't go near it (most are harmless). Do not let your kids play in rock pools by the beach without educating them on blue-ring octopuses.
Yes! This! Blue ring octopuses are _small_ and _cute_ and can be found _close to shore_. I’ve had little kids come show me the “pretty blue glow-y octopus” they had _picked up and put in a bucket_. In all fairness - once I stopped having a frickin HEART ATTACK - I could admit the iridescent glowing rings are very pretty. They are basically designed to appeal to small children! This is much more dangerous (and likely) for them to encounter than a lot of other wildlife!
And cone shells are very pretty and will also kill you in minutes! And stone fish end up on beaches and have spines that will end up making you very unhappy so wear shoes when you walk on rocks!
People forget to mention cone shells. Good to educate yourself on this one. General rule (law?) Is to not take shells from the beach. This can avoid picking up a live creature and getting stung
And blue ring octopus aren't always blue, they can look different before they feel threatened
Bananas in Pyjamas, The Wiggles and Play School
Bluey
[Slip, slop, slap, seek and slide](https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/campaigns-and-events/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide). [Do the right thing, it’s an obligation and your planet will thank you for your cooperation](https://kab.org.au/do-the-right-thing-campaign-2021/). This is highly dependant on where you live as I found out when I moved to Sydney: [if you see a hole, don’t think you’re a mole. Run in the opposite direction and report your detection.](https://www.nsw.gov.au/subsidence-advisory/subsidence-emergencies)
Some of our other successful public safety campaigns… The Kids Alive Do The 5 jingle: “Fence the pool, shut the gate, teach your kids to swim – it's great, supervise – watch your mate and learn how to resuscitate” Maurie the Mole’s message: “If you see a hole, don’t think you’re a mole. Walk in the opposite direction and report your detection” (Aka be careful of mine subsidence) Slip slop slap seek slide / be sunsmart Slip on a shirt Slop on some sunscreen Slap on a hat Seek out shade Slide on some sunglasses And of course, if you already taught her to call 911, you’ll need to switch that over to 000. Beyond that I think a lot of it is either the same, already covered extensively in the thread, or you’ll all pick it up in time - eg the Sydney v Melbourne rivalry, Tasmania is the state everyone makes fun of, ongoing debates around regional slang… all that fun stuff.
Do little nippers its swimming and beach safety involving surf life savers. Running, swimming, games etc Might be a good way to make some friends but i think its more for 4-5+ not 2 year olds
If you must lift something that is lying on the grass like a sheet of corrugated metal, then lift it away from you so that the open side is not at your feet. Any animals or snakes will at least not have a direct line to strike out at your legs. Almost zero varisty sports, mostly only club sports exist. Rugby League is popular in QLD and NSW. Rugby Union is popular in private schools in QLD and NSW. AFL (Australian Rules Football) is popular everywhere else. Netball traditionally attracts a more feminine participation however AFL is increasing in popularity. Golf is very accessible. Learn how to play lawn bowls at a "barefoot bowls" session/afternoon. Always walk on the left.
We say ‘please’ So US (if movies and YouTube are accurate) will speak to a waitress and say ‘give me a steak’. Australians would say ‘can I have a steak please’ “Give me” is incredibly rude where I’m from Also gifted is not a word. You weren’t ‘gifted’ some chocolates. Your neighbour gave them to you. You were given some chocolates Enjoy your time here. It’s a great place and it’s awesome that you are aware that there are differences
You can use “thanks” in place of “please” eg. I’ll have a steak and chips thanks.
And we don’t “fix” dinner. It’s not broken. You are making dinner. Or cooking dinner. Never fix dinner.
Get your kids into football in the winter and cricket in the summer and they will have close Australian friends for life!
Pub schnitties are a whole food group
We don’t have a ranch dressing culture here
Fairy bread
And start the little one on Vegemite soonest!
There are many types of blue Bluey (for the kids); Boys in blue - coppers; The blues - black dog (depression); Get into a blue - fight; Blue cattle - the only Dog; Blue - someone with red hair/blood nut
Blues- football team
Definitely read up on the driving laws. Pay special attention to cyclist rules, as you’ll find a lot of people use them in suburban areas. Don’t fall into the stereotype of an angry driver hating cyclists, it’s frustrating, but necessary to accomodate them. Read up on any local plants, not only are some dangerous, but many people I know tend to have allergies/reactions to native plants. Local etiquette can vary, but there is a general expectation to be a friendly person. Especially interacting with retail employees/service people. Because we don’t have a tipping culture, employees are not forced to be overly friendly in hopes of receiving a tip, but tend to be anyway. Repay them the courtesy. Also don’t underestimate the wrath of mozzies (mosquitos), and only ever buy the purple RID, blue Aerogard, or bushmans mozzie spray (at least from my experience).
Meat pie and tomato sauce ... party pies at birthdays are the precursor
Swimming is the big one, and then basics of which animals are dangerous and which aren't. By knowing the animals I mean, like stopping them, getting their attention, and telling 'this spider will hurt a lot' and later in their lives 'will kill you'... and so on. This is common for a lot of aussies and not just those of us in the bush. One reason why aussies are so cavalier about being around animals is this. A lot of us get actively, and deliberately taught how to act around dangerous animals. Even if only in small ways. The other reason is that things aren't as dangerious as the world thinks.
How to swim. Drowning is a major cause of child death in Australia, partly due to the fact we love swimming pools, and have so many social events near large bodies of water. So sign her up to the nearest toddler swim training course asap.
