Have any of you moved away with DC after splitting from ex, and has the distance caused problems?

[KarmaArseBite]

Ex DP left me and DS (age 5) just over 12 months ago, after he had been involved with somebody else for 18 months . At the moment he lives half an hour away and sees DS once in the week and every other weekend. He has a close relationship with DS and they do have good weekends together.

I have lived here for 20 years but my hometown is 4 hours away. My parents and old school friends are still in my hometown. My parents have been a great support to my DS and me after the news of Ex's affair (has been a difficult year but seeing the light at end of tunnel now) and I am considering moving back to be near to them and old friends.

My DS is close with nan and grandad as they come to visit regularly, they adore him and have said they will help out with him every day if needed.

What is stopping me from moving back straight away is the thought of moving DS so far away from his dad, I've always wanted him to have a close relationship with him as I know how important it is.

Me and DS have quite a nice life here - friends, cousins etc but I really feel a need to move back home to be near my parents, who are 70 and would give anything to have us live near to them. I feel like I want to start a new life for me and DS and feel like the only reason I am living here is so he can be near his dad.

I suppose what I am asking is has anybody moved 4 hours (or more) away with DC and managed to make it work with Ex DP seeing their DC regularly. I would hate for DS to be really unhappy with me when he is older as I moved him so far away from his dad.

Also has anybody moved their children to a different area and to a new school at age 5? Did they adjust fairly quickly?

TIA

I think it's a decision many of us who are single parents struggle with. I've been very tempted more than once. Sometimes it comes down to realising there may not be a "best" answer, all you can do is try to work out the "least worst".

The key question Karma is why are you unhappy and how will moving change that?

For example, if you had no support locally but plenty of support back there then that's clear. But from your posts, you do have a good circle of friends and some extended family. Plus after 20 years, who is actually in your home town other than your parents?

My fear is you rush home on an emotional knee jerk reaction after the end of your relationship, only to find you have to completely start from scratch to build what you've already got where you are now. Only you have to do that with less money and less support.

Hope that makes sense.