How to move 6 kids to St. John?

@simpub The article is actually about my Dad and his friends, I thought it was cute. 🙂

How awesome is that! ?????‍♂️?. Happy you shared! ???

I might bring one of my kids with me on a business trip to STJ in March.  What would be a good source of community news for events that we could go to/see?  She might serve as an ambassador to the other 5!  I do have some of the newspapers.  Would there be something I might not see in the newspaper in another local publication that I could find online?  ?

Community events that are usually always happening are in very different short supply these days because of the size/group limitations in effect for Covid protocol.

some facebook pages and paying for the Daily News online might give more info - Check Connections in STJ.

Personal opinion of course, but STJ seems to be the least attractive option given the age of your kids and relative lack of options for shopping and schooling, plus general activities.  STT and STX would make more sense if you're set on the USVI and you can always take the ferry to STJ for a visit.  A multi-month visit in the summer would be a good test to see if it makes sense.

@exit-zero You make a good point on the gatherings.  I guess we'll have less to choose from for now.  Maybe we'll focus on the hikes, history, and things for the time being.  

I was just about to say that I wish Connections posted this sort of info online, but it was right in front of me the whole time.  Checking out their site now.  Such a blessing to have that dedication to the community!  I have to hunt down a few more FB groups.  Perhaps there are some oriented around families with kids...

@VIpirate Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.  I've considered it a lot.  Sometimes I do find myself thinking perhaps live-STT, play-STJ.  For a few reasons though, and to your point, I always come back to STJ for the remoteness and the small-town feel.  Our kids have been homeschooled all their lives except the past 2 years, plus in 6+ years, five of them will have moved out already.  I've had my heart set on STJ since 1993 when I first visited, again in 2007, and 2020, and I think if we built our home on STT, I may be looking out the window every day wishing we were on that small island to the east. ???.  I think we're better-suited for the close-knit, small-town community life.  It will be more work to find things to do but we're used to that kind of life.  I am hopeful and feel encouraged that we can start building relationships with some people on STJ and so become part of the community we get hints of and keep hearing good things about. ?

just wondering what the kids think of the idea? leaving what they are used to and their friends. Dont forget the drinking age is 18 down here. 

sounds like money is no object but boredom for the kids might be. 

@speee1dy It's a good question. Some are more open than others.  There's a lot of varying opinion with 6 kids, but we're only going to be part-timers so they won't be losing home or their friends.  Also, 90% of the interaction they have with their friends outside of school, if not more, is online.  So, I think in contrast to when we grew up, they just won't lose touch.  My kids have friends in England, Australia, and around the US because they are online kids and grew up that way.  I am thinking that combined with all the friends and family who come down they will actually end up seeing more people and friends than they do now, and for a week at a time instead of an afternoon. Love to hear a few people recount how visitors have worked out for them.  We do have a large extended family and a lot of good friends.  Flights are cheap, at least in recent times, so I hope that would encourage more people to visit.

As for the drinking age, we have a different philosophy anyhow.  I grew up in the hold out until you're 21 then go all out binge drinking culture and put your guardian angel to the test.  I actually came to STJ when I was 18.  But it's not that way with my kids.  Maryland law has it right for example.  Your kids can share in your drinks at the table with you.  You can give them wine with dinner.  This teaches respect and appreciation for the gift of alcoholic drinks under parent supervision.  Every growth stage or new large responsibility should have parental guidance.  Makes no sense that alcohol, whether 18 or 21 is something you go out and experiment on your own, especially with the negatives of drinking culture pressuring you at that age.  My wife is from France, and alcohol is just part of the meal, so there is comparitively no explosion after years of restriction on drinking.  The system in the US produces the opposite of the desired outcome in my personal opinion. I just had a funny thought... Imagine you couldn't eat chocolate until you were 21... There'd be these wild parties with giant bowls of candy, chocolate milkshake machines, chocolate syrup on tap, people doing silly things like dunking their heads in chocolate sauce, seeing who can eat the most chocolate bars in a minute.  Kids under 21 would be sneaking in to places to get served chocolate under age.  ???.

