WWYD?

[Gamom3]

Dh has a great job opportunity in a town that is very, very small. There is nothing there! The most exciting thing to do is hang out at Wal-mart and/or McDonalds. It is a hour and a half from any major cities.

I have a horrible feeling that I will not be homeschooling if dh takes the job, due to no other homeschoolers in the area. My kids are at the age that they NEED friends and things to do..they are 14 and 12yrs old. We are pretty active where we live now, so I feel that if we pull them from here and take them to where there is nothing, we will make a huge mistake. The only thing I can think of is to put dc in private school and me try to find a job to help pay for the school. Which means I will not be home during the summer months with dc.

 

The other issue is that we will have to sell our house within 6months or we will have 2 house payments! So the extra money that dh will be making will go to paying for 2 homes.

 

I feel horrible that dh wants this job and I am saying no. My reasons may not be big issues for some, but I do worry about those things.

 

What would you do????

[SonshineLearner]

Hey There! Here's a bump... Do you KNOW that there aren't schools there? Or... you're just thinking that??

Is part time enrollment an option wherever you're moving? (in public or private)

 

My daughter will be homeschooled, doing CC, and also doing band & maybe one or two other electives this coming year...

 

Hugs... I know it's hard!!

 

:)

[Parrothead]

Yeah, I'm in that town. It takes 1.75 hours to get to the mall in Bangor.

 

It is a different lifestyle that you will have to get accustomed to, but it is a nice way to live. Prior to this move the last two were hideous. One was a town in MT where it took 2.5 hour to get to Walmart and the other was on the other side of the state where it took 1.25 hours to get to Walmart. That is my guage now, how long does it take to get to Walmart from where we live.

 

This town isn't as bad since we have a Walmart in town and a small mall about 45 minutes away.

 

If you take the move you will learn that an hour in the car is really not that long.

 

You can homeschool without other homeschoolers in the same town. I kept school loose and had hours that were about the same as the PS. When the PSers got out of school dd would call her friends. Friends can be found at church, introductions from the people that will work with your dh and other places. You might have to work at it until they each find a friend. But friends have friends and it won't be long before they have a social network.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[Teachin'Mine]

Maybe you could search within a half hour or so radius of his job and see if there are any home school friendly, or more active towns. Hopefully this would put you only an hour from a major city, which isn't too bad for field trips and culture. I would expand the search, and then decide what to do. It would be a shame to give up home schooling for the reasons you mentioned - just my opinion.

[rafiki]

.

[Harriet Vane]

Invest in dh's career--it impacts the long term significantly.

 

You can work to get friends for your kids as others have suggested--be willing to drive to friends, and be willing to make the effort to build church and school contacts.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Do your research. Ask us here about the area - perhaps someone lives there who homeschools! Look up homeschooling groups in the county. Look up the school system. Check into stuff like scouting, 4-H, churches (if you go to church), hobbies that your dc have. . .

[In The Great White North]

Where is it? Maybe someone here lives near there? Or knows the area and has ideas of what the dc could do.

[Lolly]

I would check into finding a place to live halfway between nowhere city and have stuff city. He would have about a 45 minute commute to work. You and the kids would have a 45 minute commute to friends and activities. I might even aim to have dh drive an hour each way and have kid's activities about 30 minutes.

[eaglei]

I agree with most of what has already been posted by others.

 

Living in a small town isn't bad - and in fact is quite nice! Driving 90 minutes to a bigger city isn't anything - you'll be surprised how quickly you adjust!

 

Also, there may be more homeschoolers in the town itself than you realize, or in that larger city.

 

The first thing that went through my mind, though, when I read your post was - support your dh's opportunity! In today's economy, having a job, much less a job offer that is even better, is not to be trifled with! Looking at your children's ages, they are old enough to understand and make adjustments - and they are going to be heading out into lives/careers/jobs of their own before long. You and your dh need to make sure your relationship is intact for when the children move on - and not let fear of the unknown or unwanted interfere. Also, that is part of real life - just what our children are learning as we homeschool them!:001_smile: (Written with kindness! I wish the written word sounded like it does in my heart!)

