I'm so torn

[sammiesmom2000]

Because of my husband's job we were transferred overseas and my kids are having a hard time dealing with it, especially my 16yr old.  He doesn't want to give it a chance, he just wants to go back to America well back to Texas to stay with his best friend.    You have to understand we have moved around a lot so this latest move is the straw that broke the camels back so to speak.  I want my family to stay together and I want him to give it chance.  He feels he is old enough to decide where he should live.  So I thought I would get some other moms opinions, should I let him do what he wants?

[sadiee21]

May. 21, 2009 at 7:53 AM

As a Navy family, we too move a lot. Our children are not old enough to give us to much grief over moving (yet). I would listen to his concerns and point out it is only for 2 years, take him out to experince your surroundings, bring him back to the states to visit if it is an option. I don't think he is old enough to make his own decision if he was then he would be an adult in the eyes of the law and he is not. Good luck

PS we moved a lot when I was a kid I hated it too. I was never happy as a 16 year old.  I made the choice to move out. It wasn't a bad choice but it wasn't a great choice either. My mom resents me for it still and I will be 30 in Dec.

[evwsquared]

May. 22, 2009 at 1:18 PM

I lived overseas as a teenager (in Brussels). Where are you? Are you kids enrolled in the international school there? How long have you been there? If I know more about your situation, I can make some more specific suggestions. I became really involved in my school's extracurricular activities. The way kids hung out on Friday and Saturday nights in Brussels was EXTREMELY different than what we would have been doing back in the States. We hung out at bars. There was drinking. Amazingly, now that I think about it, not a single person had a drinking problem and nobody did drugs. Nobody! Nobody drank during the week at all. But, this all took the parents a little getting used to. You can PM me if you'd like to go over things. Having the perspective of someone who's been in his situation, I hope I can help.