Parenting in Western Australia: A Unique Perspective
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Our sixth and final Parenthood Around the World interview of the year features Jody Driver, who lives in Perth, Australia, with her children, Maharny (23) and Shelby (15). "We’re incredibly far from anywhere else—Perth is often referred to as ‘the most isolated city in the world,’" she says. In this interview, Jody shares insights about raising kids in Australia, including swimming babies, quirky slang and tips for avoiding deadly snakes.
On being remote: Perth is incredibly isolated, with the Indian Ocean on one side and the vast Australian outback on the other. Once you leave the city, you can drive for days through the bush before reaching the next town. We once drove for three days without encountering another car! Because of this isolation, there’s a large population of FIFO (fly in, fly out) workers who leave for weeks at a time. Almost everyone in the city has a FIFO worker in their family or knows one. My sister is one, and my daughter’s boyfriend is too. She spends one week with me and the next with him.
Growing Up by the Water: Perth Kids, Casual Fashion, and the Ocean Lifestyle
On growing up by the water: It’s uncommon to find a Perth kid who isn’t confident in the ocean, whether they’re diving, snorkeling, or surfing. My children started swim lessons and learned to float at just nine months old. Being on the coast, it’s crucial that they’re strong swimmers. Many kids, including mine, take the bus straight from school to the beach. Our family often enjoys take-out dinners by the water, bringing the dog along and just relaxing. It’s a typical sight to have a picnic blanket stashed in the boot of the car—it’s such a nice, laid-back way of life.
On casual clothing: Dress here is extremely casual—people even wear their bathers to the supermarket. It’s not unusual to walk from the beach to the pub in your swimwear, grab a drink, or enjoy a meal, maybe just adding a skirt if you’re feeling fancy. Since everyone grows up outdoors in minimal clothing, there’s absolutely no judgment about body shapes. If you’ve got a body and wear a bathing suit, more power to you!
On funny slang: In Australia, we don’t take ourselves too seriously, and that’s reflected in our language. We love abbreviating everything: ‘arvo’ for afternoon, ‘breky’ for breakfast, ‘mozzies’ for mosquitos, and a ‘brolly’ for umbrella. Avocado becomes ‘avo,’ cursive writing is known as ‘running writing,’ and little kids are called ‘ankle biters.’ Flip flops are ‘thongs,’ and the liquor store is a ‘bottle-o.’ Everyone’s a ‘mate.’ We also love adding ‘as’ to the end of words, like ‘happy as’ or ‘annoying as,’ which means ‘very.’
On social drinking: Drinking is a big part of social life here. On weekends, people often gather at their local pub for drinks or enjoy a few beers in the backyard. Babies are usually seen napping in their prams or mats under the table. When I was a teenager, drinking was a major social activity, but it seems less prevalent now. Australian kids are very active, playing multiple sports like junior lifesaving, basketball, hockey and horse riding, which keeps them busy and steers them away from overindulging. A funny story: When I was three, my dad took me to the pub to have a couple of beers and give my mum a break. However, he forgot about me when he went to the bathroom and drove home without me! When he got back, mum asked, ‘Where’s Jody?’ He had to drive straight back to the pub, where I was happily sitting at the bar with a bag of chips and a Fire Engine (a lemonade and red cordial drink kids love at the pub), enjoying myself because everyone knew who I was and who I belonged to.
On shifting expectations: My kids and I agree that there’s still a long way to go in how society treats boys and girls. There’s a pay gap, and Australia has a very ‘blokey’ culture. An ‘Aussie male’ is expected to be tough and resilient, while girls are often expected to follow more traditional, feminine paths. Even in group settings, men and women usually socialize separately. Women do most of the childcare and housework, which continues to frustrate many. I know so many women who’ve left their husbands in their 40s because of the unequal workload. Today, we work full time, often earning as much, if not more, than our husbands, but are still expected to handle everything else. There’s little stigma around separation, and I’ve faced none. Australian women are known for being independent and capable.
On local colleges: In Australia, kids don’t typically move away for university. Instead, they attend a university in their closest city. Honestly, no one cares much about which university you go to—I've never been asked where I went! The cost of living is so high that most Australian students can’t afford dorms, so my daughter and her friends live at home while attending university—and often continue to do so afterward. My eldest finished her psychology degree last year and is now working on her Masters in Social Work and she will absolutely stay at home until she’s done. I love having them around, though I do worry about the day they leave. I know it’s inevitable but I’ll miss them terribly.
On indoor/outdoor living: Since we spend so much time outdoors, our outdoor living spaces are often more important to us than our interiors. For instance, the back wall of my house opens up completely to a beautiful bush view, which is quite common here. We live in a relaxed neighborhood with plenty of river trails for walking, cycling, and kayaking, and our house backs onto a stream and nature reserve. My kids have spent countless nights camping outside in their tents or swags, just because they feel like it.
On the mostly sunny weather: Perth enjoys more sunshine than any other capital city in Australia, with about nine months of sunshine each year. Rain typically only falls in the winter months—June, July, and August. We’re so unaccustomed to rain that we’ll cancel plans at the slightest drizzle, and driving becomes a nightmare! Last winter, we had 18 consecutive days of rain, which had never happened before. The media covered it non-stop, even giving a “rainy day count” each evening. People were actually talking about leaving the city because of it.
On dangerous animals: Australia is home to 20 of the world’s 25 most dangerous snakes, as well as some of the deadliest spiders, like the Red Back and Funnel Web, which can kill within 15 minutes. Every ambulance and hospital is stocked with anti-venoms, but for Aussies, it’s no big deal. We grew up knowing how to handle these creatures: when walking in the bush, we stomp our feet to warn snakes, and we always bang our shoes before putting them on. Even young kids know how to catch a spider under a container, slide some paper underneath, and take it outside. No big deal! That said, there was an episode of *Peppa Pig* where Daddy Pig claimed "spiders can’t hurt you," which was deemed inappropriate for Aussie kids and was pulled off the air here. I was relieved to hear that.
On toast with toppings: At every party, we serve "fairy bread," which is simply white bread with butter and sprinkles. It’s not just for kids—adults love it too. My family also enjoys Vegemite, a thick brown paste made from brewer’s yeast. Non-Australians often find it unappealing, but that’s because they’re not using it right. We spread it on toast in thin "scrapes," not thick layers like honey or jam, and we add a generous amount of butter.
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