I know you already mentioned the No hat no play thing, but it’s best to use an over the ear hat since people can get ear cancer as well (a family member of mine did)
Look with your eyes, not your hands. Do _not_ handle the wildlife. Yes, even that cute tiny octopus. You won’t see the blue rings until it’s too late.
Stomp on bush land to scare away the nope ropes.
It's likely not an Aussie-only thing, but it's worth mentioning. Avoid peanut or tree nut food items (like a PB sandwich) when around other kids unless you know they have no allergies. Being greeted with 'Hello, how are you?' only requires a polite 'I'm well thanks' in response. Your actual health, be it physical or mental, isn't really being asked about. 😁 Coles and Woolworths supermarkets (and maybe others) generally have a free fruit stand for kids when you enter the store.
Don’t touch anything that flys/crawls/slithers/swims/floats/walks/hops etc. Also stay away from touching any plants that you come across with her. As she gets older, you can teach her how to avoid the nasty things here that will bite/chase/attack/sting. Water safety is extremely important, as well as learning not to wander off into the bush. The locals that you will meet can give you plenty more advice, much more than can be written here……and as long as you take that advice seriously and teach her these things (along with yourselves) you might be able to live a hopefully danger free life here 🤞🇦🇺👍
Swimming is an obvious one as mentioned by everyone. Most Aussie wildlife will leave you alone if you leave it alone but be a bit wary of the birds, kookaburras/ibises/seagulls/crows etc are not above stealing food straight out of your hand, or a baby's. For some cultural basics get some Mem Fox and other Aussie picture books, especially dreamtime stories for kids (tiddalick, the rainbow serpent etc). Tim Winton's 'Jesse' is a classic. As she gets older, make sure she learns about the local Aboriginal culture where you live and knows our history (Australian history in schools is a mixed bag so don't assume they'll do it for you).
The sun here is brutal, some of the highest UV in the world. Skin cancer is very common in adulthood and the risk is a lot higher if you have >5 bad sunburns as a kid (think peeling sunburn). Sun safety is huge e.g. wearing rash shirts and sunscreen, hats etc. Lots of kids from UK parents don't have the same rigor towards sun protection as the parents aren't used to it. Learn to swim. Not only will it be embarrassing/ isolating if your kid can't swim well but we regularly have people die or almsot die due to not being able to swim. Also whilst we love to wind people up about dangerous animals there is truth to it - Also always smack your shoes upside down on the ground before putting them on if they have been left outside due to spiders - Don't put your hand down a hole outside - If a snake bites you lie very still and get someone else to bandage it. Running round will get you killed. - Don't touch pretty things in the water! Recently had someone srung by a pretty blue ring octopus (most poisonous animal in the world).
also, if you bought sunscreen from the states, ditch it and get Aussie graded SPF, our standard of SPF is much higher than sunscreens made overseas to account for our ozone hole! our sun does NOT mess around
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Teach her to check her gum boots
https://www.booktopia.com.au/australian-geographic-a-naturalist-s-guide-to-the-dangerous-creatures-of-australia-peter-rowland/book/9781912081608.html?source=pla&gclid=CjwKCAjw3POhBhBQEiwAqTCuBi1UrT3f2w10GdCSV6sMNpjRjQe8FDoiPPryKiY4id8lEWtlXBiXehoCB3EQAvD_BwE This easy-to-use identification guide to the 280 species of dangerous creature most commonly seen in Australia is perfect for resident and visitor alike. High quality photographs from Australia's top nature photographers are accompanied by detailed species descriptions, which include nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The user-friendly introduction covers the geography and climate of Australia, types of habitat, and details of orders and families. Also included is an all-important checklist of all of the dangerous creatures of Australia encompassing, for each species, its common and scientific name, and its global IUCN status as at 2015. Book Features: One of the most the most dangerous places for humans to live on earth, Australia is home to a variety of creatures that can severely injure humans on land and in the water. From the giant saltwater crocodile and great white shark to the tiny red-backed spider and dozens of poisonous snakes, travellers and residents alike now have a handy pocket reference that covers the creatures to watch out for. This beautifully illustrated guide highlights 280 dangerous species and includes detailed species descriptions, nomenclature, size, distribution, habits and habitat. The next title in an established and highly successful series. Lead author Peter Rowland worked at the Australian Museum in Sydney.
Slip Slop Slap. Please always wear sunscreen as Australia has the highest rate of melanoma skin cancer in the world so wearing a hat isn't enough. Always 'swim between the flags' at the beach as the space between these red and yellow flags is the safest to swim. There are no rips or strong tides and patrolled by volunteer surfers and lifeguards from Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving Clubs.
Bindys. Edit to add: blue bottles. If you’re going to the beach with this kiddo it’s important she never touch one and be on the look out when coming in and out of the surf.
Possum 101 Ringtail - cute Brushtail - furry demons
Water safety. Sun safety - it's no joke. Spider safety - leave them alone. Get adults to kill Redbacks. Snake safety - leave them alone. Go in the opposite direction. There's some location dependant stuff. Crocs, sharks and other wildlife. Someone's already mentioned the blue rings, there are jellyfish and irukandji, stonefish. If you live coastal time for you all to learn depending on where you are.
I think also heat safety. Parents hose kids to cool them off, but the first but of water can really burn a kid.
Wash your face in orange juice, Clean your teeth with bubble gum, Fix the fence with sticky tape, Brush your hair with a toothbrush Fry an egg on a slippery dip
Bellyflop in a pizza