Have kids and considering moving away from family to Orlando, FL (Clearwater: waterparks, daycare) - Florida - City-Data Forum

ammelton · 04-26-2011, 11:57 AM

Hello! My husband was offered a wonderful job opportunity in Orlando, FL. We live in VA now and my job will transfer me if he accepts the job. We have one daughter and a baby on the way (due in October). Both our parents are local here in VA. My parents are VERY helpful when it comes to their grandbaby, my inlaws not so much. My husband is all for moving since he has been in VA his entire life, and I am open to it, but not exactly thrilled at the idea of leaving my family behind.

We both are in our late 20's and our parents are still fairly young. We just feel like if we are ever going to make a big move in our lives, now is the time! This move will be financially beneficial and a good career move for us both.

I'm just wondering if anyone can share their experiences of moving away from their close family while having young children. Any regrets? Any advice?

idr591 · 04-26-2011, 12:04 PM

I just moved back to Orlando to be closer to family.

I have three kids ages 1, 5 and 7 and lived away from family most of their lives. To put it bluntly, it sucks.

You feel like your kids are not bonding with your extended family, you have no help or support structure, and if cousins are a possibility in the future, you will not be forging strong bonds there either.

Orlando was not where we ultimately wanted to live, but we did it to be near family. Living away for 7 years was hard. We have no regrets regarding our move back home.

skyygal · 04-26-2011, 03:23 PM

i moved w/ my husband to orlando in early 80's , had 2 kids there, i missed my family, but they came down to visit. it was a good adventure tho, even tho i missed them. we met a lot of people. i loved orlando pretty much. i left there in early 90's. now my kids are grown and i want to come back. i think it's like making a decision where you will be split, but you have to make the decision. we can't have it all. at least now we have the internet and facebook where you can share pics with them. i found out you have to live your own life and do what you want to do in spite of missing family, so good luck!

TedTLPN · 04-26-2011, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ammelton

Hello! My husband was offered a wonderful job opportunity in Orlando, FL. We live in VA now and my job will transfer me if he accepts the job. We have one daughter and a baby on the way (due in October). Both our parents are local here in VA. My parents are VERY helpful when it comes to their grandbaby, my inlaws not so much. My husband is all for moving since he has been in VA his entire life, and I am open to it, but not exactly thrilled at the idea of leaving my family behind.

We both are in our late 20's and our parents are still fairly young. We just feel like if we are ever going to make a big move in our lives, now is the time! This move will be financially beneficial and a good career move for us both.

I'm just wondering if anyone can share their experiences of moving away from their close family while having young children. Any regrets? Any advice?

Having tried to raise a kid in a land far from the support net of my family and failed, I can tell you that unless your daughter is almost self sufficient (IE able to follow and do your instructions to clean herself, and feed herself (after you cook it)) this could be a recipe for disaster. It SEEMS obvious that you depend on your parents a lot... there is NOTHING wrong with that!!!

It's just going to be very difficult for you to be totally on your own with one child to raise, another to totally take care of, and a hubby at work most of the time. This situation almost caused me to divorce.

That being said.. so long as your hubby is making great money, and you budget for AT LEAST the elder to be in daycare, you can make it.

The HUGE advantage to being a Florida resident especially this part of Florida is there are TONS of things to entertain your kids with here. My kids have almost grown up going to Seaworld on the weekends. They have forgotten more about the Orcas then most guests ever get to know in a one day/show visit. Some of the best photos of my kids are at the parks, and those photos would NOT have happened anywhere else. As a place to have kids grow up, yeah, there are safer places. But none of them have the opportunities to experience life like kids here do.

Do your homework... practice NOT calling/depending on your parents for a week or two at a time and then make an educated decision. Best of luck.

Bette · 04-26-2011, 04:29 PM

As a parent, I would hate to see my children leave. One did, however (still single).

However, they will understand and at least, Orlando is a vacation destination and possibly a place (nearby) they may consider having a second home once you relocate there.

There are a lot of 55 plus communities around in Central Florida.

This is a good time and it sounds like the upward mobility may be a good thing at this point. Your children are still very very young and you never know what will happen in 5 years. They will still be very young.

