Help!!!! We need to make a decision tonight!!

[Dangit]

We’ve been planning a relocation for a year. The job offer has come in and we need to let them know tomorrow. It means moving 200 miles away from family and friends. School places are uncertain at his point, as is the housing situation.
We would be moving to west Cornwall. We told the kids (5,8,9) it was happening yesterday (they have been expecting it) but they were so so upset. It felt horrible.
I don’t want to be afraid to change our lives but at this point it doesn’t feel like for the better with how the kids feel.

Any advice welcome!!!

Thank you mixed martial arts, that’s some great practical advice, especially the walkie talkies and what you said about those that don’t do it regret it. We’ve been down 5 times this year and done as much research as anyone can do. The next step can’t avoid a massive leap of faith. I have to go out now but thank you so so much for all your experiences.

I'm from Penzance and I'd go home in a heartbeat

I'm also originally from Penzance, lol, and I wouldn't go back there if you paid me! For me the big issue about moving kids there is the schooling/aspirations/opportunities etc. I have a fair few old school friends on facebook and the only ones who have decent careers came from the better off families and they moved to attend uni, and get their career. Most of my friends or relatives who still live in Cornwall never went to college, never mind uni. I certainly wasn't encouraged to do so but I left Cornwall at a young age so it was different in my case. I'm not saying it's impossible for kids to do well in Cornwall but it is a lot harder. I personally wouldn't want to put my kids at that sort of disadvantage.

@Storm4star really not my experience.

I lived in Falmouth till I was 10, then moved to Camborne. Left for university in London & never went back apart from holidays. I'd love to go back but there's no work there that's as well paid as what I earn now.

I am from near Warwick and my dream would be to move to West Cornwall actually...😂. But having thought long and hard about it, it’s not something for now but after the DCs have left home. There is no wrong answer of course.

We relocated to West Cornwall from the Midlands almost 9 years ago now for dh’s work - a stable job for life. They closed the company less than 2 years later so he now works Up Country as there is nothing similar locally. However, we have stayed here because neither of us can think of anywhere we would rather live!

Well we decided to go for it if anyone was interested. For better or worse we will at least have tried it! Xx

@Dangit probably the most awful time of year to do it but welcome to Cornwall!

We have been moved 4 years next April, dc are very happy. Good luck op.

Yay! Thanks for letting us know OP. Good luck.

My DD1 moved there as part of her time at Uni and loves Cornwall so much she will never leave. I wish we could join her!

Aside from that, we were RAF and had to move the kids a couple of times, notably at age 7,8 9 and they were fine..moved from Wales to Oxfordshire to a very different town and lifestyle. They soon made new friends, and settled as soon as their bedrooms were looking like theirs again :)

How happy are you where you live now?

Good on you OP!

We have just relocated to the other side of the world, although we have moved closer to family, not away from.

My dc are 8 and 3. The 8 yo will start her second different school here in Jan as we are only temporary in the current area.

We are also thinking we'll need to move again in another 12/18 months once we get the lay of the land so to speak.

I never want to regret not doing something and I was 'never coming home' because change would be too much for the dc

We are happy, yes. I have some amazing friends here who have listened to me rattling on about doing this for years and are really happy for us that we’ve decided to go for it.But I’ve always wanted to live by the sea and have that extra dimension that being coastal can give you. Now we will have more friends in other places, and it’s not like people don’t like to visit Cornwall usually!
We moved back to midlands to give my children grandparents which has been amazing, ten years on they have that bond and we want to spend the next chapter of our lives doing rather than just dreaming. Would have moved to Australia but a step too far for me now.

Thanks rollerjed!
amicissimma - yes I am a little worried about that! like our personal space we do, thankfully we can’t afford a massive house so won’t have room for many visitors , there are some benefits to the humble life!

Well done, Dangit, your kids will be ok.
We moved to Australia when DC were 10 and 6 - had no choice as posted there with DH's job; at least we knew we were coming back after 2/3 years. It was part of DH's contract that he could not refuse a posting. I could have stayed behind with DC, but there was no way DH and I wanted to be parted for that long. DC settled into school there really well, made lots of new friends, and still talk fondly of their experience, (they are now in their 30s!).
Hope all goes well for you.