Tuesday 11 August 2020

How my teen's life has changed since moving house.

It's been just over a year since we moved from Northumberland to Scunthorpe and over the year I've lost count of the times I have tweeted something and someone has said to me moving house was the best thing for your family.

Becky's life has changed since we moved house at the end of June last year. Yes she finished her GCSE's in Northumberland then we moved house and she started college but there is so much more to it than that!


Becky has given me permission to write this blog post and has read it and approved it.

Becky had a rough time at secondary school. Partly due to bullies and partly brought on by herself. I'm not going to dredge it up as much as I would like to. All her suffering was brought on because she wanted to fit in so badly.

When she left secondary school she was so glad to leave. I had hoped that moving would give her the new start she needed and it did! She instantly became more relaxed when we moved house. She wasn't on edge and it was the beginning of her new life.

At first there were little things that we noticed. The day we moved house Becky wore her hair down and hasn't really pulled it up into a ponytail since. (well until last week). At school she would only wore her hair up because most of the other girls did. It was doing her hair no good. She would pull it in the tightest ponytail and use a ton of hairspray. She was trying to fit in and be like the other girls. Around her hairline she was losing hair. 

Before we moved house Becky would never show her arms as she though they were too pale because all the "cool girls" wore fake tan. I actually think they looked orange instead of tanned but what do I know. The weekend after we moved house was ridiculously hot and she just wore a t-shirt without a shirt or jumper over the top. That carried on right through the summer, she obviously wore jumpers over the winter but her arms are showing again now and is actually getting a natural tan! A while ago when it was hot she even went as far as cutting some of her faded, tatty jeans and made shorts. She would never show her legs so this is a massive thing for her. I am so proud.


Becky has had a couple of part time jobs since moving here and started to learn to get money you have to work for it. Over the winter she didn't work as what she had was just seasonal and then a week before she was due to start work again this year lockdown happened. She has since started a new part time job which will fit around college. She is still on trial but I will write about it soon.

Since Becky has started college she has changed so much. She isn't bothered about trying to fit in. If people don't like her she just doesn't care. She can take or leave them and does. She has made friends by being herself. Genuine friends. She did have issues with one person but soon put her in her place. It was a girl who tried to bully her a little but Becky stood up for herself and scared her off.

Becky has made a good bunch of friends at college. There is no cliques like at secondary school. There were two groups in her class when she started in September. The older girls who were at the college in a previous year and the younger, school leaver girls but before the college was closed they were all mixing together. Becky thinks it is so cool to have friends of all ages. One of her good friends is 19 years old has a baby which I was a bit wary about but she's a sensible lass who doesn't lead Becky astray. When she goes back in September to start a 2 year health & social care course there will be new starters and more friends to make.

When we lived in Northumberland Becky would hate to leave the house alone and to be honest I didn't like her to. Not because of her but because of other people. We didn't live in the nicest of areas and it sometimes it didn't feel safe. Before we moved Becky had never been on a bus by herself but now Becky can easily get the bus to college about half an hour away and makes it back without any trouble. She used to go out with friends to Scunthorpe before lock down and and hang about with friends in the small town we live in. I don't worry as much now.

I think the biggest change since we moved house is that Becky is now in a relationship and has a girlfriend who is a lovely lass. At first she was worried about telling us that she was bi-sexual but it isn't a big deal. She can be lesbian, bisexual, straight or whatever. It really doesn't matter as long as she's happy.

Becky has found her own style over the last year. She is all about t-shirts, checked shirts, hoodies, jeggings and vans. She has realised that men's t-shirts are better than woman's t-shirts and come at half the price in Primark. Her favourite Queen t-shirt is a man's one and nobody would know.


She has stopped liking what is expected of people her age music wise she likes Queen, The Beatles, David Bowie, Prince and Kurt Cobain! There was a time when I asked her if she only loved music that dead people had released and she rolled her eyes and said David Bowie isn't dead. lol She thought he was still alive. She of course still likes music which is in the charts like Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran and Panic! At The Disco and since the 10th anniversary of One Direction being together she's started listening to them again.

Becky has grown in confidence so much since we moved house. She will speak to everyone and can hold a conversation with anyone. I was on the bus with her just before lock down happened and she started talking to a random woman which is something even I wouldn't do.

Moving house was the best thing for my family and most of all for my girls. They are happier than they have ever been and long may it continue.

4 comments :

  1. What a lovely girl you have! Wishing you all, all the best xx

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  2. It's so lovely to hear. Moving was definitely one of your best decisions ever ! xx

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  3. It sounds like she is really flourishing since moving, I bet you are so proud and happy for her x

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  4. You already know how happy I am for you guys. Becky is such a lovely girl, she deserves all the happiness. xx

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