My father was in the Air Force and we moved every 1 to 2 years. By the time I was 12, we had lived in Japan, Texas, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Montana, Ohio, California, and the Philippines. Because of this, I can't say I had a web of friends or relatives who had a part in guiding me. Even though I had siblings, the constant nomadic nature of our upbringing pretty much left us all fending for ourselves. I believe the lack of stability was damaging to each of us, some more than others. Not a healthy, secure childhood, by any means.
Having said that, I do want to stress that we have gotten closer as we've grown older, had families of our own, etc. And none of us have jobs that require moving our kids around : ) We've all provided our children with the childhood webs that we lacked ourselves.
These are my children, Jake and Luke.
They have lived in the same small town their entire lives. Even when I left their father, we only moved around the corner and their lives went on much as before. They're both a lot more secure than I was at their age. I believe this is because they enjoy a childhood web of friends and family members who have each played a large part in their development.
This is my preschool.
We strive to provide the students with a consistent, encouraging environment, much like a childhood web. We make sure each child feels special, cared about, listened to, and loved. That's our job!
Thats great that you and your siblings noticed the impact of constant change and made an effort to provide stability for your own families. My husband grew up much like that and it took him a while to realize that moving 6 months to a year wasn't always a good idea.
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