Thoughts on moving from England to Florida

[Decisions2023]

Other half wants us to move from England to his home town in Florida. He has family and friends there etc and he can keep the same job. We have a 9 months of baby and the move is making me nervous. The thought of making my child American is making me nervous as it would become his home and all he knows. I'm not sure if I'm thinking rational. We are not well off and the thought of making this big decision on my childs behalf makes me anxious/nervous.

Do you think I would be putting my child at an advantage or disadvantage?

Thanks in advance.

Oh on MN everyone thinks the US is a gun ridden hellhole.

yes, eggs are ridiculous in both US and Canada right now because of avian flu. Price will go down again, though, and remember salaries are generally higher.

I happily live near DC (American by birth, UK raised, moved back) and you could not pay me to live in Florida. The entire state is run on a low tax, low services model. the schools are poor, because the retirees don't want to pay for them. Because services are poor, many houses are in HOAs, making them even more expensive every month. There's alligators, iguanas, and palmetto bugs (giant cockroaches). The healthcare isn't great in much of the state--at one point there was a whole kerfuffle over obstetricians not carrying malpractice insurance. Wages aren't terrific as much of the state's economy is based on a low wage tourism centric model, but housing is still expensive because second home owners and vacation rentals push up prices. DeSantis is a culture war nut who thinks the most dangerous thing in schools is mentioning gay people or racism. The state is at major risk from climate change and sea level rises. Summers are unbearably hot and humid. The beach and the palm trees aren't enough to make up for all of that.

(Immigration wise, if her DH is a citizen, the process is fairly straightforward but they may require a sponsor and it does take time.)

Oh, and I paid $6 for 18 eggs this week.

Supermarkets in tourist areas are notorious ripoffs, and Publix is pricey in general.

I got 24 eggs for $6.50 at Costco a couple of days ago. Eggs have risen in price thanks to culling as a result of bird flu. They used to be under a dollar a dozen. The current price of eggs isn't an indication that America is a hellhole.

@MrsMariaReynolds

They might vote for higher property taxes to support education because they will at some point be trying to sell their home.

The value of a house very often depends on the quality of the school district it's in. The suburb next door to me used to have mediocre house prices thanks to being in a high school district that ranked among the worst in tbe state. The district built a magnet high school that now offers capable students a future. Property values have shot up. Properties sell within a few hours of going on the market.

If Lily Allen can do it, there must be a way.

I was thinking that I wouldn't want my child growing up in that political arena, but now you've mentioned the pensioners - done. Not going. Not that I ever was.

I'd view ALL of the statistics before going OP and then decide. I wouldn't on everything mentioned especially gun crime and the weather.

They do at my kids school too - very naice area of Surrey, primary school. They crouch under the windows so they are harder to see from outside in case there is a ‘big dog’ in the playground, and are read a story. Was rather alarmed when I heard all this! But I guess better safe than sorry.

OP I personally wouldn’t move to Florida - it feels v v foreign to me and I wouldn’t want to be an immigrant. I’d never feel at home. But maybe you would! Also American politics, also Floridian politics. But at least you’d have his family over there, could you rely on them for support?

I reckon watch Dexter, then make up your mind.

Lovely weather! Only saw one hurricane in the last ever episode.

Gators for the bodies and an endless supply of donuts. Plus Aircon system for blood slides.

Sorry, I'm being a dick.

2 men armed with hammers and knives got into our secondary last month posing as workmen.

The teachers were updated on everything. They knew long routes to get out with the kids avoiding where the men were.

Fucking frightening.

But, of course they've practised it before. As it was a code whatever and police were on scene very soon.

We had bomb scares at Primary in the early 80s, it was quite common during IRA etc so to think your kids aren't doing anything about it now is naive. It's the same as a fire drill.

Sorry I was agreeing with you @Paturday not the person you were replying to.

drills in UK schools www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4735048-lockdown-drills-in-uk-schools recent thread about schools who do lockdown drills

florida is basically a swamp, don't go you will regret it

Completely disagree. DeSantis is not anti-gay, anti-abortion etc. Don't believe everything you hear in the news. He is against sexualization of children at young ages and he is right. Florida is back to normal life because of their policies, common sense still persists there. In other, progressive cities, we are facing rising crimes everyday and observing the destruction of normal values. I'm not religious or conservative by the way.

I'm an American and while Florida beaches are nice to visit on vacation, no way would I raise a child in that state. Hard pass. There are lovely places to live in the states, but I don't see that in Florida. Also, like PP said, the active shooter drills in schools are messing with our children's mental health.

Yes, he is against the sexualisation of children, but he is also anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. Anyone who pays even a passing interest in US politics knows this.

Regular lockdown drills at my UK secondary..I thought it was quire common now.

I guess you don't follow the news much?

www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2023/02/01/we-will-sign-florida-gov-desantis-champions-potential-6-week-abortion-bill/

It would be a no for me. I would not want to risk being stuck in the US if things went wrong.
If I did decide to leave all I know, it would absolutely not be for Florida. Not a chance.

Em, I think you may need to revisit what you believe of DeSantis. Please.

It is a scary time to be a woman or a child - never mind a marginalized one of either! - in many places, but Florida takes the cake.

If an American was contemplating moving to England , they would have a list of issues too. Miserable weather , broken NHS, no free outdoor sports for children like surfing , swimming, canoeing , fishing. Cramped housing, heating bills, high council tax , children regularly being stabbed to death in London, having to pay to park outside your house or drive into London. My point is that it is easy to pick apart any country or city. Personally if I could get a visa I’d move our family to the US in a heartbeat .

i agree. I’ve seen TikToks of women posting ‘living wills’ with their children pleading doctors to make the choice to save them if there are complications with their unborn child. I’ve read stories of women being jailed for miscarrying.

There were 647 mass shootings in the US last year and over 44,000 deaths attributed to shootings. Note deaths so the numbers of injured and permanently disabled people will, I presume, be higher. www.insider.com/number-of-mass-shootingsin-america-this-year-2022-5

I’m an American and love this country, including beautiful Florida. But I see there are flaws to life here. There is much more ugly suburban sprawl here than in England. I hate the fact that you need to drive everywhere. When you can walk, it’s made unpleasant by too many cars. Architecture is ugly here. There are more lax regulations on food quality, so the food is worse. Public space is generally less welcoming. Homelessness is worse here. Public education system is poor - except our universities are excellent. I’d probably stay in England if I were you.

I think OP has said her DH is American so he’d have no trouble and I expect as his wife and child it won’t be too hard for them.

Actually, you are rather describing the UK, minus wildlife, palm trees, and warm year round weather :)

Florida is a trailer park with some beaches attached.

I've spent time on health forums for a condition I've recently been diagnosed with, and the fear those in the US have constantly about their insurance companies and the insane costs involved even in blood tests has blown my mind. I would hate to live somewhere where every medical problem has you terrified about money, and it's not your doctor who decides which drugs you get but the insurance company who veto the prescriptions.