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Deciding whether or not to move can sometimes be difficult. You probably have a lot of worries about what the right decision is. Staying where you are is probably comfortable, but is it comfortable because you're in a rut, or is it comfortable because your family truly feels at home and happy there?

Moving somewhere new brings with it a lot of uncertainty for everyone in the family. Mum and Dad are concerned whether the jobs they are taking will be financially and personally rewarding and that the schools the kids go to and the friends they make will create positive experiences. The kids worry that they won't fit in or they won't make friends. No matter whether you are moving across town or across the country, these will always be worries when moving somewhere new. The truth is that everyone will make new friends, education is what you make of it, and if that new job doesn't work out, it's certainly not the only job in town.

There are certain times in life, however, when moving probably isn't a very good idea. In most cases, after a death in the family, a divorce, or something else that may be traumatic for you or your children, it's best not to make too many permanent changes for the first several months. Getting used to a loss can take some time. Moving back to your home town to heal may seem like a good idea at first, but consider whether you really want to live there long-term. Uprooting your family to move to your hometown, then moving again a few years later when you realize it's not where you want to live, can cause your family to go through a potentially difficult transition twice in the matter of a few years. Rather than moving suddenly after a big change in your lives, plan on visiting more often and spending holidays in the places that you feel most at home.

If you are considering moving to the location you've always dreamed of, be sure you do some research, both online and in person. If this is a big move and you aren't very familiar with what it's like to really live there, consider spending more time there before you decide whether or not to move. If you've always dreamed of living on the coast, try renting a house there for a few weeks during different times of year. This will give you a better idea of the benefits and drawbacks involved in actually living in a more popular area. When you're a tourist, it doesn't really matter how long it takes to get somewhere because you're already on holiday. But if you have to leave 45 minutes early every day because you have to fight the tourist traffic just to get to work, that beautiful location may start to quickly lose its appeal.

When you decide to move at the right time and for the right reasons, moving somewhere new can be a grand adventure full of new friends and new opportunities for everyone.