I'll add to Satpak great comments...I have 7 kids from preK to college. My wife has her teaching degree but we've been blessed to allow her to stay home with the kids all my 20+ military career. I've seen all types of situations where families try to avoid moving to provide stability for their families and others who move every 2 years or so. In either case I can point to friends with really screwed up kids. So there is no magic formula.

As I work to get hired by a major airline, I am looking forward to having better quality time with my family. For me this means, when I am not at work I am not tied to a blackberry or short notice requests from my boss or reacting to some world event two continents away. I plan to live in base to lower my actual days away from home especially in the first 3-5 years. I will probably miss alot of holidays but we're used to that and make up for it at other times.

There is one thing I know for sure. Enjoy your kids when they are young. I have no greater joy than coming home to leg hugs from my 4 and 5 year old. As satpak stated after 12/13 all bets are off when the teenage funk hits. They usually come back around after 23 but its never the same. You do only get one shot and even if you do an outstanding job your kids may still fail to reach the potential you see in them. All part of the responsiblity of being a parent.

Money is just one factor in the whole equation--good luck figuring it all out.