Posted by: @simpub

@speee1dy It's a good question. Some are more open than others.  There's a lot of varying opinion with 6 kids, but we're only going to be part-timers so they won't be losing home or their friends.  Also, 90% of the interaction they have with their friends outside of school, if not more, is online.  So, I think in contrast to when we grew up, they just won't lose touch.  My kids have friends in England, Australia, and around the US because they are online kids and grew up that way.  I am thinking that combined with all the friends and family who come down they will actually end up seeing more people and friends than they do now, and for a week at a time instead of an afternoon. Love to hear a few people recount how visitors have worked out for them.  We do have a large extended family and a lot of good friends.  Flights are cheap, at least in recent times, so I hope that would encourage more people to visit.

As for the drinking age, we have a different philosophy anyhow.  I grew up in the hold out until you're 21 then go all out binge drinking culture and put your guardian angel to the test.  I actually came to STJ when I was 18.  But it's not that way with my kids.  Maryland law has it right for example.  Your kids can share in your drinks at the table with you.  You can give them wine with dinner.  This teaches respect and appreciation for the gift of alcoholic drinks under parent supervision.  Every growth stage or new large responsibility should have parental guidance.  Makes no sense that alcohol, whether 18 or 21 is something you go out and experiment on your own, especially with the negatives of drinking culture pressuring you at that age.  My wife is from France, and alcohol is just part of the meal, so there is comparitively no explosion after years of restriction on drinking.  The system in the US produces the opposite of the desired outcome in my personal opinion. I just had a funny thought... Imagine you couldn't eat chocolate until you were 21... There'd be these wild parties with giant bowls of candy, chocolate milkshake machines, chocolate syrup on tap, people doing silly things like dunking their heads in chocolate sauce, seeing who can eat the most chocolate bars in a minute.  Kids under 21 would be sneaking in to places to get served chocolate under age.  ???.

sounds like you and the family have a healthy respect for alcohol. i grew up in maryland, we were allowed to buy beer and wine at 18, hard liquor at 21. but for some reason able to buy at 14. 

sounds like you and the family have a great balance. good luck to you all 

@simpub -- this is an example of what I was trying to explain about gatherings currently.

UVI, St. John School of the Arts to Present a Virtual Evening of Classics and Jazz | St. Thomas Source

Flights may be cheap now but that has not been my experience in the past 40+ years.

If you are considering building on STJ I suggest reading a few of the building Blogs that have been posted over the years. Like these:

Bongo Bongo ---      The Bongo Bongo Blog (bongobongostjohn.com)

***StJohnDreams's Blog | Just another WordPress.com site

READ this too :   ---    Home | SunlitSaintJohn

My older son is going to be 20 in June and I have to say I agree in many ways about the alcohol perspective simpub.   He’s definitely over indulged more than a few times but has been able to self regulate and keep it in check better than a lot of the ‘transplants’ that arrive here in their early twenties.  I will also add that her has learned better than most when it comes to getting along with lots of different people with lots of different ideas and backgrounds.  There just aren’t that many people here and you learn to coexist and be respectful even if you don’t see eye to eye.  

Love the mix of people ?.  So interesting to me.  I am a little surprised to hear there are many transplants in the 20-35 range.  Would have guess you either come with you parents before college or after you "make it" since it's so expensive.  Curious to learn more about the St. John demographics.  Separately, I'm also interested in learning about the STT/STJ french speaking community (not Haitian Creole but actual french).  I'll have to search the forum for that too ?

You can follow the access options and read this

A French Community on St. Thomas on JSTOR

Scroll through Google 'St Thomas French community" too

@simpub

A lot of people come down after college and work on boats and restaurants and stay for a few years, or just a season. I always had friends like those when I would come home for a bit and wait tables. They usually party hard then leave, but some stay and become part of the community.

