We are due to move to Javea in a couple of weeks and 3 of my 5 children will go to Lady Elizabeths, my 6 yr old I will try and get in Spanish school and my 2 yr old is too young yet. My only concern is that my husband will stay in UK to run our business and come out weekly or every 10 days. I don't know how this will work out!

Does any-one have experience of husbands commuting between Spain and England.

Hi mum of 5 and welcome to the forum.

I know of a few people who commute and it's never easy going for both the person travelling or the person left behind. I'm also guessing, though, that with 5 kids you will be kept quite busy and time will fly by.

Wishing you and your family all the very best,
Martha

Yes- the world is so much smaller these days. Its no different to hubby working in London and coming home weekends-lots do it. My brother's family live on the CDS and he commutes from the UK at weekends.

Im in the same boat, except i have no small children, Im hoping that my husband will get some work in spain sometime. and you make friends when you have children so dont worry,

If you don't mind me asking why are you moving to Spain by yourself? Not being nosey I'm just curious, do you have work there?

You have to do what's right for you and your family. My hubby works abroad too and it can work if you have a determination. I can see how for some people it will cause big issues. I know people who have done this to try get a relationship problem resolved- and it can, one way or another.

Hello

We are in exactly the same position although I have only 2 children, my husband has been commuting since January and its been absolutely fine for us, sure we miss him and its hard at the airport to say goodbye, but I buy the boys a footie magazine and we get on with it. We are moving to Brisbane in October so I am looking forward to being together again but it certainly hasnt been an issue and many families are in the same position here. It also makes you put yourself out a little more to make friends. Just think of being in the sunshine, with the children enjoying the freedom of playing outside most of the year while poor hubby is stuck in the grey and cold, that's how I cope Good luck.

no i havent got any work there yet but i will, dont know how or when but i will. and if i dont well i will have to think again. My husband will be joining me when he can find work fulltime. just need to get away if i dont do it now i never will( cant wait), got three children and they have left home so its my time now while i can. just sold house in uk, i will miss my husband but he will join me when he can, he is a hard and good worker, he works for himself in uk so he can work as and when. why are you going without your husband.

Thanks happybunny for your answer and paulainspain found them really helpful. We have friends who have been in Javea for 2 years. We currently live in a lovely village in Kent and my two eldest go to a good grammar school- thats the good bit - all around our area it seems to be a bit rough and when my eldest (14) comes home from school he does nothing but homework and sit in front of the x- box. My friends kids are outside all the time and perhaps I'm looking at it with rose tinted glasses but it seems so much better for the kids. Me and my husband have never spent any time apart, but he works constantly, he really only sees the younger two at the weekend and even then we only have a Sunday. (and then what can you do when the weather is bad?). My life really is just me and the kids. I was due to start a college course in Sept to train to be a nurse. But because my eldest is starting his GCSE's in Sept we need to go now or in 2 yrs time and if we waited until after my course he will have done his A-levels and be off to uni and then he would miss out on the experience. I am still really unsure I need to confirm with the school and also the apartment we have been able to find??? help!! Sorry for ranting on so much. Paulainspain why did you move to spain?:

Javea has been the place of two of our recent expat get togethers so you won't have too far to go if you come to one.

For the first 6 months or so I was flying back and fore to the Uk for one reason or another and almost treated it like jumping on the bus. Its only 40 mins to the airport from here, and a couple of hours flight. We use coventry and its very local to where I go. He'll get used to it no problem, and I bet the time will fly by between visits

We wanted to give the children a different experience in life, they are still young enough to adapt and as long as they have their parent/s and friends they dont need much else. We lived in Kent too, Tonbridge to be exact and although we liked it I didnt like the trouble in the area that was becoming apparent at night. Staying in all the time because we couldnt afford to go out as a family, or the weather was crap. There wasn't one particular reason for moving, we just liked Spain and thought lets give it a go. The same idea as we have for Australia. We know we cant keep doing it because of their schooling but hopefully the next move will be our last one. I have no regrets about coming to Spain, I have met wonderful people and enjoy the Spanish culture, but for us its time to go. If you do decide to move you may feel like you made a mistake, I did for almost 2 years and was very teary and homesick, but it is only a short trip back to the UK if you do need to go and people will visit. I feel its going to be easier for us to move on as we have already made the short hop here and I feel we can all handle the bigger leap. You may regret that you came but at least you would have tried, you can always go back.

Thats exactly how we think that life is too short, our village is near the Medway Towns so thats not the best place, How long have you been in Spain then? I think I'm overanalysing it, we have never done anything so adventurous before, but we would rent the house out so we could always come back, one change though is the school fees, cos mine are at Grammar school here so obviously we don't pay!

Your right life is too short, we have downsized in the uk we sold our house and brought a flat, which we are going to rent out so if it all goes pear shaped we have something to come back to. Since moving into our small flat in uk i realised that my house never really ment anything although i thought it did at the time. home is where you make it. I didnt want to go though life thinking if only. I think its a little bit different if you have children, i was like you my husband is always working so had to bring kids up mainly on my own(not his fault) and if he wasnt working i was

We are in Kent too, and my partner will be commuting too, he's an airline pilot, based in the U.K, and will also be alone for long periods, up to 10 days at a time, which most people on here that are regular know fills me with dread, but I know I'll get used to it, as I have here .
I will only have 1 child to keep me busy, but that will probably expand as my partners children join us as they want to do (arghh!!)
You will be a lot busier with your family (I wouldn't like your school fees!)and no doubt will quickly develop a social circle through the school. My child is going to be going to the local school, so chatting at the school gates will be out until I'm more fluent!!
Good luck ,where in Kent are you?

We are in a small village called Hartlip near Sittingbourne or the Medway Towns, I read your thread about the schools as well and to tell you the truth I haven't thought that far ahead about the younger kids, but only judging by my older ones. Where in Spain are you going? My friends that are in Javea have children that attend the International school too, so I don't even know how to register Freddie for Spanish school?. Thought I would cross that bridge when I come over although he would be going into year 2 at his school.