TreacleP

A little background....myself and husband moved to Ontario 16 years ago right after getting married...we settled, had ups and downs of homesickness but ended up having 4 children here who are now aged 13, 11, 7 and 5. My husband has a good job...I have always done whatever work I needed to do to be at home with the kids, be it daycare, before and after school care or cleaning houses etc.
over the years I have had several times where I have been very homesick and asked if we can return back to the UK. My husband is not an unreasonable person and has made enquiries about work etc and has even attended some interviews in the UK even though he has no desire to return to the UK. He has always been turned down and so I think...well....ok we will stay.
unfortunately that feeling pops up again and again. I long to live near family, I wish that my children could grow up seeing grandparents often and cousins.... I dislike the winters and the summers...the mosquitos make me swell up horribly.
I'm not completely unhappy here.. we live in a nice area, the kids are happy enough, my husband loves his job and where he is. I just know deep down that I do not want to grow old here....it actually makes my pit of my stomach churn thinking of being here for the rest of my life. Not trying to sound dramatic but I just know that once the children are independent and decide to stay here etc I will find it so hard to leave them...but so torn that I want to support aging parents etc.
Just could do with some unbiased opinions or points of view!
thanks!

Still Game

If someone somehow took away one of the options (ie: living in the country you're currently in living where you want to in the UK) which would you be most devastated about?

Aside from that, you do need to look at costs, mentally and fiscally in making the move. Is it actually doable for your entire family?

Although challenging given the ages of your children and your husband working, can you take some time out to visit your family in the UK? Perhaps you just need some time with them, rather than lock stock. As you say, you don't hate it in Ontario. Your husband loves his job (this is a big thing), you live in a nice area and your children are settled and happy.

You say you don't want to grow old there... but what if you make hay at present and have long-term plans? It'll be a while until your children are independent... do you need to move now?