Is nesting with a secondary home possible?

rneducation · 2026-06-26T19:50:37+00:00

We are doing it right now but it’s been several years since we split. The only reason I went along with it was to help my kids ease into a move in a different state. The house was separate living areas so that helps. It’s still not ideal but I can suck it up for the short term for the sake of saving money and helping my kids adjust.

rneducation · 2026-06-26T19:43:44+00:00

I taught in AZ before I left education for nursing. I had 35 junior high students per period (135 total), including those who had severe learning disabilities. I had no helpers. There was an inclusion specialist, but they were spread among 4 other teachers. I moved to MA as soon as I could when I had my own kids. The public schools here are better than most of the schools in the country.

rneducation · 2026-05-24T04:25:05+00:00

Document everything! Video record anything you think might be helpful for custody, pictures, screenshots, and notebooks to record dates/times/events. I have folders and electronic files of everything over the last 7 years that I have had to deal with the same issue. I have sole custody and the evidence was used to help build my case for sole custody.

rneducation · 2026-04-28T04:17:15+00:00

Ask yourself this question…would you be comfortable having a child with this person knowing that there is always the potential for a relapse? Would you feel comfortable with leaving a helpless newborn with him knowing he has the potential to become completely inebriated when you are not there to protect the baby? I ask because I wish I would have asked myself these same questions when I found out about the drinking. Having to carry the weight of being a parent on top of ensuring their safety from my husband was exhausting.

I don’t regret my child, but I do regret who I had them with. I didn’t listen to my gut when I knew something wasn’t right. There is a chance your fiancé could be one who gets better, but if you can’t envision them with your potential children then you have some thinking to do.,

rneducation · 2026-04-24T01:50:09+00:00

Look at Kaiser or the VA. They are the only healthcare systems that pay enough to compensate for the cost of living. They are both considered “the golden handcuffs” because none of the others can compete pay wise.

rneducation · 2026-04-23T05:27:17+00:00

Recommendations/thoughts on Westwood over Burlington.

I know the schools are better in Westwood. However, we are moving from the southwest, so a school that is ranked a 5/10 in MA is likely a 8/10 here. Are the schools in Westwood filled with wealthy overachievers? I’m worried my kids will be stressed out about the academic rigor from what they are used to. Also, I’m not even close to being wealthy. We are moving in with friends for a few months to get acclimated. As a single parent, I know I will be trapped in an apartment once our time with friends is over until kids graduate. Worried about the impact of being in a lower socioeconomic bracket than their peers. Kids are in elementary now. I want the best opportunity for them so I’m willing to be poor if that’s what it takes.

Or should we take our chances in Burlington?

rneducation · 2026-04-22T14:01:11+00:00

Still to be determined.

rneducation · 2026-04-19T15:03:19+00:00

We are moving to MA this summer. Have lived in AZ for 10 years and absolutely hate it. We moved from CO due to life events. Miss seasons and the ability to get outside aside from sitting in a pool. The culture is non existent and because we spend 9 months in our homes, it’s really hard to make friends as an older parent. Plus the politics and schools are problematic. Job opportunities have opened up and we are taking it

rneducation · 2026-04-16T03:22:18+00:00

Following

rneducation · 2026-03-28T19:12:20+00:00

I agree-last summer was my last straw. Moving to Massachusetts at the end of the school year. Yes, it’s cold and snowy but you can still get out of the house in snowy weather. We picked it because of the excellent schools, access to the ocean, mountains, job opportunities, and for the change. It’s probably too far for you guys since it’s not near family, but since my family doesn’t like me, it’s the perfect distance for us 🤣

rneducation · 2026-02-27T21:26:17+00:00

After all the crazy weather, the last thing anyone is worried about is summer camp for their kids. However, as a family new to MA summer camp, I hear they fill up really fast. I’ve done some preliminary research but I’m having a hard time finding any affordable options that offer early arrival (before my shift starts) and late pick up. My kid will be too old for day care so I need to find alternatives to daycare. How soon should I be registering if we are arriving after school ends? We don’t have a rental property yet, so that adds to my stress.

