Being a busy mum means having to do a lot for our kids without them seeing the hardships we put ourselves through. When it gets to the point in life that we have to put our children through some sort of hardship so that we benefit, it can feel overwhelmingly difficult. Case in point: moving to another county or country. Perhaps there's a job opportunity that we just cannot turn down, or it's a chance for a better life, and when we are faced with an opportunity to start again, we need to think about how it's going to affect our children overall. But we've got to ask ourselves the question, is it even fair to uproot our children?
Is Big City Living Getting You Down?
Sometimes it's about the fact that we are able to own a home outright. Perhaps you've been struggling for years on end renting flats and homes, and now it's finally a reality. Perhaps we need to move further out into the sticks, and when we look at properties like The Ridings, and the fact that it's a place that looks like a real home that we can realistically afford, it can feel like it's very much worth it. Let's face it, location is pivotal. Because if you've been spending so much time living in the middle of a city, and the stress of getting the children to school on time is just way too much, if you move to somewhere that's more community focused, like a small town, the pace of life can decrease. And this could mean everybody benefits.
A Cheaper Way Of Life
In our mind, the cost might be the overriding factor. But it's not like our children are going to care about this. If we've got older children, taking them away from everything that they know will cause a few disagreements within the household. A cheaper way of life isn't a good reason to move. We've got to look at it in the round. It may mean that we have a cheaper way of life, and as such, we won't be spending so much money on rent, we can get a bigger property for less money, and our day-to-day living costs will decrease because of council tax, utilities, or even proximity to shops. These are all great things for our bank balance, but we really have to ask ourselves if it is worth it.
Will Our Children Benefit In The Long Run?
The main benefit of uprooting our children to a new place, especially when they're young enough is that we can look at their education and their quality of life in the round. Granted, they won't care about these decisions we've made, but if we're living in an area that we can barely afford, and our children are getting the best quality education, we've got to think about not just their lives until they are 16, but if our children will benefit long after that. For example, their quality of life and the life lessons they learn- will they benefit more from a way of life where you are more hands-on because you're not spending the vast majority of your evenings commuting home? When we look at a new place, a community mindset can teach our children different lessons. It all depends on how old they are. Perhaps they spent a long time living the city existence, so now it's time to flip it around and make sure they see it from the other side. There are numerous benefits to small town living that we can all reap, not just in terms of cost.
It Will Always Be A Shock To The System
When we uproot our children, it's normal to remember that we are going to feel tinges of regret. It's part of life that we moved to a better place, and we've got to keep it firmly in our minds that it's going to help in the long run. And regardless of how old or young your children are, if they are old enough to comprehend what's going on, and you are making big changes to their lives, expect a few kickbacks. But this is why we've got to think about the benefits in the round. Don't do it just because it's cheaper, or for the sake of that job you really want, it is about everybody concerned. And yes, we can spend time showing our children how their lives will benefit in the long run, but it's one of those things where we've got to let them see it for themselves.
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