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IDK, for me personally, I tend to be more conservative (as opposed to adventurous). it would be a bit much to uproot my entire life for a year, move out of my home, sell or ship everything to Hawaii. Move into a house there, enroll in school, adjust to living in Hawaii. Then 1 year later uproot my family again to move back. Then adjust to the move back. I personally think at least 5 years is a better timeframe than a single year.
To get me to take the job, for 1 year, I'd expect a sizeable pay increase. I wouldn't relocate my family. Instead I'd work in the job for that year and have a long distance relationship with my family, coming back for major holidays, etc. Then move back home afterwards.
If I wanted the family to have an "Hawaii experience", I'd take them on a 2 week vacation instead. Experience the best that Hawaii has to offer without needing to uproot our lives over it.
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Although it isn't her decision, I agree with your 12-year-old that the move for only one year is a bad idea. Hard enough to get uprooted from all you know, but to go through all of that for such a short time doesn't make sense. (I speak from personal experience -- I had to move when I was 12 and it was not good!). If you had no kids it would be a great idea.
Have you ever homeschooled? If not, are you ready to start with an eighth grader?
I like rya's idea. If nothing else, you and the kids could spend winter break and a great summer in Hawaii.
If the employer is doing the heavy lifting, it's not even a question! Get the vet stuff started for the dog. Your kids will be complaining about having to go back to the mainland next year. The 8th grader is about to change schools anyhow, to go to high school.
Plan to go explore something new as a family, every week, across the various islands, and keep journals.
There are only three kinds of people in the world: Those who have never been to Hawai'i, those who are there, and those who are desperately trying to get back.
At the end of the year you will be begging to stay another year.
I moved here to try out retirement for a year. By the end of the year I had decided to stay a second year. Now I plan to stay indefinitely. Love it here in Maui!
BTW: I work at a local public high school. It is by far the best place I've ever worked. The kids are really great and treat each other and the teachers very well.
May I ask what HS?
None of the public High schools were like that when I lived there.
It's good to hear a positive, especially since I desire to move back to Maui one day.
Although it isn't her decision, I agree with your 12-year-old that the move for only one year is a bad idea. Hard enough to get uprooted from all you know, but to go through all of that for such a short time doesn't make sense. (I speak from personal experience -- I had to move when I was 12 and it was not good!). If you had no kids it would be a great idea.
Totally agree. The kids will probably hate it and likely resentful.
Friends for the kids will be difficult at best. There is little to no upside for this move.
A lot of naval officers live in Kailua and I've lost track of seeing the wives with kids at the beach while husband is deployed and hearing the kids groan about being in Hawaii and not at home. (And the wives also - the worst complaining is generally winter/holidays)
If you have to move then move but otherwise it doesn't make a lot of sense especially for the kids.
There is no need to quarantine your dog if you get your vet to follow the direct release protocol and can prove by lab blood test that your dog has adequate rabies antibodies. Many pages of documentation that must be filled out exactly as required, and a few hundred dollars. Don't put your animal in quarantine if you can help it, the stories are not very encouraging.
Regardless of the current procedure, its something to look into ASAP.
Rya may have noticed another option. Instead of a whole family move, maybe a partial move and have the kids over for all the extended school vacations. It would save on a lot of moving although it also then tells the kids that they can over ride the family's plans.
If the kids are currently at the top of the social structure within their group, then they may lose their place by the time they come back. If they aren't, then a year's sabbatical might allow them to come back as different people.
There is no one size fits all for this sort of thing.
I didn't think about that, to be honest. But that is a great idea. Being able to have the rest of your family live with you cheaply over the breaks is another great option. Pretty much could let them enjoy an extended summer vacation in Hawaii for the cost of plane tickets, normal living expenses, and activity money. Too bad the 12 year old isn't a bit older, or he/she could babysit the other 2 during the day without adult supervision.
If it was me, I would make the move. But the company needs to come up with extra cash. Your monthly cost are going to go way up, yet, your pay would be the same. If you make a partial move, the company may not agree to that. Like, either all or nothing, because they would be paying for a large house (if their footing that bill too) with only him in it most of the time.
By the way, over the years, I raised six kids. And because of my career and the military, we had lived in thirty three states and a hundred and sixty moves. Yes, it was rough at times, but we survived and the kids did well in spite of it all. But, I would make the move, enjoy it for what it is and you may end up staying.
If you decide to make the move you should seriously reconsider home schooling. Your kids, especially the eldest, need socialization and the easiest way to do that is in a traditional school, not being isolated at home.
Have you ever been to Hawaii? i think you will all love it, even if your oldest "tries" not to at first! She'll get over it and it won't ruin her life. You can even tell her she can have her friends come visit her, they would probably be so excited to do that.
I would see it as nothing to stress over. Think of it as a big adventure - it's one Halloween, one Thanksgiving, one Birthday, etc etc. If you don't like it, it's only a year and back to status quo.
Can I ask what part of the country you are from? I guess if you lived on the west coast it would be possible to go back and forth often. At the very worst, you don't like it and realize it's just a year, but you may love it! *I would ask for a pay increase though, isn't that normal when asking a family to make a big move?
Good luck with your decision!
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