help please-considering the move! (Tampa, Sarasota: credit, lawyers, middle school)

[familyof5decision]

Would appreciate any help from others. Considering moving from ny to Sarasota/Bradenton lkw area. Husband retired ,housewife and three kids. One in first year of college and two in high school. concern mainly if this is right move for kids with one already in college. Is there good paying job for new college graduate?? should we stay in ny ?? I want to do right by my kids and with them all so close to the end of school years I have to think of their future. Son is majoring in business mgmt./marketing as of now. Will he be able to live a good life in this area and make a good living?? and my other two are not far behind being they are in high school already. thought please??

[Nancy in Nokomis]

No - there are hardly any good, professional jobs in this area - my husband is in a technical field with a masters degree and places to work are very limited - yes - there are doctors, lawyers, etc. but compared to other areas the pickings are slim. Sarasota is a RETIREMENT AREA - mostly older, retired people and the people that cater to them

- I would not yank kids out of high school - at least let them finish their 4 years in one school.

[Xia Chen]

Try north of Sarasota..more opportunity in Tampa area. More congested but bigger city, more going on.

Children adapt quickly. Children follow parent, not the other way around. Nothing magical about spending 4 yrs in one school. Doesn't matter. Change is good lesson for children. They aren't babies.

[kiggy]

Originally Posted by Nancy in Nokomis

No - there are hardly any good, professional jobs in this area - my husband is in a technical field with a masters degree and places to work are very limited - yes - there are doctors, lawyers, etc. but compared to other areas the pickings are slim. Sarasota is a RETIREMENT AREA - mostly older, retired people and the people that cater to them

- I would not yank kids out of high school - at least let them finish their 4 years in one school.

I agree with this. It's hard for teens to move away from their friends. Not a good idea.

[Nancy in Nokomis]

Xia Chen - I don't agree with you - I moved my kids in elementary school and we had a lot of problems - now that they are settled in middle school/high school I would not move them - it might make them tougher but why put them through it? You are only young once. Besides one son is in Pine View and I would never find a school like that for him unless I wanted to pay 15k or more a year for private.

[TyVincente]

I agree with maybe Tampa north rather than Sarasota given your criteria it seems to me. Families must make these kinds of moving decisions in relation to schooling for themselves. Children are more flexible than some parents given them credit. Different decisions for different people. Some kids are too smothered by their well-meaning parents that they refuse to understand how valuable the requirement for adaptation in/to new circumstances truly is. They confuse sameness with intelligent growth and security. Disruptions need not be perceived as automatically negative and detrimental.


Millions of children have moved across the USA and the world with their military parents for many many decades under some less than ideal conditions, but have learned to adapt and overcome with success. There is no such thing as 'ideal' or 100% 'cozy' or idyllic anymore (really never has been, at any time). Most of the "military brats" I knew and grew up with, developed into nimble thinkers and experienced adults. Just my opinion.


Some families and cultures also challenge their own children with different, and sometimes difficult choices in a deliberate effort to enhance critical thinking and growth. Other families and cultures not so much.

[snoop424]

I would not move my kids out of their high school and placed them in a new one in a new state. It was done to me when I was in high school and I hated it. A lot of adjusting and a steep learning curve. OP if your kids are good with it then do it. It all depends on the kids. As far as work from what I've read on this and other posts finding a job is difficult but not impossible. Good Luck

[TyVincente]

My opinion is that children shouldn't be the decision makers. That's the domain of parents. Period. We clearly now have more "tail wagging the dog" in family life than we need as a society. There are lots of moving parts in considering any move to Florida from out of state

You stated that you have one son in COLLEGE, and two in high school. These aren't cryin' babies. There shouldn't be much angst in worrying about your children being able to be flexible and successful. That's a valuable life's lesson for them to learn quickly in today's society it seems to me.

[snoop424]

TyVincente you are (RIGHT) in your opinion. I make my decisions base on totality of factors. They are young adults, my 2 kids are in college now, so they can choose where to go to college, but like I said if they were in high school at this time I would stay right where I'm at until they finished.. My choice and my decision!!! We live in different times and have different situations, our kids don't all have the same make up or the same up bring we had. So why up rooted them from their environment without giving them a voice or input. Just my opinion, and my lesson learned, when I was moved to a different high school when I was younger.

[familyof5decision]

My kids actually want to move. That is not a question. They are all for it. My question is with them being so close to going out in the workforce would this be bad choice because I understand Florida not so great for good paying jobs. Maybe I am wrong. I don't have personal experience with that. Im looking for advice someone that lives there already and would know. Are there too few opportunities there? Is Sarasota area not a good choice for employment. My husband and I are retired so were just worried about the kids being able to find good jobs. That's why Im here looking to you all for advice. thanks for any input!