[Nancy Lynne]

If it were just me, I could pick up and move anywhere and be happy. (Well, not exactly anywhere...wouldn't want to go to Michigan ...

What keeps me awake at night is worrying about my 10 year old, only child, son, who is in 5th grade. I worry so much that he will miss his friends, his school...his comfort zone...after all, living here is all he knows. He is such a happy kid (got him thru a terrible divorce)...and he is still a very well adjusted, self-confident, kind and sweet child. When and if we get down there, it will be just the two of us. That is why it is so important for me to find a town and a community that is family-oriented, kid-friendly...with basketball hoops in front of many houses...kids riding their bikes around the neighborhood...lots of sports activities...little league, etc., and of course, good schools. I don't want to live in a community or even a neighborhood (which I saw a few when I visiting Melbourne Beach) -- not all - but a few individual neighborhoods - where most of the houses were closed up for the summer -- indicating to me, that they were the homes of "snowbirds" - which also usually means -- a much older crowd. Remember, he has no brothers or sisters as a support structure.

So, if any of you have moved -- anywhere -- not just FL -- but to or from another state with children, please share with me how your children adjusted, how long it took for that adjustment, and how they fared after all was said and done.

ps. I know that it will have alot to do with how "Mommy" deals with it, and how happy "Mommy" is too.

Cheers!

Nancy

[ready2move]

Nancy,

Congrats thus far on raising a happy, well adjusted child. I too have an only 18 year male child although still married.

I would say 10 years old is probably the time to move..It was my experience that my son's high school friends are his closest, outside of his best friend since 1st grade. Kids are so resiliant and the fact that he is well adjusted will help him. Get him involved in the activities that interest him and even if the kids in those activities are not in your immediate neighborhood, he will build long last friendships with those kids because of the mutual interest.

He will do fine, and as I said 10 is an excellent age to move. Now if he were 13, when those nasty hormones kick in, then I would say you have valid concerns.

Good luck!

[verobeach]

Nancy, I can't give you any advice on what you asked other than to point out that in my neighborhood we close up our houses from August through October even if we're only going away for two weeks. Some of those homes may not belong to snowbirds but to cautious residents who were vacationing.

[BlueWillowPlate]

I moved a lot when I was a kid. The earliest moves I don't remember, but the ones I do were at age 5, age 8, and age 14 (two of those were from one coast to the other.)
We moved our then-16 year old from Denver, Colorado, to this teeny-tiny town.
It has not been easy for him. Sports has helped a lot.
I agree that age 10 is preferable to the teen years. I had a tough time moving from New York to Colorado, and our son has missed his buddies and teammates in Denver.
But kids *are* able to make new friends, especially when they are able to again get busy with activities they like.

[Ladywithafan]

My sons are 8 and 10 and moved out of FL (they became allergic to the black mold) and they are doing just fine in their new neighborhood in AZ...in fact, they actually have children on their block to play with instead of seniors. Kids are resillient!

[Karla with a K]

Nancy
I never moved kids , but I was a kid who moved, allot, every 2 to 3 years
granted I don't have long term friends from when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade
But I feel my outgoing personality and the ease that I meet people is a result of that.
one idea might be to find a school you like that has the programs you want and look at the neighborhoods around it .

good luck
karla