Hi, 5 years ago my husband and I made the decision to move to the USA ( his home ) once my youngest child from my first marriage finished high school and went away to uni. Naturally I was torn about leaving them but told myself I needed/deserved and adventure and ignored all of my misgivings. My husband promised that if it got too hard being away from them we would come back. We left them in March . I had to come back to Australia in May because my visa hadn’t been granted yet ... and now I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to leave them again. I don’t want to be so far away. My husband and our 7 yo son are still in the US. Initially he was ok when I told him I wanted to come home ... and now he’s not. He is still willing to come , but He is not at all happy about it. He tells me my big kids don’t need me here ... and it’s not that ... it’s me . I hate myself for ever leaving them In the first place. Am I wrong in wanting to be near them ? I am so confused TiA ... View more

Hello, 5 years ago my husband (who is American) and I came up with a long term plan to uproot and move back to the States. We have 3 children, 2 from my first marriage (21 and 17 ) and a 6 yo. At this point my son from my first marriage would be 18 and there would no longer be any custodial issues with his dad and he would be finished school. There was no pressure for either of them to make a decision 5 years ago, we were just putting it out there. My daughter has since moved out of home, is graduating university this year and is planning to move in with her boyfriend at the end of the year with a real view to marrying this same boy, and of course has no plans to move. My soon to be 18 yo boy had every intention of coming with us, and he was excited about it (although not so much the telling dad part). However, in November last year he got himself a girlfriend and is completely smitten, and of course, no longer wants to move with us because he doesn't want to leave her. My concerns for leaving him behind aren't that he won't be taken care of. He would move in with his dad and step mum with whom he has a good relationship and he sees them very frequently, he would have his sister and the rest of his family (grandparents, aunts, uncles etc) here to take care of him and he would be leaving town after a proposed gap year to attend university. My concerns are that I WILL BE LEAVING HIM BEHIND! I feel as though I am abandoning him and the guilt is suffocating. I am seriously torn. I want to move, I want this adventure. And I want him with me. He is a sensitive boy who is currently experiencing some anxiety. I have tried talking to him about it and he claims that it has nothing to do with us moving and everything to do with school and the fear of his girlfriend dumping him, but I am not convinced ( mummy guilt?) I have asked him many times if he wants us to stay, because we would, and he tells me time and time again that no, he doesn't want that. I don't know if waiting a year would make a difference, until HE moves out... or if I would feel the same. Everyone I talk to has a different opinion...from "there is NO WAY I could leave my child/children" to "You have to cut the apron strings sometime" to "live your life". I guess the overwhelming feeling is one of - kids leave their parents, parents don't leave their kids. I would appreciate any thoughts or input, constructive criticism/advice is more than welcome, but please keep any nasty comments to yourself. Thanks in advance  ... View more