[Gamom3]

Vidalia, Ga

[FaithManor]

If it has a Walmart, it just about has to have a 4-H club. Our club is a mix of homeschool, private, and publically schooled kids. It is wonderful!

 

Though we focus on science during out meetings, dh and I also promote agriculture, art, literature, first aid, sewing, photography, you name it and it can be done in 4-H. Our children have made some wonderful friends and the organization is designed in such a way that the kids are very focused and we don't have behavioral problems. If we did, we could remove the child from our membership list by citing that they do not follow the code of conduct or the rules of our club. Many, many rural areas have 4-H through their county agricultural extension offices which are funded, in part, by the big ag university for that state. So, in addition to what we do locally, we have a huge plethora of traveling experiences, campus experiences, sports training, and camping opportunities of which the kids can take advantage. In Michigan it is only $10.00 per year, per child to join and most of the project fees are nominal.

 

I'd definitely consider moving if the job means that much to your dh. Yes, the lifestyle is a big change, but it doesn't have to be bad either.

 

Faith

[In The Great White North]

The only thing I can think of is to put dc in private school

 

If this town is big enough to have a private school, it's big enough to have sports teams, scouts, etc. Try the Chamber of Commerce or Town Hall/Rec Dept and ask if they have a list of community activities/clubs.

 

FWIW, our town is not big enough to have a private school, nor does it rate a Walmart or a McDonald's. We have a "general store," that sells everything from chicken feed to groceries to gas and the only traffic light is at the exit from the interstate. There are a ton of things for the dc (18, 16, 13) to do - too many in fact. They aren't all right in town, but they are within half an hour.

[Karen in CO]

Vidalia, Ga

Mmmm peaches. Pecans. Watermelons. Hot summers. Good growing season. I have family from Alma. Vidalia isn't very far from Savanna. You could escape to the beach.

[LibraryLover]

I am 65 minutes to Boston, but there are a ton of awesome activites near me. You can't find them by Googling, but there are so many of us who work in the big city, but who make home here.

 

There might well be much going on that is not on billboards etc. There is something happening nearly every night of the week, pretty much.

 

I find out about the artsy stuff mostly through my local hsing Yahoo group. It is amazing how much goes on.

[Scarlett]

Vidalia, Ga

 

I'd go in a heartbeat. I was raised in a town like that....5000 people and 90 miles to any larger city. Never felt like I was missing out on anything. Ever. Still don't. If you are fortunate enough to have a good job in a small town like that, you should take it and let your childen enjoy a few years or more of small town life.

 

Oh, I think it is important for the dhs of the world to be happy in their work.

[Karen in CO]

http://www.city-data.com/city/Vidalia-Georgia.html

http://www.homeschoolingingeorgia.com/support/supportgroups/localgroups.aspx

 

The biggest thing for me would selling the house. I'd probably want to stay in the house for a few months while hubby settles in and try to get the house sold before you move.

[Danestress]

That doesn't seem particularly small. I bet there is a lot more there than you think there is. 600 is a small town. 11,000 is sizable.

[Ottakee]

Dh has a great job opportunity in a town that is very, very small. I feel horrible that dh wants this job and I am saying no. My reasons may not be big issues for some, but I do worry about those things.

 

What would you do????

 

If Dh wants the job and it is something that will be stable, I would say GO FOR IT. I saw that someone said the town was 11,000. To me, that is not small at all. There are likely LOTS of activities for your kids. They might even be able to explore new things as they might be more recreation level vs. competitive level. 4H is wonderful and has all kinds of options.

[Tree House Academy]

Dh has a great job opportunity in a town that is very, very small. There is nothing there! The most exciting thing to do is hang out at Wal-mart and/or McDonalds. It is a hour and a half from any major cities.

