To move, or not to move?

fairygodmother How will you feel in 10 years' time, when your DGD is 14 and won't need you to take her to school and babysit? If you have left a lot of friends of your own behind?
To be honest, although it would be nice to see more of my DGCs, I'm not sure I'd really want to be responsible for their care every day of the week.

Hello fairygodmother are you new to GN?

Does your son and his family live in an area that you like? Would you be able to find the right sort of house/flat to suit your needs at an affordable price? Do you have many friends where you live now, are you active members of any organisations locally?

There are other things to consider than just being close to family.

Hi, I am in exactly the same situation. My daughter and son in law both work shifts over 24 hours/7 days a week. They have a 2 year old and would love another baby, but childcare is proving impossible. We live one and a half hours away and I help out when I can. I would love to live closer to them, but my husband has children/grandchildren close to here and he will not move closer to my daughter.....what to do? It is causing real unrest.

Yogagirl has just mentioned what I was going to say! You need to bear in mind that they may move again in the future (jobs may enforce it) and you could be facing the problem all over again.

So hard, isn't it? My family are about the same time distance away - unless I use the train, when it can take hours and hours!! I wish we all lived nearer, but on the positive side, it makes our visits to one another really special.

Would you really be able to cope with the needs of your GD in terms of taking, collecting from nursery, especially if it involves driving in heavy traffic?

Good luck with whatever you decide

Hello Fairygodmother
I would definitely move, you could then take your GD to school and back and take her out at the w/e, so both parents could have a break together, it would be lovely, nothing more important than your family! Just as long as they are living there for good as you couldn't keep moving each time they did. Good luck

Difficult one Fairy truthfully only you know the answer , after weighing up all the pro"s and cons !
Much good Karma to you all !

Obviously this is a decision that only you can make although it is important that your son and daughter-in-law are fully in favour of your moving nearer to them and undertaking childcare. Remember, too, that looking after a young child frequently and regularly, including the many school holidays, is rather more exhausting than enjoying her occasional visits. Having said that, I moved from the UK to New Zealand to be near my daughter and her family – three sons and two daughters aged from nearly two to 12 – and I love every minute of my new life.