Why would I want to move to Florida?!...

Growing up, each spring break, my family would pile into the old Boneville and drive the long stretch of I-75, making our way from middle Tennessee to Brooksville, Florida. My father's mother's parents lived there in a hybrid, trailer home/small homes retirement community. As the youngest by a few decades, my brother and I stuck out as the"young'ns" who didn't belong. We would ride rusty bikes under the pines and branches, ground littered with Loblolly pine and sweet gum tree droppings, for hours and sneak into the "seniors only," indoor pool. On occasion, we would go over to Disney World or do other tourist-y type things. As for my impressions of Florida: hotter than where we lived, where the elderly went to retire, college kids went to party, and people from other countries came to see Mickey Mouse - it wasn't where couples moved and had families, right?

When my parents moved to Florida (for Dad's job), my first thought was, "Well, that is going to make for hot summer visits!" My Mom would joke, "So, wanna move to Florida?" Um, No. A) Too hot. B) Filled with geriatrics, spring breakers, and tourists. C) Too hot. D) No mountains….Um, No! In fact, if I had to move from our lovely Raleigh, North Carolina, it would be about anywhere BUT Florida!

So, if you are as biased against Florida as a place to raise a family (all the while not melting from heat, covering kiddos eyes when a spring breaker passed by, and any other preconceived misconceptions about the state) - we used to be one of you. (Disclosure statement - perhaps I shouldn't claim the entire state for the following, but there are plenty of locations here that the following rings true.)

Then, we began discovering things about Florida. First off, although there may be a hearing aid store in every strip mall, there were just as many (actually more) families and people our age as there were any other age (aka, elderly and college spring-breakers). Second, it may get hot in the summer, but (at least in the bay) afternoon showers cool the temperature considerably. This means cooler evenings to sit out and enjoy the pretentious lanais (something that we couldn't do in Raleigh - hot stayed hot and evening wasn't really cooler). Third, again with weather, summers weren't really hotter than Raleigh - there will be many weeks when Florida is 5-10 degrees cooler! As for "winter" - my arthritis is very happy with the lack of cold weather! (The downside in the weather is that it isn't until Jan/Feb that we see colorful, autumn leaves, which turn back to green instead of falling…I love autumn, my favorite season - and nothing beats the fall leaves in NC. Also, it was an adjustment to wear short sleeves at Christmas!)

Fourth, no state income taxes - got to love that, right? Fifth, Florida's homeschooling, ahem, "home education." It is completely different than North Carolina, as the student is registered to their county's public school system, listed as home educated. With this, they do require yearly evaluations (which we were doing anyways) to maintain the status. However, they also provide whatever is needed to educate, for free. In upper grades, a student can come into their zoned school and take some classes, then head home. (Read: If you are concerned that your chemistry lover will set your home on fire, send them in for that subject! ha) They also offer free virtual schools - whether full time (which is technically not home educated, just public school done away from the classroom) or part time (some of the subjects). The teachers are wonderful, as are the classes. For me, a mother of three kiddos in different grade levels, it takes the selection, weekly planning, and teaching of certain classes completely off my plate! Also, there are many hybrid schools - ones that offer everything from core classes to electives and languages - which meet 1 - 3 days/ week, so the kids are in structured classes with peers, teachers other than me, etc. Because "home educated" is perceived as what it is, a school option, I have yet to receive one single disdainful look from anyone when they discover we homeschool. If anything, it is "I wish I could do that!" Florida also gives "perks" to homeschooling families - with our current homeschool card, our family of five can go to Legoland for the price of one adult! Other parks give discounts, as do aquariums, zoos, etc. Homeschool days bring together families all over the state for interactive and educative fun.

I do love North Carolina - after living in the mountains and the coast, actually, four different areas in the state, it was the place I officially lived the most amount of years. (Tennessee, Ohio, Colorado, Pennsylvania, California being those other states, in order of time there.) It has the fall leaves, ski slopes, and climbing of the Appalachian Mountains and the beaches, Outer Banks. Luckily, my husband's family and brother, sister-in-law, and nephew still live in North Carolina - so wonderful reasons to return and visit. But…when I am sitting out in the mid 70s sunshine while NC is being blanketed with snow? Yep, I do love that about Florida!