to move family abroad?

[friendish]

DH has been offered an opportunity to work in Australia for two years. I would love to go but we have young DCS and it's so far from family. My mum is already piling on the guilt and saying it's too far/expensive to visit and how she won't Skype because it isn't the same as holding her grandchildren. Wwyd?

[yummycake123]

Do it OP! It's only 2 years and it will be a great experience for you and your family.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

Do it do it do it. We did for three years in Italy when I was a kid. Taught me so much. And I still loved and valued my grandparents.

Now we live 5000 miles away from my family and DD skypes every week and still has a great relationship with her grandparents.

The world is big. I like that my family is international.

[dogdrifts]

I have three kids and they have lived in the same country as their grandparents for about half of their lives. It hasn't affected their relationship at all - your mum is being emotionally abusive and overly dramatic. Indeed, last year, we put all three kids on the plane for 9 hours on their own to stay at grandma's for a month in the summer hols. Yeah. Terrible relationship.

[nennyrainbow]

I would grab the opportunity to experience life on the other side of the world while your DCs are young enough to go without interrupting their schooling. It's only 2 years - not a lifetime. Do it!

[imjessie]

My dh company wants us to move to the U.S . I don't want to so we don't . I know it will be forever if we go and I don't want to leave my family . They adore my children and I just couldn't do it to them . It's a shame because it's an amazing opportunity ... Just an FYI , isn't Australia much more expensive to live in therefore the salary raise may not be as good as it seems .

[BananaInPyjama]

we did it (and decided to stay).
Two years seems like a long time and then suddenly its time to return to UK.

Little kids are very adaptable. Mine were at school in UK, but settled into school in Aus very quickly.
Life is far more balanced here between work and leisure

[intheBondiBubble]

You should go,
Australia is an amazing place to live especially with kids. (I live here with my nearly four year old) the outdoor and beach lifestyle is brilliant and people her are very community spirited and welcoming.
The cost of living varies and it depends on where you are located.
Same as England there are options for shopping, we have Aldi here too and I don't think overall it's more expensive than the UK.
Yes some doctors charge a fee, but some don't and more often kids are free anyway.
In regards to grandparents, it's tough but more likely she is panicking, if you moved for two years she would more than likely concede and come over for a trip of a lifetime and stay a month or longer which is a great amount of quality time.
Good luck with you your decision

[Hariasa]

Boiing it's not going to destroy their relationship - don't be ridiculous.

Load of people have long distance relationships with their families. Even before Skype, Facebook and email it was possible to maintain a relationship.

[bluetongue]

Where in Aus OP? If it's Sydney then make sure you factor in the exorbitant cost of housing. I'm not saying don't do it, just do your homework.

[KoalaDownUnder]

myownprivateidaho, that's bollocks, and fairly offensive, tbh.

I have dual Australian and British citizenship, and have lived in both countries.

I am also what you'd probably class as a 'leftie intellectual'. (Lawyer with a Masters level education.)

I have seen no significant difference in the racism and sexism between Australia and the U.K.

If anything, the impact of social problems like racism, poverty, and inequality is lessened here, because we simply don't have the pressure on resources, due to a much smaller population. Life in the UK felt like a frantic scramble compared to life in Australia. (Disclaimer: I did live in London.)

Like everything, there are pluses and minuses. Yes, you have to pay to see the doctor, unless you are a very low income earner. It might be anything from $25 up, depending on the length of the appointment. However, I can see any GP I want. I can usually see my own GP within a couple of days, or same-day if urgent. If not, I can ring around and see someone else. I have never experienced the dramas over seeing a GP that I read about on mumsnet.

This is just one example. They are very different countries, and there are positives and negatives of both.

In the OP's position, I would never deny my children the chance to live in another country - almost any other country (presuming somewhere safe). It's an incredible opportunity.

You regret the chances you don't take, more than the ones you do take.

[Glastokitty]

Go for it. You only get one life and Oz is wonderful! Not perfect, but I absolutely love it ( and wouldn't move back to the UK for all the tea in China!)

[DryIce]

I am from Australia and, despite some posts here, have managed to maintain a good and close relationship with my family while living here! The advent of Skype, Whatsapp etc makes keeping in touch loads easier these days than when I first moved over as a wide eyed teenager in 2004.

You can get flights for £650-£750, and I try to never make the flight more than 23-25 hours. I go back once or twice a year, it's actually a fairly good value holiday as I don't pay for accommodation or food really when I go home.

I think living overseas is such a great opportunity - and getting moved with work is the easiest and cheapest way to do it!

[Paperplain]

We did the same thing but with my work. Arrived Jan 2015 for a 2 year contract and we have loved it. So much so we are actually staying (gulp). Email me if you want more info on specific points. On phone so can't type much (fat fingers!).

[Paperplain]

Oh and my dad refused to say he would Skype. We are now in closer contact than we were in the U.K. (Different story!). I've also been back for a week which was perfectly achievable if not a little tiring.

[dizzyfeck]

2 years is not even forever. GO GO GO! We've been in Brazil 3 years and it feels like we moved here 6 months ago. It will fly by, 2 years is a blip on the landscape.

She'll skype. Mine do!

[YelloDraw]

2 years? GO GO GO

Even if you don;t love every minute - it will be an amazing experience and one that probably won't come your way again.

[jessica132]

I would go. I this Grandma will get over it. I mean it's two years (not forever, duh), and it's not going to be like you're miserable.

[ShanghaiDiva]

Go!
Dh and I went to Germany on a 2 year contract - 21 years later still living overseas and my dcs have never lived in the same country as their grandparents. pils and my mum are all supportive of our decision to stay overseas, probably as they lived abroad when they were younger too.
Two years will fly by.

[bluebeck]

Christ I think I would go just to get away from your mother!

If she chooses not to skype then that's her look out isn't it?

Have a brilliant time, it's a fabulous opportunity and if you don't go you will always wonder/regret it.

I bet you £700, 000, 000 your mother "gets ill" just to pile on the pressure though...................

[friendish]

Gah lost my post!

Blue, DM is a bit of a drama queen do you're probably right. I get it is hard to say bye but we only speak weekly and meet up for long weekends every couple of months as it is.

Anyway, we're definitely going for it! We'd always wonder "what if" and these chances don't come up often. It's Melbourne which I have heard is a fabulous city too.

DH also says thanks for the tips on what to negotiate.

Eek! Am so excited - we could be there by November!

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Great update, how exciting for you.

[hellokittymania]

Go, the children are young and it's a country with a scommon language and good quality of life. I have been an expat in the US/SE Asia and Italy for many years. There are challenges but the positives far outweigh the negatives.