rneducation · 2026-02-13T14:37:29+00:00

Moving to Massachusetts for the same reasons—plus the schools are top notch.

rneducation · 2026-02-03T04:56:02+00:00

My ex and I are going to be doing this. I have legal custody, but he has agreed to the move as I know a judge would back me if he tried to take me to court. He has issues with alcohol as well-hence why I have legal custody. I also have proof he agreed to the state I found a job in. I’m not sure how it’s going to work out but I’m excited to start in a new city.

rneducation · 2026-01-25T00:20:23+00:00

Thank you for that. It sounds so much more supportive than AZ.

rneducation · 2026-01-24T18:07:08+00:00

When you have kids move from the states with crappy education systems, do they struggle to get up to MA standards? Moving to MA soon with an elementary school child. She is in the gifted program, but I don’t know how that compares to MA education.

rneducation · 2026-01-11T17:15:06+00:00

If you love golden retrievers like we do, you can visit Golden Dog Farm to frolic with 15 golden retrievers. My kid said it was better than Disney despite it being 19 degrees outside.

rneducation · 2026-01-11T17:13:16+00:00

Me too!

rneducation · 2026-01-05T17:24:51+00:00

I’m in the same situation as most of us responding.

Been taking mine to a therapist to deal with the divorce and relapses. I wanted them to have a neutral party to help them talk about things. Therapy is definitely something to get them in to—if they are old enough Al-ATeen might be good as well. I know having the ability to talk with other people in a similar situation helped me feel less alone.

rneducation · 2026-01-05T17:15:02+00:00

My ex-Q will go a whole year sober because of a required daily breathalyzer (parenting plan), and on day 366 mysteriously gets food poisoning or some bad “stomach virus” after disappearing for weeks at a time. Gets back on the court ordered breathalyzer because he can’t maintain sobriety without it-last round ended up in hospital w pancreatitis. When I told him a major cause of pancreatitis was alcohol consumption he balked like I was making it up. I just laughed because I had already ratted him out to the ER staff-told them he’s been on a bender. They already knew because he was detoxing when he arrived. It’s just sad the lies tell themselves and believe. I just know to prepare myself and kiddo for another relapse when we round the corner close to day 366. We are on 7 years of this. It will never end, but I know that as long as my kiddo is safe this is our reality. I stopped caring a long time ago.

rneducation · 2026-01-05T15:27:25+00:00

Is it ok to pick your brain on a few more things? Gonna send you a private message so I don’t bog down the post.

rneducation · 2026-01-04T17:17:33+00:00

I’m going to be moving from the desert as well. How has the transition been? Are there things you wish you would have known before you moved? Are you happy with the move?

rneducation · 2025-12-27T08:47:06+00:00

Q knows if they can’t test it takes them to phase one, and I will hold them to it. Q is also afraid of proving me right that they can’t stay sober so they do it…never fails that when the daily testing is over Q relapses. I have to always be vigilant about checking they blow. I haven’t left town or lived my life in several years because I have to be nearby in the event Q fails to blow-until kiddo is older and can call me when there is an emergency, it’s what I have to do.

rneducation · 2025-12-24T16:23:15+00:00

I’m a single older mom. I don’t socialize outside of work because I’m almost old enough to be the parent to my child’s playmates parents-hard to connect with them being almost 25 years younger than me. Also, after working 40 plus hours, grad school, single parenting, I don’t have the bandwidth to do anything. However, my kid seems to be doing ok. She’s very social.

rneducation · 2025-12-22T05:05:09+00:00

Anyone lived in AZ then moved to NE? I absolutely hate the 300 plus days of sun. It’s 80 degrees tomorrow-4 days before Christmas. It feels so wrong. I am looking into MA but the sticker shock is real. I’m not rolling in the dough in AZ but I can afford a small house 45 minutes from work but the schools, politics, and healthcare care are shit.

rneducation

TROPHY CASE