Events are really not happening in person, but STJ is so so small you can just go to the different beaches, go to dinner in town, you will see everyone after a few days.

I agree the drinking culture here is more European and I never saw kids binging like I saw in the Bible Belt in the States. I was like, what is wrong with these kids, have they never seen alcohol before? Dangerous. Then they all got addicted to oxytocin's. Anyway.. Again, I know a lot of kids who grew up on STJ and none were bored and this was pre internet.

@exit-zero Fascinating!  Great find! ?

@scout77 Seems like half of people say there's plenty to do and half say it's boring.  Guess it all depends on what you like to do. ?

@NugBlazer Do you derive some sort of sadistic glee in being a Debbie Downer on other people's posts, no matter what is posted?  And just because you got sucked into a lifestyle of drugs and alcohol doesn't mean everyone will.

STJ is the most beautiful of the three USVIs.  I would advise you to do a pre-move visit and stay for as long as you can.  This will give you a feel of day-to-day life on the island and help you better determine if living there permanently would work for you and your family.  If your kids are the outdoorsy type, STJ has plenty to keep them busy.  Since most of STJ is a national park, there are many beaches, hiking trails, and plantation ruins to visit, and your kids may enjoy them.  I don't have kids and am not familiar with all the activities for them there, but I hear that KATS is good.  Also, you may want to check out St. John School of the Arts, which offers programs for kids in music, dance, theater, and visual arts.  

Living on STJ is on the pricey side, but I assume you have enough of a cash outlay to cover it.  On an unrelated note, when you mentioned the Jersey Shore, I wondered where you live now in the States.  I live in suburban Philadelphia and lived on STT and STJ several years ago.  I'm looking to move back in a few months.  Good luck with your plans!

@lyubov

People like @NugBlazer play an important role on these forums. Living here is not all rainbows and pretty sunsets. I share his views on many of the topics he posts about because I've lived here for 16 years and raised two kids here. We know first hand what often goes on behind the scenes.

Posted by: @vicanuck

@lyubov

People like @NugBlazer play an important role on these forums. Living here is not all rainbows and pretty sunsets. I share his views on many of the topics he posts about because I've lived here for 16 years and raised two kids here. We know first hand what often goes on behind the scenes.

'Preciate it.  You're right:  we DO know.  Don't get me wrong, I love the islands.  But, far too often, I see newcomers sugarcoat things when it comes to crime and that's both annoying and dangerous.  We just had 11 people shot and 5 dead the other day on STX.  Yet, newcomers will try to pass it off, saying that the States are "the same", when they are anything but.

As fa you @lyubov, no need fa insults, rook, ya check? Take yer ras to da beach an' cool out.  Talk to me in 20 yeahs, den we'll see who's fah true, boy

Posted by: @NugBlazer

But, far too often, I see newcomers sugarcoat things when it comes to crime and that's both annoying and dangerous. 

As a relative new comer (bought in early 2019) I don’t trivialize the crime, rather I take steps to both avoid and protect my family.  In my opinion crime is probably the biggest barrier to the USVI’s realizing their true potential.  This is a paradise, just marred by the lack of resolution to deal with the violent crime and government mismanagement.  There is very little that’s wrong with the islands that can’t be fixed. 

If you're looking for something to do with your children in St. John,

check out the VI National Park.

https://www.nps.gov/viis/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm

Due to covid, many of the programs had to be suspended but you can go by the office in Cruz Bay to get updated information.

Lots of info on maps for hiking trails, snorkel trail at Trunk Bay, Sugar Mill ruins at Annaberg, lots of gorgeous beaches to snorkel and explore plus they may begin some of the cultural progams. Ranger Laurel Brannick mentioned she may be back doing the bird watch walk.

If anyone gets bored on STJ, it's their own fault.

Check out the video about the birds

https://stthomassource.com/content/2021/03/03/gray-kingbirds-emerge-as-leaders-in-the-annual-st-john-bird-count/