I have a horrible feeling that I will not be homeschooling if dh takes the job, due to no other homeschoolers in the area. My kids are at the age that they NEED friends and things to do..they are 14 and 12yrs old. We are pretty active where we live now, so I feel that if we pull them from here and take them to where there is nothing, we will make a huge mistake. The only thing I can think of is to put dc in private school and me try to find a job to help pay for the school. Which means I will not be home during the summer months with dc.

 

The other issue is that we will have to sell our house within 6months or we will have 2 house payments! So the extra money that dh will be making will go to paying for 2 homes.

 

I feel horrible that dh wants this job and I am saying no. My reasons may not be big issues for some, but I do worry about those things.

 

What would you do????

 

I wondered if you were talking about moving HERE until I heard there is a walmart in your town. Closest walmart to me is 45 minutes away. LOL

[Scarlett]

That doesn't seem particularly small. I bet there is a lot more there than you think there is. 600 is a small town. 11,000 is sizable.

 

Oh, wow. I agree this is not that small. Double the size of the town I grew up in.

[pooh bear]

I'm moving from a town of 300,000 to a town of 1,400.

 

I have connected with three homeschool families already. They are out there, it's just out in the country we don't wave a big flag saying homeschooler.

 

The town I'm going to has one traffic light and a MacDonalds. Out in the sticks you have to go look for stuff to do. It's out there, it's not as well advertised as in big cities.

 

Move, you will love it, and so will your kids.

[Remudamom]

Let's see, we live 90 miles from our church. We hang out at Walmart. We are the only homeschoolers. My kids are a group of themselves. This is where dh works, this is where we are.

[Margo out of lurking]

What would **I** do?

 

I moved 1500 miles from the suburbs of Colorado Springs to Stickville, Virginia. Instead of being five minutes to the mall, WalMart, grocery stores, library, gas stations and LIFE, we are five minutes to the end of our street. From there, it's 20 minutes to the nearest town (pop. 4000, with a new McDonald's, and a Walmart!) and an hour to the city (pop. 200000).

 

My kids are not country kids. I am not a county girl, er, woman. My dh loves it here.

 

I am working part time in the nearby town. All of my kids' activities are in the city. All of my kids' friends are in the city. Most of my friends are in the city (the rest I know from work). Every trip to the city is a planned event, we usually go four times a week, sometimes twice a day.

 

I'm sick of it. My kids are bored. I'm sick of planning every.single.thing around an hour drive no matter where we go. I feel bad that my kids can't see their friends just whenever and instead maybe see them 2x a month. I know what you mean about being at the age where they want to see their friends, and I want them to have these friends. It's too far to commit to homeschool classes because I'm working.

 

We have a contract on a house MUCH closer to the city and plan to close Thursday. Instead of selling our current house, we are leasing it out. I can't wait to move. I want neighbors to hate again (haha). I want people, car noises, grocery store 5 mins. away. I want a life, MY life, ANY LIFE. I can't wait!

 

But that's just me. On the plus side, we know that God planned this for our family, it's done wonders for bringing us closer together, for making a bond that has changed us and brought us closer to Him. (And honestly, for the past half a year, I've been praying, please, haven't we bonded enough!?!)

Edited June 9, 2010 by Kristine out of lurking

[pooh bear]

Let's see, we live 90 miles from our church. We hang out at Walmart. We are the only homeschoolers. My kids are a group of themselves. This is where dh works, this is where we are.

 

 

I hope we don't see you on here People of Walmart

 

There might be some bad language, I've not been through the whole site.

Edited June 9, 2010 by Pooh Bear

[2squared]

Oh, my. 11,000 is large! You would have the perfect mix of almost-small-town living and convenience to shopping. I bet the a city that large does have a homeschooling community since the cities that size nearish us have homeschooling groups.

 

We live 1 mile from a dying town of 1500, and there is a lot for the kids to do. Our town might not be as flashy as the big city, but if you put yourself out there, you will find activities and friends.

