We didn't have the option to wait, we only had till the 15th Dec to arrive and we landed on 23rd November as we had validated our visas in Dec 2007 (it took us nearly 3 years to sell the house).
I think you are making the right decision to let her finish her year 11 because then if you do ever go back she will always have her gcses.

It takes a lot of courage to move to the other side of the world and even more to admit it's not for you

I wish you all the best for your move back home and also for the future

Our timelines are almost identical to yours and orginally i wanted to go to Windsor..Difference i didnt try to sell my house and landed back in April 2008.

Perhaps things might have been different had you landed back then when your children were younger?

Still if its not working your right to move back..sometimes you dont realise what you have got until its gone so i dont hold with the give it a year or 2 scenario..lifes too short.

Thanks again everyone for your replys, I am feeling so much more relaxed now I know we are going back.

Best of luck to you, and you are right, no more what if's in the future.

Me and my family have been here for almost 7months, for most of my life I have wanted to settle in Canada but after living here for only a short time and some tough decision making, unhappy in job and other personal reasons, enough is enough and we too are planning our return to the UK. It either works or it doesn't. I certainly don't dislike Canada, but it just doesn't seem to be our time to be settling in another Country.

Totally agree with you, I hope your move home goes well. x

Some of the advice here echos other forums in other countries, in that x amount of time should be given before making a decision to leave. This can vary from one to six years.

And given peoples resistance to change, there is definite validity in that.

But...acknowledgement should also be given to gut instinct.

My husband and I arrived in our chosen country separately, and both knew within the first few weeks, without question, that it did not feel 'right'. But we accepted the advice of other immigrants and bought a house to encourage feelings of belonging, started work, made friends, explored both islands on a campervan holiday, and waited......and tried... and waited...and tried....

Almost three years later we are desperate to sell in order to leave. Our one regret is the fact we chose to ignore our initial gut feeling. There is validity in 'the longer you stay, the harder it is to leave' as financial, emotional and psychological factors do impact on your actual ability to leave.

We had a week's holiday in Oz last year, and within hours of arriving, felt as if we had been given a drink of water after months of living in a desert. We just knew Oz was 'right' for us. Unfortunately, the heat is the reason we cannot live there, even temporarily.

So to everyone heading back after less than a year, if you know without question the country you are living is a wrong 'fit', it is easier to leave sooner rather than later. If you are unsure, take time to re-evaluate your situation in case you are in a settling in period.

And I guess we will all need to have a brief but ready answer for everyone in the UK who thinks our return must be due to a lack of mental stability

Good luck to all.

hi davenports , sorry to hear it hasnt worked i know from your original post how low you and your daughter were feeling and i told you about how long it took my daughter to settle. Its a shame it hasnt worked out hope all goes well on your move back to good old blighty and good luck to you and your family , at least you can say you tried. Its better to regret what youve done than regret what youve never done.

Thanks again everyone, I just hope this next 6 weeks goes quick so that we can get back to our daughter and get on with the rest of our lives.

Life goes on... Wishing you all the best.