... Having strong ties in both countries has made settling in one place hard for us. Just to touch on some of your points: re #1: I agree. CA is so expensive, and even though pay is far lower in Ireland, I always felt better off living in Ireland than in CA. There just seems to be higher bills, and more of them. Sounds like you don't have kids yet, but when you do, medical costs can rocket, which makes life even harder. Even with a good medical insurance plan, out-of-pocket costs are too high! re #2: I've seen discussions on this topic on other sites, and t ...

Thank you! You have piqued my curiosity now. I'm going to have to check it out. I've read a few things about TCK online, and those who passionately live that life believe the outcome is well-adjusted, happy childhoods. Coming from a childhood where I lived in the same house my entire life until I moved away to the US, I probably lean more favourably on the side of giving my kids that kind of stability. But then what's right for one family, and another, can be miles apart. I guess it all comes down to how you raise them, and what values you give them. That doesn't have to be different no matter how many countries they end up living in. Were the non-positive results long-term affects, or just day-to-day issues? Feel free to Drop links to any useful websites you find. It's an interesting topic, for many people who will be moving, whether it be to Ireland, or elsewhere around the world.