 

I drive over an hour to Walmart. If my kids were older, the distance wouldn't bother me a bit. As it is, the distance is only a minor inconvience trying to get the shopping in between my toddler's naps and meals.

[Giraffe]

Vidalia's not too bad - there's still stuff to do over there. I was born in a smaller town near there and there ain't nothin' to do there, but we still amuse ourselves when we're visiting. I think you'll find it's more interesting that you think (and the onions will be fresh!).

[katilac]

I am 65 minutes to Boston, but there are a ton of awesome activites near me.

 

I live in the deep south, so I'm allowed to say this: living an hour away from Boston is very different than living an hour away from the closest city in Georgia! :D

 

As to the OP, there are so many factors to consider. Is this a stepping stone to something else, or likely a permanent move? How high is the job on the Amazing Meter? Is his current job secure if he doesn't take this one? How are your finances?

 

If you know that you are adamantly NOT a small town type of person, it's important to bring that out in the open, before he takes the job. My dh always knew that I wasn't willing to live in a small town long-term, although we did do it for a year (longest year of my life, I tell ya). We lived in a Tennesse town just slightly larger than Vidalia, about an hour from from the nearest city.

 

Small towns can vary a lot, I'm sure, so make sure you get a 'feel' for the general mores/attitude before you agree to live there. In my case, I was surprised by the open prejudice against anyone who wasn't white and heterosexual. There was also a healthy suspicion against newcomers, those with 'too much' education, anyone suspected of voting Democrat, and anyone who didn't attend the 'right' church. I'm pretty content with my own company for the most part, but I had no one to talk to, not to mention no bookstore and no high-speed internet.

 

I agree with the posters who said that it CAN work, but I would look at all aspects before making a decision that can't be undone.

[HappyCrazyMama]

Well, there is no stoplight in my county nor is there a Walmart or McDonalds or a store from a supermarket chain. Actually at 11,000 the town has more people than my county (about 10,000 in 2,340 square miles).:lol: My particular town has 900. Walmart is an hour and a half drive. But we do have; a couple other hsing families, 4H, piano lessons, etc. In a town of 11,000 I think you would be surprised at what is available. :)

[Chris in VA]

For me, it would totally depend on the job opportunity and the reasons my dh had for wanting to take it, and on how flexible my kids were, and on how they bond to places and people.

 

It can be extremely hard on kids to move at those ages. If you are currently in a good situation with their friends/peer influences, and if they are kids that find it difficult to adjust to new situations, then I'd think long and hard about uprooting them for a move to accomodate a job that was anything less than a total life changer.

 

If it's a situation where dh's current job won't last long, or where he isn't making enough money and there is great debt or constant financial stress, or where the commute means he can't spend time with the family, or something like that, then I'd be more inclined--but if it's just something he'd really like to do, then I wouldn't move.

[Gamom3]

The move would mean more money and this would be the highest dh could move up in the company, unless he goes to school--right now he doesn't have time to do anything! Will he be happy..YES. Will he have time with the family--not sure. Is the job secure---don't know for sure...we don't know if his job now is secure. We just know that dh is VERY unhappy at the job he is at now.

 

The kids--I know as long as they could find others in the community then they would do fine. BUT, I have found that if others don't homeschool, they tend not to want to be friends with homescholers--especially in a small town. My niece has problems finding and keeping friends where she lives....she is very lonely.

We have been very active with our kids. Finding things to do in our area now is pretty easy and there are a lot of homeschoolers around us.

 

Dh and I grew up in a small town. Dh went to public school and I went to a small private school--I never had friends outside of school--due to the distance that everyone lived.

 

We both know how it is growing up in a small town. It may not sound like a small town to some, but for me when I can not find one person to communicate with in the town that homeschool it makes the town even smaller. I love homeschooling my children..yes it is still possible for my kids to be homeschooled, but I feel that they are in an importanat time in their life that they need friends and activities to do...especially when they are use to having those things. Pulling them from something that they dearly love and putting them in a place that they will have nothing to do, but play in the woods or chat online with old friends--who will be reminding them of things they had---is heartbreaking for me!