I know the support you get from your family is so important but it sounds like you could do it. You may even want to stay home for a while, learn the area and try to adapt as well.

(at least it's a place people like to visit).

mvansant · 04-28-2011, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ammelton

Hello! My husband was offered a wonderful job opportunity in Orlando, FL. We live in VA now and my job will transfer me if he accepts the job. We have one daughter and a baby on the way (due in October). Both our parents are local here in VA. My parents are VERY helpful when it comes to their grandbaby, my inlaws not so much. My husband is all for moving since he has been in VA his entire life, and I am open to it, but not exactly thrilled at the idea of leaving my family behind.

We both are in our late 20's and our parents are still fairly young. We just feel like if we are ever going to make a big move in our lives, now is the time! This move will be financially beneficial and a good career move for us both.

I'm just wondering if anyone can share their experiences of moving away from their close family while having young children. Any regrets? Any advice?

My husband and I are doing the same thing. I am in my late 20s, he in his 30s. He has just changed jobs and it is moving us along with our 4 year old daughter from Michigan to Orlando. He is very excited about the idea, and to to be honest, I am nervous and rather sad. I love being close to me my family (about an hour or so from them), but I think of this as an adventure that needs to be taken by us. I understand that this will be hard on everyone involved, especially my mother who vows she will not fly down.

DM me so we can talk further. I would love to get to know you, as it appears we may be going through the same thing at the same time. I am looking to move down there soon.

I look forward to hearing from you.

OrlFlaUsa · 04-28-2011, 10:15 PM

Sometimes the families follow, both of my folks moved down here from Chicago and Detroit respectively, and 30-40% of each of their family relocated as well since now they had family in Florida, and thus, an excuse. The remaining family up north visits multiple times per year now since, they have family in Florida, and thus, an excuse.

td1026 · 04-28-2011, 11:21 PM

I was born and raised in Cape Coral, Florida and grew up about 5 minutes from my Grandma's house and spent much time there as a child. As I got older, 12-13, the visits became few and far between. Once I turned 14, we moved to San Antonio Texas and spent 5 years there. Soon after my Grandmother moved to The Villages, FL. My Dad's job recently just transferred to central Florida (Apopka) and we now live in Groveland, FL, which is about 45 minutes from my Grandma. So it all works out! Looking back, I don't feel as if I missed out being away from all of my family for the last 5 years. Maybe your parents would be interested in relocating to Florida in the future! If the move will further your career and improve your finances, I say MAKE THE MOVE! What are you waiting for?? There is an abudance of things to do you so you and your children will never be bored down here. Daytona, Cocoa, and Clearwater Beaches are all very close and very nice. There is an abudance of rivers, lakes, clear water springs, and national parks. And who could forget Disney World, Seaworld, Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and all the waterparks? I guarantee your kids will thank you for years to come! Orlando is an amazing area and I believe the move would be more than worth it to you. I also believe the cost of living in Florida to be much cheaper than that of Virginia. So come on down, the weather is amazing! Summer probably isn't much hotter than Virginia, and winters are infinitely more mild! The kids might miss out on having their grandparents right around the corner, but then again they might not. The grandparents can always visit though. I will say I am much closer to my parents than I ever have been to my grandparents. So good luck and I hope everything works in your favor!

NikoTroi · 04-29-2011, 10:01 PM

We move all the time and I raised 2 boys who are 20 months apart away from family - who by the way are in Va Bch

I also was alone for a year with them here while my husband was in Iraq. It does suck not having family around but it also makes you a stronger person, and IMO closer as a family. I miss that my boys don't get to see their cousins, who are their ages. And I miss them during the holidays. But I have to say, I am so glad I get to travel to all these places with my hubby and meet so many people.

You have to make a pro's and con's list and see what will work for you and your family. Good luck!

ariu1976 · 05-01-2011, 08:36 AM

You guys can do it for sure. My wife and I are both from central europe, we were just blessed with our third child and we have no family around. My wife is 26, she stays home for now and I work a full time and a part time. Our parents can only come once in a great while so we are by our selfs and as another member here wrote, it has made us stronger and brought us closer.
My wife is my hero, she is very patient and I love going home and finding everybody there. We now live in Savannah, ga, but we're on our way to Orlando as soon as our house here sells. Good luck.