You have already displayed the patience and endurance that will stand you well with this hobby !
You will receive a range of advice now, some conflicting.. but you seem to know yourself and your own needs and wants well enuff to sort your way thru it .
I have a few beginner scopes, being one to try for myself before accepting others opinions
..so here's my take on some...
Dob.. cheap and easy, but needs mechanical improvments, and maintenance, ..that can be a chore if you're not that way inclined.. but absolutely the most for your $ in the whole range of visual... needs some study to learn your way around... and here the "binoculars first" advice chimes in... not without merit, but limited to low magnification wide views.
The smaller EQ reflectors I have no direct experience, but would get the 130 'P' version.. if I went that way.. just above/borderline frustrating "toy" from what I can gather. I do have a GSO-500 , and it is a mighty lil scope!!
It's not "The Big Time" but a competent imaging platform for lunar and planetary beginners, and introduces the newcomer to 'celestial mechanics' in a forgivingly easy package... It does have the same 'collimation' requirement as a Dob, being Newtonian... and this brings me to ask if there's any reason you haven't included a small refractor in your deliberations ?
With such young children, I could imagine an EQ mounted Newt' might not be as easy as a Dob'.. or maybe not
Good Luck with your choices!! I'm sure you will enjoy whichever you decide to go with