If they were a lot younger, I would have absolutely no problem moving. I know we would be fine...mom and dad would be enough to please them and make them happy, but now that they are in their teens/tweens they need friends--I know we still make them happy, but it is not the same.

 

I have been up half the night looking and searching for something there that even mentions homeschooling. I have found groups..but when I e-mail them their e-mails bounce back!

 

Our house needs to be sold. We have worked to hard to get what we have and have it ruined. Dh says we could rent the house...I don't know if I want to deal with the insecurity of not knowing if the person living here is taking care of it or will pay the rent every month!

 

I plan on calling a few places today to see if they have any idea of local homeschoolers and I pray that I find something!

 

 

Sorry for crying on everyones shoulder!!!

[choirfarm]

Ok, how can you say they don't have homeschoolers? I found this in a one minute search:

 

This looks to be some kind of a part time school???

http://www.localschooldirectory.com/private-school/7506/GA

Vidalia Area Christian Home Educators Association

Vidalia Area Christian Home Educators Association serves homeschooling families in the Vidalia area, offering field trips, social activities, a newsletter, and more.

 

Grin...I'm guessing you just really don't want to move. I live in a town of 11,000 and it is plenty big. Now the biggest cities are a couple of hours away, but we have a town of 75,000 that is 20-30 minutes away. I love it here.

 

Christine

[choirfarm]

I have a horrible feeling that I will not be homeschooling if dh takes the job, due to no other homeschoolers in the area. My kids are at the age that they NEED friends and things to do..they are 14 and 12yrs old. We are pretty active where we live now, so I feel that if we pull them from here and take them to where there is nothing, we will make a huge mistake. QUOTE]

 

Towns of 11,000 typically have something. My town of that size has all the sports you could possibly want and more activities than I could possibly want. That is how people get together and church activities are typically important in small towns as well. Believe me, that town does have activities!!

 

Christine

[jplain]

If you do move, consider renting rather than buying, at least for a year or two. Treat it as a trial period. Then, if you hate it, it'll be easier to pack up and start over somewhere else.

[Wheres Toto]

not to mention no bookstore and no high-speed internet.

 

 

 

These would be the only deal breakers for me - no bookstores, no high-speed internet???? Do these places still exist? :eek: That's totally uncivilized!!

 

Oldest dd changed schools between middle school and high school so she could go to the much, much, much, MUCH better high school in my district (she used to go where her father lives). I regularly have to drive her to visit her old friends (about an hour) and to dance with the same group she's been with since she was 4 (also an hour). It's really not as bad as you think once you get used to it. If you have a regularly scheduled activity, its even easier since it becomes part of the routine.

[Harriet Vane]

The move would mean more money and this would be the highest dh could move up in the company, unless he goes to school--right now he doesn't have time to do anything! Will he be happy..YES. Will he have time with the family--not sure. Is the job secure---don't know for sure...we don't know if his job now is secure. We just know that dh is VERY unhappy at the job he is at now.

 

The kids--I know as long as they could find others in the community then they would do fine. BUT, I have found that if others don't homeschool, they tend not to want to be friends with homescholers--especially in a small town. My niece has problems finding and keeping friends where she lives....she is very lonely.

We have been very active with our kids. Finding things to do in our area now is pretty easy and there are a lot of homeschoolers around us.

 

Dh and I grew up in a small town. Dh went to public school and I went to a small private school--I never had friends outside of school--due to the distance that everyone lived.

 

We both know how it is growing up in a small town. It may not sound like a small town to some, but for me when I can not find one person to communicate with in the town that homeschool it makes the town even smaller. I love homeschooling my children..yes it is still possible for my kids to be homeschooled, but I feel that they are in an importanat time in their life that they need friends and activities to do...especially when they are use to having those things. Pulling them from something that they dearly love and putting them in a place that they will have nothing to do, but play in the woods or chat online with old friends--who will be reminding them of things they had---is heartbreaking for me!

