Switching schools in the middle of the school year

We not only switched schools but we moved 400 miles away. We just talked to them about it and were very supportive and listened to their fears. We were able to come back a few times and visit some of their friends also. Now it's three years later and they're fine. I"m the one who's homesick!

Well, my daughter is only two so we haven't had that issue with her. But, we are a military family so I'm sure we will be dealing with it a lot as she gets older and starts attending school. That said, I am a military brat. My dad has been in the Navy my entire life and we moved a lot. When I was little and in the younger grades of elementary school, I didn't mind moving too much. But as I got older and made close friends in school it became really hard and sad to move. It was really hard leaving friends behind and having to move into a new town and make new friends. Especially when there were already cliques and bonds established that I had to break into. To make it easier I kept in contact with my old friends (which came in handy when we ended up moving back to an area!). I relied on my family and talked to them a lot about how I was feeling and handling it. I suggest helping your son to get involoved in activities like sports and other groups. That really helped me fit in and it was easy to make friend's with my team mates. Good luck with the move! Even if it seems tough at the time, your son will get through it and be just fine!

Here is my story. My daughter spent k-4th grade a wonderful Charter school. She really loved it. After 4th grade we had to switch her to another school so we stuck with charter. I did a ton of research and found one that was supposed to be great. SO she went there. It was nothing but trouble right from the start. I kept trying to wait to see if it would get better, but finally both my daughter and I had it. She spent the first quarter plus a few weeks at this school, when I finally pulled her. So I took her with me to public elementary school for our area and we talked to the people there and took a small tour. Then we registered her and she was set to start the next Monday. We talked about her concerns and fears over the weekend. Then on Monday I drove her to school and walked her to her classroom and met her teacher. It was important for us to do that together. Now she loves the school, the people, she has made new friends, she loves her teacher and she loves riding the bus. So I guess my advice would be to talk to your son. Listen to his fears and don't try to tell him everything will be fine. He will learn that in his own time. Just make sure he knows that you are there for him, to answer his questions and you are willing to go to the school and look around with him. Kids are way more resourceful that we tend to give them credit for. Good luck to you and your son.

My kids haven't had to switch. But I did. It is never easy. We were old enough at the time my mom spent some time hanging out and talking things over. It made me feel a little better. I know you have a 2 year old. So maybe you could find a sitter.

this is one the most unfair that can happen to a kid... shifting schools in the middle is not good for a child.. but in unavoidable circumstances we can have them in hostel for that year and shift them in the consequent year...

Yes, we had to move our kids a number of schools in a short time. They are kids and adjusting to changes much easier than we can imagine. If he can have a neighbour same age, the process of integration will be much faster. We, as human beings, are adapting to changing environments, and that's why and how we survive. If you're calmer and he won't feel you're too nervous, it'll make him accept and recover much faster.You're a big part of the "key" to his success. Good luck!

I thought we would have to do the same when our lease was up and I wasn't able to find another place in our area so that he could remain at his school. However our landlord didn't want us to leave and offered to have the rent remain the same for the next two years with no increase. We decided since we didn't have enough $$ for a deposit on another place and the thought of moving everything we accumulated over the two years, having to change schools, having to quit my part time job, we decided it was best we stayed. When we first mentioned it to our son (he's 6 and in 1st grade) he did not like the idea of leaving his friends. We hadn't really sat him down and talked about it because we were not sure of whether we were going to move. I agree with the other posters about sitting them down and talking to them about the changes and being there for him. I know that is what I will have to do if we have to move again in two years.

When we moved into the house we're living now, it was in May, and my oldest son only had a bit over a month left until the end of the school year. But it was very important that we moved out of the place we were in, it was a horrible and violent neighborhood. Out here is quiet and there are loads of other kids to play with, so they were definitly excited to move, and happy once we got here. We'll be moving again in a few months, but we plan to stay in the same school district.