I somewhat understand what you are saying...I'm native Georgian, and we have a lot of transplants around here and it just erks me when I overhear "them" talking about the slow backward ways of folks from the south...well, the freeway does run both ways ! Every area, no matter what, is going to be fraught with issues.....nothing is perfect ! Atlanta City Schools are not where I would want my children to be now a days...(however, I was educated in Atl city School and went to Ga State univ in downtown Atl, but was then and not now).

Here in metro Atlanta we have four seasons, if we ever have snow it is a big deal and the entire area shuts down, we have crime, people that are people, adequate and inadequate schools and some folks just can't put kids in private schools but have to get involved in public schools and try to improve what they can.

I would think that living in FL would have a lot of positives, just like another post said......temperate climate year round for example, and yes there are threats of storms but then again snow and ice storms plague other parts of the US.....even here in North Central GA, we've had Thanksgiving on the screen porch and one year my daughter had a pool party....the middle of October !

Most important is that families be families....do whatever it takes within your family to create bonds and encouragement. (ok, off soap box)

OK I will try to start out with the positive. My family relocated to Florida from San Francisco Bay Area when I was 13.

Pros:
Close to Sea World, Disney World and Busch Gardens. Beautiful beaches. Swimming a good 9 months out of the year. The Space Center was cool. It is sunny most of the time and the thunder and lightening storms are very intense, only a pro if you like those, a definite con if you don't. Dolphins and manatees!

As you can see I have a very short list. I got the heck outta Fla as soon as I could and left when I was 19. I did not like Florida, and yes I experienced serious culture shock, literally. Theater and museums are almost non existant. Seasons consist of Hot and Humid. Flat, flat, flat. I think I missed topography in the landscape more than anything. Someone who loves mountains does not belong below sea level! BUGS!! OK Grandson may think that is a pro, I did not. The cockroaches are the size of small dogs (OK I am slightly exaggerating) and they fly! You cannot live down there without having a monthly service come to spray for bugs! If you don't spray you WILL be over run by them. The spiders are huge, varied and some of them build webs that can span across an entire street!! I won't even mention the mosquitos. Suffice to say most towns have to spray. Snakes! loads of em and most of em are poisonous. We had classes in school so we could easily and quickly ID the venomous varieties.

Hopefully this will be a great opportunity for your DSIL and your DD and DGS will adapt and not find Fla. as awful as I did. Obviously tons of people love it down there. I was not one of them. But I do have some fond memories of the area.

FMD36 call me when you come to Florida to visit the kids. I'd love to introduce you to some southern hospitality. It's something you can't get south of the Mason DIxon line and you'll love the cuban sandwiches.

I hope their move goes smoothly and they find lots to love in south Florida.

I moved here with my then husband 34 years ago and have never gone back to NJ. I agree, I had a bit of culture shock. There was no theater or concerts in North Florida without traveling to another major city and yes, things do move a little slower here. But those were the only things that struck me as different than living up north. I didn't miss the snow and the freezing cold weather. I can say N. Florida was a great place for my daughter to grow up and she was able to see a lot of her Dad's family. My Mom (born and bred in NJ) also moved down here to live with me to get away from the snow. She loved it here, she stayed for 28 years.

I agree about cultural opportunities and I also agree about the bugs ! One year we spent Thanksgiving with husband's grands in Jacksonville...we took a walk around the neighborhood and collected several brown grocery bags full of these beautiful big pine cones....we were going to use them at Christmas in various decorations...brought them home and sat them somewhere (?) in house, obviously a warm environment.....these BUGS which we called Palmetto bugs ccame out in force and you are so right, they are HUGE and FLY right at you.....it took us months and several rounds of extermination to get rid of them.....I still remember sitting on the sofa and seeing these bugs hurdling themselves toward me........I totally agree about that !

When you think about living in the Atl area it is great it you are of MEANS....yeah, we have a lot of culture, season symphony, season ballet, all kinds of cultural opportunities, plays, muscials at various venues, other attractions including the Aquarium, Coke Museum, Grant Park Zoo, Piedmont Park, Botantial Gardens, High Museum, Fernbank with IMax and huge telescope, then add in 6 Flags, Whitewater, Stone Mountain, on and on I just can't think of them all, but we just can't afford to take part in all of it....we chose one or two venues a year...time you buy tickets, pay premium for parking, buy a program and hopefully go out to dinner, it is expensive.....then if you were to have to add in babysitting, it is really expensive !

Each area is going to have pros and cons and we just have to research and take part in what is the most meaningful.

do like we military do it...send him down there for the first 6 months to make sure it is a FIT for him...before moving the family down and all...he can make do in a small apt. I am sure...the boys can harden up as will mom...makes seeing dad all the sweeter!

I really appreciate all the feedback...pro and con...it is realistic!.She lived in Tampa(with her bro) in 1991-92 and left in Jan. because she hated it. We are all trying to put a positive spin on this. DD and the GDSons will not go down until June when they have finished school. The company is paying for his lodgings in the meantime and giving him a co. car(his Jeep has no AC and the suspension is gone).
Again, I really appreciate all the responses. Will update as things progress. As her Mom, I just hate to see her so unhappy...and she is not a wuss kind of person. Thanks again.

We moved here when I had to retire from teaching. We came from Southwestern Michigan near Lake Michigan. We absolutely LOVE it here at the Gulf Coast in the Florida Panhandle. We really aren't too happy to return to Michigan to see family because it is too cold there compared to here. I hope their transsition goes well. :)

You just stroke a chord in my heart......your child is not happy and you hate to see her so upset.....I totally understand and no matter how old they are they are still your children and you want them happy. Hopefully things will work out and all will be content.