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My hubby recently got a job with a company that is nation wide. He can work pretty much anywhere his seniority will allow. He does have to train in each new area without pay for about a week.

My question: would you spend a year or two living in different parts of the country so dc could experience it all or stay put and be normal. Would it mess with the childrens' sense of stability and security or would it be a magnificent learning experience?

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I would say that a lot of it depends on how important and what level of stability you think matters to your children. Some children need stability more than others. If you are both there and school and schedules don't change much, that could be enough stability.

 

Sounds kinda fun, but I've grown to like stability :D

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My hubby recently got a job with a company that is nation wide. He can work pretty much anywhere his seniority will allow. He does have to train in each new area without pay for about a week.

My question: would you spend a year or two living in different parts of the country so dc could experience it all or stay put and be normal. Would it mess with the childrens' sense of stability and security or would it be a magnificent learning experience?

 

We took a 2 year stint in another state. It was awesome! But, we had lost friendships at home while we were gone. To be honest they weren't the best friendships anyway. I considered it cleaning house. We still keep in contact with our Utah friends and we've been home 3 years now.

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I would think through, very carefully, what the living quarters would be like as you move from place to place. If you plan on hitting many locations in a 2 year stent around the US, you are talking only a few months in each location, yes?

 

So, would that be long enough to rent an apartment? I think most leases require at LEAST 6 months. Same for renting a house. So, would you be in one place long enough to do so?

 

Would you RV it? Are you ready to live in an RV with your family for 2 yrs? Think through what that would be like.

 

Would you do Extended Stay type hotel life? Would you incur extra expenses because of that? Would you tire of living in hotels??

 

What would you do with your current home? try to sell it? Rent it out? Would you still have the mortgage for your current home + the rental fee for whatever place you live while moving around? Can you afford both?

 

I think if you think through all those things and still feel like this would be a great thing to do, then go for it. Just think through all of the possible issues first. Extra food expenses for food on the road, travel costs of getting from point a to point b, is your husband paid well enough that various cost-of-living in the different areas won't be a problem, all that sort of thing.

 

I'd think through all that, and then decide. It doesn't sound insane, and stability for the kids will come from your family sticking together, but I would make sure it was a well thought out decision and not just a whim.

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Well, I personally might not have a problem with it, but the rest of my family would.

 

My boys are very grounded here and don't want to change or leave. They are very involved in their activities and friends here.

 

As a child who grew up moving fairly often, I would say it would be best not to do this when they get into their teen years.

 

Dawn

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My kids need more stability, so it wouldn't fly here. Is it possible to go to a different area of the country for a few months a year, and use one location as a home base to explore that area of the country? My kids could deal with a summers away from home, but I don't think they could do years.

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Where I am coming from: I NEVER moved when I was a kid. In the same house from preschool through high school. I never a change in location or friends or circumstance.

 

But the more I move my kids the more I think moving is a fantastic opportunity for them.

 

Your kids will learn to make new friends, get to feel what it's like to be the new kid in school, how to adapt to a new schedule and new set of rules, and perhaps even a time change and climate change.

 

But most importantly they will learn start to learn that change is to be embraced not shunned. And in these days and times that is a hugely powerful lesson.

 

A move is also a big chance to reinforce the core strength of your family. All of the other people and friends and things associated with that place get striped away and all you have is your family. Each member relies on the other in ways you just don't see or appreciate if you don't move.

 

We have moved a ton (to Japan, back to the states and to Germany with a couple of "local" moves thrown in) and our kids get that things change but our family ties don't.

 

Move and embrace the change!

rm

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My hubby recently got a job with a company that is nation wide. He can work pretty much anywhere his seniority will allow. He does have to train in each new area without pay for about a week.

My question: would you spend a year or two living in different parts of the country so dc could experience it all or stay put and be normal. Would it mess with the childrens' sense of stability and security or would it be a magnificent learning experience?

 

I would move. That is one of the benefits of homeschooling, IMO.

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Different kids are different. Mine wouldn't have liked it- they love stability. The idea of moving house even a suburb or 2 terrified my son because he would lose his friends in the street. We have deliberately kept stable for them- dh and I ourselves are much more travellers and wanderers but it never felt right for the kids.

 

But other families thrive on it. I would have loved it as a kid.

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I would love to do it. However it would be a not so wise choice for us. One, my dd has some medical needs and changing of doctors and such can be hard. Second, we are living near my parents who are beginning to need assistance due to age and health. Since I am the only child who can really help, I feel obligated to be here.

 

Now, 8 or 10 years ago I would have jumped at the opportunity to go without hesitation. MOving is a pain but at least you could seriously downsize.

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My hubby recently got a job with a company that is nation wide. He can work pretty much anywhere his seniority will allow. He does have to train in each new area without pay for about a week.

My question: would you spend a year or two living in different parts of the country so dc could experience it all or stay put and be normal. Would it mess with the childrens' sense of stability and security or would it be a magnificent learning experience?

 

 

If we could do this we would do it in a blink!

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