If they were a lot younger, I would have absolutely no problem moving. I know we would be fine...mom and dad would be enough to please them and make them happy, but now that they are in their teens/tweens they need friends--I know we still make them happy, but it is not the same.

 

I have been up half the night looking and searching for something there that even mentions homeschooling. I have found groups..but when I e-mail them their e-mails bounce back!

 

Our house needs to be sold. We have worked to hard to get what we have and have it ruined. Dh says we could rent the house...I don't know if I want to deal with the insecurity of not knowing if the person living here is taking care of it or will pay the rent every month!

 

I plan on calling a few places today to see if they have any idea of local homeschoolers and I pray that I find something!

 

 

Sorry for crying on everyones shoulder!!!

 

Knowing this, I would still urge you to move for dh's job.

 

FWIW I'm in a similar situation. Dh's job is killing his soul every day. He has been job-hunting for several months. He is working insane hours. There is a very strong likelihood that we will have to move out of state. I have a 13yo who has no desire to move, though I think my 9yo will be okay. This will also affect my relationship with dear little cousins who I care for (their mother is terminally ill)--we will do what it takes to maintain contact (visiting monthly, etc.) but it won't be the same as living here.

 

For us, the bottom line is that dh cannot spend 60+ hours per week in a job that is so hard on him. Additionally, his job represents our long-term security, so other things do have to adjust around it. There's no situation that will be perfect, so we do our best.

[Scarlett]

Is the job secure---don't know for sure...we don't know if his job now is secure. We just know that dh is VERY unhappy at the job he is at now.

 

To me this would be the deciding factor.

 

Are you currently in the south? I think it would be just as difficult to go from another reigion to the deep south as it would be to go to a smallish town. Edited to add I see you are in GA.....so you don't have the added adjustment of culture shock. ;)

 

 

Small town life is an adjustment for sure. However, if you can find a way to open your mind to it, I think you will find an abundance of joy in it. The pace of life is slower. No one is as rushed. When I move this week, it will only be 10 miles down the road to a bedroom community (city 15 miles away) but I can already tell life is slower there. I know the comparison is not the same because Books a Million is only a 15 mile drive....but I already feel more isolated and find that I'm having to change my thought process about how often I can run into the city.

 

but I feel that they are in an importanat time in their life that they need friends and activities to do...especially when they are use to having those things. Pulling them from something that they dearly love and putting them in a place that they will have nothing to do, but play in the woods or chat online with old friends--who will be reminding them of things they had---is heartbreaking for me!

 

Gently, I think you are focusing too much on this. Your kids will be fine....however, they will be taking many of their cues from you. If you are excited, cheerful, upbeat about this opportunity...then they will be less inclined to mope around and miss home.

 

:grouphug:

Edited June 9, 2010 by Scarlett

[TN Mama]

Ultimately, you all will have to make the decision that you think it best for your family. I can tell you that I just made a similar move. Moved from a city of about 200,000 to a town of 2500. We have a Walmart. It isn't a 24 hour Walmart even. Have I mentioned I despise WM?

 

I lived 5 minutes from Target and 100s of retail stores. We LOVED our church (8 minutes from home). I LOVED my (very part time) job (10 minutes from home). The kids were enrolled in a wonderful enrichment program and were active in scouts and sports. Oh, and my friends... the very BEST friends a woman could wish for. If we were still there, we'd be spending the summer at the pool with our friends & swimming on our swim team. We had a wonderful life with one exception. Dh was working 9 hours from home. The last sentence erases all the fabulous things before. I missed my husband and the girls missed Daddy.

 

We moved several months ago and although I cried at the drop of a hat when we first got here, it gets better every day. It is an ordeal to drive an hour to the "city" which is smaller than the one I moved from, but has bookstores (unlike here), TARGET, and a mall. It will suffice. This is where my husband has to work for now. The major difference our situations is that we probably won't be here permanently. We might be back home in a year or so. Or, we might not. We might move somewhere else... or we'll be here... we just don't know. But it doesn't matter to me anymore. Once I gave it up... the hold I had on our "home" and accepted the fact that it was best that we all be together, I was able to be at peace with our decision.

