We are considering relocating to Belize next year with our 17 year old son. We have been advised that this is a bad idea as there is nothing for teenagers to do except get into trouble. We had hoped that it would be a better environment physically and mentally for teenagers there than it is here in Glasgow, UK. Debate!!

No debate, we brought our teenage son with us when we moved. Kids here are outside more and sports are everywhere. You will probably find he is way ahead of others in his classes in school. We homeschool our kids even before we moved here so that part of the transition did not apply to us. But when we compared what he was learning at his level compared with what equivalent age groups of Belizean teens were being taught, he was way ahead of them. It is one of the best things we did for our kids moving to Belize, but there are major adjustments.

check out your pm

Thank you dabunk. It is great to hear from other people with teenagers that it is not all doom and gloom! If my son comes he will have finished school by that time so I am still concerned that there may be few opportunities for him out there other than persuing his hobbies. Which he may be quite happy with for the long term but I would not be!

Hi Karen

I will still answer the email but since you have made a post here....

The only reason my teenage daughter is currently not residing here is because she is furthering her education abroad.

She did live here until she was 17.

Sure there are drugs on the street, alcohol is abundant, hiv/aids is prevalent, teen pregnancies are at an all time high. But isn't this true of any place you live?

However, we have something that other places doesn't have - an amazing caribbean sea and reef system to explore, virgin rain forests, ancient Maya temples and other ruins.

oops gotta go....

Thanks as always Amanda. I look forward to your e-mail.