For generations, British families dreaming of moving abroad have talked about the same things: a bigger house, better weather, more space and better career opportunities. Perhaps even a swimming pool if things go particularly well.
But what if the most valuable thing families are searching for in Australia, New Zealand or Canada in 2026 isn’t something you can buy?
What if it’s time?
New research into British family life suggests parents are increasingly struggling to balance work, school and family responsibilities. It raises an interesting question for anyone considering moving abroad with children: would you move halfway around the world if you thought it could give you more time with them?
British parents are running out of time
The latest National Parent Survey from Parentkind questioned more than 6,000 parents of school-age children across the UK, and the findings paint a picture many working parents will recognise.
Just 59% of parents now say they feel engaged with their child’s education, down from 80% in 2023, while almost half say a lack of time gets in the way of supporting their children.
Separate research conducted by YouGov for Deloitte UK found 57% of working parents feel mentally exhausted or burnt out. For working mothers, the figures are even more striking, with 66% reporting burnout associated with being unable to take enough time for themselves.
Annual leave isn’t necessarily solving the problem either. One in four working parents surveyed said they use almost two weeks of annual leave every year simply carrying out caring responsibilities.
That’s holiday allowance being used not for holidays, but simply to keep family life running.
For many parents, the problem isn’t that they don’t want to spend more time with their children. It’s finding the hours to do it.
Are we working so hard to give our children a good life that we’re missing it?
That’s perhaps the uncomfortable question behind the statistics. Parents work hard because they want to give their children opportunities. The mortgage needs paying, careers need progressing and childcare needs covering.
Then there’s the school run, after-school clubs, homework, dinner, bath time and bed. Suddenly another week has disappeared.
Simon Hood, owner of John Mason International, which has been moving British families around the world since 1884, believes the things families want from an international move may be changing.
“People have always talked to us about moving abroad for a bigger house, better weather or a new job. But increasingly I think one of the most valuable things a family is looking for is something you can’t put in a shipping container: time.
“Time for school pick-ups, time for dinner together and time to actually enjoy the childhood they’re working so hard to provide.”
And it isn’t only parents reconsidering the importance of work-life balance. Deloitte’s 2026 research into younger British workers found that work-life balance is now the number one career goal for both Gen Z and Millennials in the UK, ahead of financial independence.
Perhaps the definition of success really is changing.
Could moving to Australia give your family a different lifestyle?
For British families considering moving to Australia, lifestyle has always been one of the biggest attractions. There’s the weather, beaches, outdoor space and sporting culture.
It’s easy to picture finishing work and heading to the beach with the children, or spending weekends outdoors rather than waiting for the British rain to stop.
But there needs to be a reality check: moving to Australia doesn’t automatically mean working less.
Australian parents still have jobs, commutes, childcare bills, mortgages and hectic Monday mornings. Moving abroad isn’t a magic solution to parental burnout.
What an international move can provide, however, is an opportunity to rethink how you want your family to live.
If you’re considering a job in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth or Adelaide, salary obviously matters. But perhaps families should also be asking how long their commute will be, what time they’ll actually get home, whether flexible working is available, how childcare will work and what their weekends will realistically look like.
Most importantly: will the move genuinely give you the family life you’re imagining?
Those questions can be just as important as the size of your new house.
What about moving to New Zealand with children?
New Zealand has long attracted British families looking for a different pace of life. Its natural environment, outdoor culture and open spaces are obvious attractions for parents considering moving to New Zealand from the UK.
Again, though, it’s important not to romanticise it. A family moving from Manchester to Auckland doesn’t suddenly stop having deadlines, bills and school runs.
Relocating thousands of miles away can also introduce an entirely different pressure: you’re leaving your support network behind.
Grandparents who currently collect the children from school won’t be around the corner. Cousins won’t necessarily be there at weekends. The friend who helps when you’re running late could suddenly be 11,000 miles away.
You may gain time in one area while losing support in another. That needs to be part of the decision.
The hidden cost of moving abroad: grandparents
Grandparents have a value that will never appear on an emigration spreadsheet. They provide childcare, emergency school pick-ups, Sunday dinners, sleepovers and another pair of hands when everything seems to go wrong simultaneously.