 

I've met some nice women and the kids have met some friends. Is it just like home? Nope. Might never be. But it might still be great. I know God brought us here for a reason and I may or may not find out what that reason is, but once I changed my attitude, I became a WHOLE lot happier.

 

Everyone's situation is different, but now you know mine. I hope & pray that you all can make a decision that will be best for your family and feel at peace about that choice.

 

Sorry... got a little long. :)

[LuvToRead]

I too, think you may be surprised at what you could find. We live in a much smaller town, and my girls have friends. There are homeschoolers in the area, too. Did you google a homeschool association or anything yet? You may come up with something.

 

Where I live, any town with a Wal-Mart is considered fair size.:001_smile: And yes, people go on Friday nights just to see who else is there.

[Impish]

I'd go in a heartbeat.

 

You're judging this place, making assumptions about the people before you've even set foot in the city.

 

It sounds to me like your dh NEEDS this. I'd support him in it, put on a happy face, and look for the positives in it. Otherwise, he's stuck in a job he loathes, and quite likely will end up resenting you for giving up this chance...and that will wreak havoc in your marriage.

[Gamom3]

Ok, how can you say they don't have homeschoolers? I found this in a one minute search:

 

This looks to be some kind of a part time school???

http://www.localschooldirectory.com/private-school/7506/GA

Vidalia Area Christian Home Educators Association

Vidalia Area Christian Home Educators Association serves homeschooling families in the Vidalia area, offering field trips, social activities, a newsletter, and more.

 

Grin...I'm guessing you just really don't want to move. I live in a town of 11,000 and it is plenty big. Now the biggest cities are a couple of hours away, but we have a town of 75,000 that is 20-30 minutes away. I love it here.

 

Christine

 

 

 

I found this one, but it would not load for me and still wont load. I have found a few homeschool groups, but most are inactive. I am planning on calling a couple this morning that I found. I don't mind moving, but I am very discouraged in what I am finding for the kids. I have found a lady, who homeschools, that lives near Savannah...which isn't TO far. If we can live in between dh's job and Savannah I think it would work for us to continue homeschooling.

[Gamom3]

The Blount Youth Home School---is a Boarding School...Strange!:glare:

[chickenpatty]

We homeschool in the boonies.

 

Surprisingly, we've come across a couple of other homeschooling families who live only a few miles from us.

 

My kids have a lot of friends from church as well, so we are definitely not lacking in that department.

 

There are other ways for your kids to meet others as well - county sports (i.e. little league, tennis lessons, etc...), library programs, 4-H, etc...

 

It's not all bad! :D

[mcconnellboys]

Another thing that I worry about in this economy is buying a house somewhere and then not being able to sell it and get out of there if the job doesn't work out.

 

We went to a small town up in Ohio to look at houses a few years ago (Ohio had been depressed for a number of years, already) and were totally scared away from taking a job there. ALL of the houses we looked at had been on the market for more than a year (some longer than two years) - even the brand new ones. Builders were continuing to build, however, even though they had no market. What if we bought there, tying up all our money into that house and then the job didn't work out for my husband? How would we ever be able to sell and get our money back out of the house so we could move?

 

And then there were the other concerns you mentioned regarding the children and socialization, as well.....

 

I guess if you're just going to rent or put a minimum amount of money into a house so that your money is not all tied up then you wouldn't have to worry as much about selling in a situation like this. But you would always have the worry of two mortgages if you don't go with a company who is willing to take the house off your hands so that you don't have to worry about that mortgage....

 

While I wouldn't mind living in a small town if I was planning on being there for the long term, I tend to be like you and worry about making it work for my family while I still have children at home who are not accustomed to that style of living.....

