Parents always want the best for their children. And sometimes, that means taking drastic measures like uprooting their lives and moving far away to start anew.
This mom of three had to make a tough decision when she decided to move her family from Florida to Connecticut. She had valid reasons to do so, which she discussed in a recent TikTok video. Some of them had to do with the currently tumultuous political climate in the United States.
You will find the transcript of her post below and some commenter reactions. We also had a brief conversation with Ellie Doyle, who provided more insights into her post.
This mom of three is uprooting her children’s lives and moving to a new state
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In a TikTok post from late December, user Ellie Doyle gave five reasons for her decision
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
One of her most prominent reasons was the state-imposed book ban
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Florida's gun laws were also a factor
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As well as the cost of living disparity between the two states
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Connecticut’s weather and proximity to other major cities were also a huge deal for her and her husband
Image credits: syda_productions / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: bedneyimages / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: reheatedcoffeeclub
There have been growing concerns among parents in Florida for the last couple of years
Image credits: Image by Freepik (not the actual photo)
A 2023 Kids Count Data Book report revealed that Florida ranked 31st out of the 50 US states regarding child well-being.
Numbers show that 753,000 kids live in poverty, more than 1.2 million with parents lacking secure employment, and 1.5 million live in households with a high housing cost burden. It also revealed that 72,000 teenagers are out of school and are not working.
Then, there are laws like the Parental Rights in Education Act (a.k.a. “Don’t Say Gay”) and Stop WOKE that limit educators from discussing matters like gender, sexual orientation, race, and identity.
As Ellie tells Bored Panda, Florida has historically underpaid its teachers, resulting in a high turnover rate. The misappropriation of the school budget added insult to injury, along with the prevalence of mass shootings.
Ellie also mentioned the “Don’t Say Period” bill, which Governor Ron DeSantis signed in 2023. Like the previous bills, this one prevented discussions about human sexuality and reproductive health.
“Most women, including myself, got their period before fifth grade. Imagine not having a household that teaches you what that means. It’s honestly crazy that this is no longer taught in elementary schools here.”
These alarming cases and new regulations drew concerns among parents like Ellie. But unlike her, some of them don’t have the same options of leaving for another state.
“If I leave Florida, then who am I leaving behind? If we go, who is left to fight?” Sarasota-based mother and Support Our Schools co-founder Angela Wynn told The Washington Post in a March 2023 interview.
Like Ellie, Seth Stottlemyer grew worried when the Florida government imposed a ban on books, coupled with its discrimination against LGBTQ kids. As a father of a five-year-old daughter, he is anxious about the uncertainty of her future.
“It’s scary to think that there are people who are wanting to try to marginalize her,” he told the Post.
The current political situation in the United States adds to the worries of parents
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The Thomas B. Fordham Institute points out the importance of feeling safe and valued for a child’s development. Without the fear of bullying and gun violence, along with ample support from educators and the state, children become more engaged and willing to take intellectual risks.
Ellie says their plan to move out of Florida began brewing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the state has started leaning more toward the right, her worries have become more pronounced.
She adds that the current political climate has made her “extremely concerned” about raising her children in such an environment.
“I don’t want to raise my kids in a place where it’s dangerous to be queer or where they’re taught that immigrants should be dehumanized and treated as less than human. I don’t want to raise them to believe that Christianity is the only ‘right’ religion, among so many other reasons,” she explained, adding that moving out of the country may even be an option.
It’s why parents like Ellie are willing to uproot their children’s lives. While it is a huge move, it gives her kids a better chance at a bright, thriving future without worrying about their environment.
“It’s definitely a crazy time to be a parent,” Ellie says. “But we’re doing the best we can with the hand we’ve been dealt. I think moving to an area with more like-minded parents will be a really nice change of pace."
Most commenters agreed with Ellie’s decision
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