Comments on: This could be my life

By: Lisa

Lisa — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:47:56 +0000

we live 2.5 blocks away from my parents. I am so grateful for all the help!!! I am a lucky girl, and I thank God every day. It's been tricky to navigate boundaries and establish how much help is good and how much I need to get through on my own. Family is good, even with the drama. .-= Lisa´s last blog ..The Thankgiving Rainbow =-.

By: Gliding through motherhood

Gliding through motherhood — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 00:36:11 +0000

Both my parents and my husband's are here in town and we use them ALL THE TIME! It's awesome. If I'm sick, or even just overwhelmed I can go over to one of their houses and have some extra hands on deck, or they'll take our older son overnight if we just need some extra rest. It's very very nice and I am regularly thankful for their help. .-= Gliding through motherhood´s last blog ..Xmas day 2009 an hour at a time =-.

By: Ellen K.

Ellen K. — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 18:43:41 +0000

We live near DH’s family, but most of my family lives 4 hours away in my hometown. And DH’s family is near but not nearby, on the far outskirts of the metro area. Dh’s parents baby-sit one morning per week, and his sister comes over nearly every week for a few hours. But we don’t have formal arrangements, nor do we have any help in late afternoons or evenings. And sure, this makes me confident in my parenting abilities, but the flip side of the coin is very tarnished: DH and I don’t have any time together as a couple. I often think of moving back to my hometown. I used to think that I wouldn’t want to move, because all my friends are here, but that’s a rapidly diminishing argument. Friends are not family. I would love to be able to drop off the girls at my parents’ house for a few hours or for an evening of baby-sitting so that DH and I can go out. When my parents are visiting, they help out around the house, do chores and errands, etc. I do feel that my parents are missing out and deserve more time with their grandchildren. But then, if we moved, we would have to make more frequent trips down here to see his family and would never get to see friends.

By: Mommy, Esq.

Mommy, Esq. — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:19:54 +0000

Here is an interesting twist. I do live near my folks and my mom doesn't work. But we don't get nearly as much support as when my inlaws come to visit (my mom does things on her schedule only). I keep thinking of moving to OH but then would I be impinging on my in-laws? My mom would be offended that we think my in-laws are more helpful but frankly THEY ARE! .-= Mommy, Esq.´s last blog ..Worrying Over Words =-.

By: diane

diane — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:04:02 +0000

I would give anything to live closer to any family. We are raising our 3 boys alone and we have no help, no backup in emergencies, no date nights, and its a constant juggle. Our neighbors parents live close (both sets) and I see the dramatic difference it makes in quality of life to have extended family, siblings, cousins, grandparents, to share in the kids growing up years. After 11 years in Virginia I’m used to it but there’s no doubt we have done it alone which I guess is an accomplishment but sad in a way too.

By: M

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:27:08 +0000

Until 2 years ago we lived in California … 500 miles away from my side of the family … 2000 miles away from my husbands. When we finally had our first child, after 10 years of trying, we made the decision to move to Texas if she was going to be an only child. My husbands family had all the young cousins closer to her age. We wanted her to have a lot of close family around her age.

But we had twins 15 months later, so we stayed put. Then by a very strange twist of fate we were relocated to Texas.

I had a very hard time adjusting to Texas … but the connection to all the relatives has been amazing.

We just arrived home from the family Christmas celebration last night … it is a four hour drive that we gladly make 3 times a year. My husband and I discussed, on the drive home yesterday, how to make a move to be even closer. The grandparents fly here 3 times a year and all the cousins make a visit here at least once. But they all get together a lot and we miss most of the family stuff.

The bottom line for me … I no longer really care so much where I am … I’ll find a way to be happy … I want my children to have strong family roots that will last them a lifetime.
.-= M´s last blog ..Christmas Traditions =-.

By: Anna

Anna — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 04:42:08 +0000

I live in Japan. We are all the way across the pond from friends and family. My husband is a pilot in the USMC and he is always gone. My extended family is very close and to say that I wish we lived closer, even a few hour flight away would be putting it lightly.

One the other side of things, I have raised my almost 1 year old twin girls without the help of family. And it truly has been an awesome experience. Doing it alone has made me feel confident in what I am doing, especially since my husband (the relief) is hardly present.

One thing that raising twins across the ocean has taught me…I am a much more optimistic person than I had previously thought. I’ve made the most out of every situation. I’ve taken the girls on all sorts of outings alone. This experience makes me feel like I can do ANYTHING alone! But I still long for the days when Grandma and Pop Pop live around the corner.

By: Jayme

Jayme — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:51:56 +0000

We’re a military family, and currently 12 hours from our nearest relatives
I wish we could live closer, it would be so amazing just to have help and support.
.-= Jayme´s last blog ..So comments… =-.

By: Leigh from 123 blog

Leigh from 123 blog — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:31:29 +0000

Hmmm, I never ever had a problem being the only one in my family in Johannesburg while everyone else is an 11-hour drive away. That was the first 16 years since I moved away from home.

Now that the babies are here, I do miss having family. We pay for babysitting just to have a date night and then I see my sister able to drop off her son with any one of about 5 different people and I long for that.

BUT as Sadia says, maybe the drama would outweigh the help LOL and I’ve always said peace of mind is PRICELESS
.-= Leigh from 123 blog´s last blog ..We survived the first family visit =-.

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:46:45 +0000

Oh how I wish wish wish I lived closer to my family. They’re 800 miles away and I miss them. Husband really won’t even consider moving…we live in his hometown. I’m left trying to convince my family to move here! Maybe when my parents retire…a girl can dream, anyway.
.-= Anne´s last blog ..Snow Day! =-.