I need a holiday from my seachange

When you imagine a seachange you think of sandy beaches, shimmering clear blue oceans … perhaps a pod of dolphins frolicking in the background.

In January this year we moved from rural New South Wales (on the border of Canberra) to Townsville in North Queensland. The move is complicated. For 10 months, the family is split over two locations. My husband and eldest son in Canberra, so he can finish high school. Me and two other children in Townsville, because our youngest is starting high school. The middle child, caught in the middle, and deciding to ‘rip the band aid’ off and move now.

Yes, I have regularly swum in the ocean, however outside of that life these past few weeks has been an absolute s**tshow.

I was keen to see the end of unstructured summer holidays and kids nervous about starting a new school year. However, this set off an entire chain of events and new challenges.

For my son, the first two days of a new school did not go well. He faked Covid symptoms not once but twice, tears (both his and mine) and a long conversation where he presented some pretty valid reasons that the school was not the right fit. I had to work quickly to find a new school and make sure the experience was much better. I spent $700 on new school uniforms not once but twice!

With new schools came the stress of new teachers, new rules, new routines and making new friends. I know this is incredibly stressful. Nights are two tired and emotional kids shouting at me, angry at the decision to move, missing old friends, bemoaning their general state of ‘dying from the heat’ and ending with the words ‘I hate you’.

Added to this is sport, which has been a great outlet but has me running around town five nights a week, that’s every night! I’m single parenting (hats off to all single parents out there, you are amazing), so to manage all the logistics I now cook a week’s worth of meals on Sunday.

Then the dog got sick so there was a 10.30pm trip to the 24-hour vet, and some tests, he’s okay … for now. Then the other dog needed a new script for her anxiety medication (lucky dog I say!).

The house we bought is great - location, location, location - but it’s a 100 year old Queenslander in need of love and care, so I am juggling tradies and getting quotes, plus I also promised a pool … the house is literally on the side of a hill, so wish me luck!

Then there’s working fulltime.

The last few weeks have been a monumental physical, logistical and emotional rollercoaster, an absolute s**tshow.

Please … I need a holiday from my sea change.

PS Just to reassure readers that I know we will get through this. I have moved a lot. The first three months are absolutely the worst.