More importantly, they’re family.
Moving to Australia, New Zealand or Canada can give children extraordinary experiences, but it can also mean seeing grandparents once or twice a year rather than once or twice a week.
Simon says: “It’s easy to compare salaries, house prices, schools and the weather when you’re deciding whether to move abroad. It’s much harder to put a value on Grandma being able to collect the children on a Tuesday afternoon.
“For some families, moving overseas creates the lifestyle they’ve always wanted. For others, being further away from their support network can make family life harder. That’s why it needs to be a family decision rather than simply a financial one.”
Could moving to Canada change your family life?
The same questions apply to families considering moving to Canada from the UK. Canada can offer access to extraordinary outdoor spaces and a very different lifestyle, but Vancouver, Toronto and other major Canadian cities can also be expensive places to live.
So perhaps the question shouldn’t simply be: “Can we afford to move to Canada?”
It should be: “What will our life actually look like when we get there?”
A higher salary isn’t necessarily an improvement if it comes with a longer commute and less time at home. Equally, accepting slightly less money might feel like an excellent trade if your new working arrangements allow you to see considerably more of your children.
Every family’s calculation will be different.
Don’t move abroad for an Instagram childhood
There’s an obvious danger when dreaming about moving overseas. Social media is very good at selling us the perfect version.
Australian beaches. Canadian mountains. New Zealand lakes. Children running around outside while their suspiciously relaxed parents drink coffee in the sunshine.
Nobody uploads the Tuesday morning when one child can’t find their PE kit, somebody is late for work and the washing machine has stopped working.
Real life comes with you when you emigrate.
There is no country where parenting suddenly becomes effortless. That’s precisely why families should look beyond the Instagram version of moving overseas.
Don’t simply ask whether Australia could give your children a better childhood. Ask what would actually change about your family’s everyday life.
7 questions to ask before moving abroad with children
If more family time is part of your reason for relocating, these questions could be more important than deciding between a three-bedroom and four-bedroom house.
1. What will our working hours actually be?
Look beyond the salary. Find out about the working culture of your prospective employer and what time people genuinely finish.
2. How long will our commute be?
Saving an hour every working day potentially gives you hundreds of extra hours with your family each year.
3. What are our childcare options?
Research availability and costs before you move. Don’t automatically assume childcare will be cheaper than in Britain.
4. Will we be able to work flexibly?
If flexible working is important to your family life, discuss it before accepting a job rather than discovering your options after you arrive.
5. What support are we leaving behind?
Think about everything grandparents, relatives and friends currently do for your family. Some of it may be more valuable than you realise.
6. What will our weekends realistically look like?
Think about the lifestyle you can genuinely afford and access, rather than the one shown in destination advertising.
7. What do the children think?
Older children in particular may value their friends, grandparents, school and familiarity considerably more than sunshine and a bigger bedroom. Their idea of a better life may be different from yours.
A bigger life, not necessarily a bigger house
Perhaps the definition of the dream move is changing.
For previous generations, success overseas might have meant earning more money and buying a bigger property. For today’s parents, success could be getting home in time for dinner. It could mean being there for the school run, weekends that actually feel like weekends, or simply having enough energy left at the end of the working day to enjoy being a parent.
There’s no guarantee that moving abroad will provide any of those things.
But if you’re already considering relocating your family to Australia, New Zealand, Canada or somewhere else entirely, perhaps they’re worth putting near the top of your list.
As Simon puts it: “You can ship almost everything you own to the other side of the world. The one thing none of us can ship, store or get back later is time.”
And perhaps that’s ultimately the biggest question to ask before moving your family abroad.
Not just “What could we have there?” but “What kind of family life could we have there?”
Thinking about moving abroad with your family?
Moving overseas with children is a big decision, and getting the practical side right can make the process considerably less stressful.
John Mason International has been moving families around the world since 1884, specialising in international removals to destinations including Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Whether you’re at the early “could we actually do this?” stage or already have your visa and departure date, our international moving team can help you understand the practicalities of taking your family and belongings overseas.
Get an international removals quote from John Mason International and start planning your move.