Sorry, I know this has probably been done to death already.
We have an opportunity to go to Brussels for 2/3 years. We have an 11 year old just starting year 6, a 2.5 year old and a 4 month old. We would like to have another child.
It would be working for an institution so relocation, rent and school fees paid. I would not work while out there.
There are LOADS of things we don't know about how it would all work, so apologies for any wrong assumptions but...
Pros:
We could rent out our house for around 1k a month more
than our mortgage.
Our 11 and 2 year olds would have brilliant opportunities to learn another language well.
We need a break from the treadmill of life. I hate the idea of going back to my job after maternity leave but can't defend staying at home here. I could have another baby in a cost neutral way.
We could experience life in a different country, in a nice house.
Both DH and I have been trying for ages to improve our French and immersion might help.
We live in a catchment black spot for primary and secondary schools so coming back to make in-year applications might be easier.
Cons:
Will I be lonely?! I have my friends here. I know a couple of people in Brussels.
How easy will it be to get the kids into schools in Brussels-might it be a nightmare?
Our house is cluttered and sorting it out for rental will be hard, hard work.
I don't know what having a baby in Brussels would be like compared to here-I had lovely NHS homebirths over here and get the impression it's very medical over there.
Would we actually talk French?
In short, please help me even start working out how to make this decision?