This is a concern for my wife, she is a "domestic engineer;)", and is happy being one. She is concerned about being able to hook up with other stay at home Moms in NZ. thanks:nice1
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This is a concern for my wife, she is a "domestic engineer;)", and is happy being one. She is concerned about being able to hook up with other stay at home Moms in NZ. thanks:nice1
I actually wondered that as well and did some research (will try to get the articles I found digging around). Apparently it is quite common for mothers to stay at home with their children in New Zealand (even in spite of lower salaries and expenses in NZ).
My next door neighbour is a stay at home mom, and I also know a Canadian living here who is a stay at home mom. The only complaint I've heard is from the Canadian whose been here for about 8 months and is still finding it hard to find people to hang out with because all the kiwi mothers already have their friend groups. (I think she may have some trouble because she's a student's wife as well, and us students are not always looked favourably upon by the locals).
I am one !!!! (at the moment) and I have had no problems meeting and socialising with people. There is usually a group of mothrs at school waiting to collect the kids from school and they have all been very welcoming. I have a bigger social life than I did in the UK with coffee mornings and stuff.
A lot of the people that I am friends with (though not excusively) are ex pats and they have all been in the same position themselves at some stage and know how it feels to be new in a strange place and I believe that this helps.
I think if my children were a lot older (they are 5 & 8) it might have been harder to meet people - But have to say that it has been quite easy :clap:clap
Ahh yea- I guess it depends on the age of the child as well, my canadian friend's child is only 14 months old.
My Oh is a stay at home Dad and he's met loads of STAHM's thro' school mainly.
I'm one too & there's lots of other Mums always about, Dad's too
If your heading Wellington way just give me a shout, will always meet someone new :)
I'm a stay at home mum!
I go to playcentre (0-5 yrs i think?) with my 3 yr old and have found that a really good way to meet people and a good way to find out what other groups and stuff there is going on. He has also just started kindy and that has been another chance to meet some new people. Other stuff going on in our town are, kindy gym, under 5's library times, music and movement, various playgroups, swimming and numerous parks where you usually talk to someone!
I have def found alot more going on than when i was in the uk and have found people more friendly. There seems to be plenty of stay at home mums - it seems more of the norm here, i don't feel the pressure ( more of a social rather than financial pressure) i felt in the uk to go back to work.
Hope this helps:)
thankyou for all the responses, this should help alot. Our children are 9 and 11. We recently moved to a new city and have found it difficult to connect with people as they all grew up here. I have my co-workers, but she does not really get a chance with connect with anyone. So that was a big concern as she would be a STAHM, I like that accronym, when we relocate down under.
I stay at home as well. I have relocated at least 5 times over the past 15 years and I do think that NZ has been the toughest place to meet other kiwi moms. I have found that you really have to make an effort to introduce yourself, etc. They are very nice once you start talking to them- but it definitely hasn't been as easy as the other places we have lived in the U.S., and in Europe. I'm not worried about it- but I do think it will take longer than other places we have lived. But maybe its just the area we are in?