WhyteBoar

I was in a similar situation; my dad lives here and my mum lives in the UK. We moved because of my husband's job, but the fact that I have wanted to come back to the US for sometime, was well known to all in my family. I

It is hard but Skype is great for staying in touch. My family is so scattered around it is the the only way for us to all keep in touch.

(Go Cards)

andrewlohnes

What a 4th 1/4 that was Tuesday morning (Monday night)!!

But a W is a W!

Also, I hope you haven't been affected by any of the flooding, some of the pictures/videos I've seen have been a bit crazy.

Sally Redux

I wanted to get away from my family if I'm honest, backfired though as now we're back in England but I think both kids will end up in the US.

yukichon

That's so funny, I was saying the exact same line! Family took it very hard, friends were understanding. We moved from Hertfordshire 3 months ago, and with the wonders of FaceTime and Skype, it doesn't feel like it's been that long at all

mrlion

It's a small thing but for us (young kids, living on the west coast) figuring out regular days / times for Skype / FaceTime is *huge*. If mum usually has her phone time with her friends after breakfast with a Rich Tea - that's not going to work, time of day is important and I found getting them to get into the habit is important - especially if you're going to be busy building your own life and not wanting to be hanging around in the house in the morning waiting for someone to Skype…


My wife's phone package (about $45 / mo pay as you go) lets her call UK landlines for free - this has also helped her keep in touch with folk - especially those who are just never going to Skype…

Good luck with your move!

Chapmandan

Well that's the immediate families and close friends done. The in laws took it a lot better than mine did. We'll sit on the news now until we have a clear move date I think but the missus has to resign this week which is quite scary! (3 month notice period)

I like the idea of a regular time slot, even with only 5 hours difference it's a great idea.

andrewlohnes

Regular time slots are a good idea, but I've told my mum she needs to get a better phone so she can download Facebook messenger and the Skype app so that if one us of can't make that time you can instantly let them know. Also, if you have Skype on all the time you can ring anytime and if they're busy they're busy and if they're not then great.

WhyteBoar

We use regular time slots, but Facebook messenger is also a great way to keep in touch between calls or when one of you is running late.

(We were lucky not to have been affected by the flooding last week. The amount of water around was incredible!)

KimmyCustard

We are in exactly this position! We have told my parents, my Dad is accepting but my Mum was almost at the point of hysteria O . She is still hoping against hope that we change our minds (which isnt going to happen). They have Skype already and are both on Facebook so hopefully that will soften the blow a bit.

We are also going to ban them from seeing us off at Heathrow, they live in Cornwall so we will stay there for a fortnight before we go then wave as we usually do when we are driving away! She has about another year to get used to it before we actually leave so not imminent - but you wouldn't believe it!

andrewlohnes

Yea I have 16 months to go yet and told my mum 12 months ago, I shall spend a lot of time with her next year but as she works at a school she has 6 weeks off over the summer, I've told her she can come out for the whole 6 weeks if it makes her happy

Uncle_Bob

Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.

Uncle_Bob

My parents took it well, but i feel sorry for them because both my brother and I are over here and hence all their grandchildren too.
My in laws also took it well, i feel sorry for them also because my wife's brother doesn't want children and her sister has a same sex partner so all their grandchildren are over here too.

But i had one chance to follow a dream. My wife knew it and I think they knew it too. So leaving for us was easy. Its the going back to visit part that is the absolute nightmare.

(Its bloody raining again !!!)

yellowroom

yeah, it only improved slightly when my brother went to work in Africa and she realised that at least I was in a country with electricity, running water, roads etc. Dad was/is fine, understood we have to live our own lives. But I too had to use the "moving not dying" line with Mum.

She had relatives move to America when she was a kid, and in those days you all went to Liverpool to wave them off on the boat and never saw them again. Despite my regular (quarterly) trips back to the uk for both business and pleasure, I don't think she ever got over that mindset.

Still, I'm back home now and we're all worried about my brother currently in lockdown in Sierra Leone. He couldn't get back home for my wedding, and hasn't seen his daughter since she was two weeks old. So if you want a "it could be worse" story for your parents, feel free to use that.

Chapmandan

Well that puts it all in perspective. I hope it all works out ok for you and your brother.

yellowroom

thanks. Apart from BA cancelling all flights until 2015, he's relatively calm. As far as he's concerned, living over there is hazardous enough (cholera, typhoid, malaria, snakes, storms, civil unrest....), so Ebola is just another thing to add to the list. Funnily enough, that line of a reasoning doesn't reassure the rest of us too much.