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... it's hard to say the kids shouldn't be disrupted because i see so many people never leave this town for fear of the unknown, born here and die here, never experience anything else and they are close minded at times because of it.
That is shocking to read that...Maryland I feel is a very transit state, people are always moving in and out of it. I see it everyday. I live here and do not see the same as you. Sure there are people all over that stay in their little spot their entire life--go and come back. Life experience...go for it! Your children will thank you later.
Haha!...that might be a little extreme?...for me, more like "have a kid, change your focus!"
Ultimately, the OP is the one who should have the insight and confidence to KNOW if Her family will MAKE this venture a "whimsical nightmare" or "an awesome opportunity for our family".
I have all the hope that it is the latter, and most times the two most underused components are "effort" and "perspective" to make it such.
GOOD LUCK OP,...I say GO FOR IT, if it is right for your family!
They are referring to deployments where a parent is sent away from the family for a period of time (usually 8 months to a year or longer), then returns to reintegrate with the family, which can be stressful as well.
When the whole family moves it's a PCS or permanent change of station. I'm saying that's not stressful, but it's not what the articles you posted are referring to.
I was in a similar situation as you. I'm an East Coast lifer and my family was temporarily relocated to HI this year for work too. I think whether or not you'll enjoy it here depends a lot on the type of person you are and what you expect out of this relocation. If you live a carefree life and enjoy trying new things I think you'll have a great adventure here. A once in a lifetime opportunity. We had a couple dozen families relocated here and I can say most of us are having a great time, but we do have a few families who are absolutely hating it here. They just complain about everything from the food to how backwards the locals are. Give me a break. Hawaii is the only state that had a long and rich history as a sovereign nation prior to becoming a US state. Of course the food and people will be different than what you're used to on the East Coast, which is full of snooty people suffering from superiority complex. That's the beauty of Hawaii, besides the ocean and mountains or mauka and makai as you'll start saying. If you come here with an open mind and want to expose your kids to a different culture then I think you'll have a great time. Just don't come here expecting to live in paradise. It's not like you're on vacation for 1 year. You'll be busy with life just like everyone else here and just like you would be back home. You still have kids to raise and you won't be sitting poolside with a mai tai everyday. A beach day every weekend is probably the best you can hope for with 3 little kids!
Just wanted to add a comment for your 8th grader. Our kids were also worried about not seeing their friends. I took the approach of telling them that we're going on a long trip and that we'd be back to see their friends next school year. It's not like we were moving away and they understood that. They still email and facetime their friends back home and the time difference is perfect for that. When they get off school here it's 7pm back home.
Also, you may want to consider putting your 9 year old in elementary school with your youngest so they have a familiar face at school. Will she benefit from homeschooling and unconventional teaching methods or does she do better in a classroom setting doing math and reading drills? Does she get along well with her older sister for long periods of time or will they distract or irritate each other? Will your middle schooler benefit from 1 on 1 homeschooling, especially if you get to take her to museums and other places that a 9 year old will not appreciate? I don't think your 9 year old will fall behind MD school standards by attending a poor performing school district for 1 year as long as you supplement her with extra math and reading at home. You ultimately know their learning styles the best, but don't homeschool your 9 year old out of fear of bad public schools.
Thank you so much for the info I really appreciate it. I agree with you on so many things and we are definitely open minded and excited to experience a new culture. I don't want things to be the same as they are here, I welcome change, my oldest is different from me as she always ways things to be the same but I know part of that is her age. I also feel like it would be so great for her to meet kids with different life experiences than her. I lived in a van for 3 months as a teen and traveled the us, I loved it but I think she may have hated it though lol. I have also thought about putting our 9yr old in school, he's pretty social and I think he would be fine.
My husband would be at Pearl Harbor, is that where your family and friends are? We see a lot for rent in ewa beach that's appealing but I know the commute is rough. Any thoughts on location?
My husband would be at Pearl Harbor, is that where your family and friends are? We see a lot for rent in ewa beach that's appealing but I know the commute is rough. Any thoughts on location?
You see a lot for rent because the commute is horrific, planes fly on approach to Honolulu airport, and it's a bit of an eyesore.
If you can afford it, Kailua offers an easy commute to Pearl Harbor via H3 freeway.
As I watch the local news right now at 5:10am it's already a 45 minute commute to downtown with no accidents - they are blaming of all things - rain.
Last edited by whtviper1; 11-30-2016 at 08:13 AM..
Reason: Watching news
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...for me, more like "have a kid, change your focus!"