[RahRah]

Can you, DH and the family take a weekend to travel to the Vidalia area and see what it's like? Maybe grab real estate books, newspapers, etc. while there so you have something to work with - maybe take some time to scope out towns between Vidalia and Savannah to see if there is a place you can locate between the two that is a reasonable commute for DH and a good location for you and the kids?

[RahRah]

This looks like a good site to poke around and maybe call them to see what's in the area?

 

http://www.heir.org/

[LibraryLover]

I'm sure it is. I was thinking about people who live in my town and think there is nothing happening...and how boring it looks on the surface. They think they have to battle city traffic for something interesting to do. There is a lot going on here; just you have to look a little deeper. It's not like being in a big city, but it's not boring, either. We have a very lively art scene, for instance.

 

I live in the deep south, so I'm allowed to say this: living an hour away from Boston is very different than living an hour away from the closest city in Georgia! :D

 

As to the OP, there are so many factors to consider. Is this a stepping stone to something else, or likely a permanent move? How high is the job on the Amazing Meter? Is his current job secure if he doesn't take this one? How are your finances?

 

If you know that you are adamantly NOT a small town type of person, it's important to bring that out in the open, before he takes the job. My dh always knew that I wasn't willing to live in a small town long-term, although we did do it for a year (longest year of my life, I tell ya). We lived in a Tennesse town just slightly larger than Vidalia, about an hour from from the nearest city.

 

Small towns can vary a lot, I'm sure, so make sure you get a 'feel' for the general mores/attitude before you agree to live there. In my case, I was surprised by the open prejudice against anyone who wasn't white and heterosexual. There was also a healthy suspicion against newcomers, those with 'too much' education, anyone suspected of voting Democrat, and anyone who didn't attend the 'right' church. I'm pretty content with my own company for the most part, but I had no one to talk to, not to mention no bookstore and no high-speed internet.

 

I agree with the posters who said that it CAN work, but I would look at all aspects before making a decision that can't be undone.

[Jan in SC]

You might already have this, but I found this publicly listed email for a Vidalia homeschool group:

gibbs@cybersouth.com

[simka2]

I live in a town of 8000...we have over 18 baseball teams in my sons age bracket alone!!!! I had the choice of 4 different 4-h clubs, 5 boy scout troops, 6 riding stables.

 

Yes, we drive a bit. Right now we do not have friends that homeschool. We just started...but I wouldn't have time for co-ops with all the sport stuff we have going on!!!

 

The only thing that might keep me from this move would be the stability of the job. Then again I'm thinking of living in an RV just so we could move with dh from project to project ;)

[cjbeach]

I'm a city girl and moving out of the city and into the burbs was hard. LOL.

I think you have to think about the economy, what will a better job mean to you but it's not *all* dh. You have to take your happiness and the children into consideration. We've had opportunities that we've had to turn down because of the area. If it's going to cost you more money in the long run (gas, pay-for activities, schools, etc....) you have to take it into the equation. Make a list of pros/cons WITH your dh.

 

When I moved here- away from family, away from anything familliar, away from the family friendly town I lived in with an excellent school system it hit me HARD. I was a mess. Truly. I cried constantly. And real estate kept us here. I've adjusted, finally, but it has been 7 years. I don't recommend anyone moving unless you go to the area, experience it, then make a decision. We moved sight unseen. What a miserable, costly, life-changing mistake. I can't emphasize it enough. My dh picked a house and relocated us. He will admit now what a mistake it was but hindsight is 20/20. It cost us big. It was a huge strain on our marriage, I was a stressed out parent with no love around me to support me and 2 babies, and then my father got sick back home and I was stuck here. It's been a long, rough road.

 

I don't know that buying right now is a good idea just because 2011 is expected to be a bad RE year as well. Well, at least that's what a mortgage co owner we know if fearing - due to the # of ARMs "hitting" next year. I'd rent, if it's possible, and see IF you like the area before investing.

 

Big decisions... GL!

Edited June 9, 2010 by cjbeach