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Anyone have experience moving their children into a new district? I am planning on moving in the spring, not far, same county but into a better school district. My daughter who is in 8th grade does NOT want to go to the new school despite having more and better opportunities. I get it, she's been with her friends since K and change is scary. I explained we won't be far, her friends are always welcome to come over and she would still see a lot of them at dance every Saturday. I do think that if we were to make this switch, the beginning of high school would be the best option because no matter what, she is in a new building next year with a bunch of kids she doesn't know. Ultimately it IS up to us as parents to do what we think is best for our children, but I'm really torn on this as of course I do want her to be happy. I went through a divorce a few years ago and we moved out of our big house into a rented town-home which was a change she resisted but now seems fine with. The potential move this spring would be back into a larger, one family home again which she would love. And no, there is no open enrollment here. Ugh...parenting is HARD!
Being a Realtor, I see parents moving their kids into new districts/schools all the time. Some are excited, and some aren't so much. I have one under contract right now where we just couldn't find anything in her price point in her current school, so we had to venture a couple of miles away.
My client sent me a picture of her family in front of the house, and her daughter's arms are crossed and she's definitely not smiling. That was 2 weeks ago. They've gone to the house (new construction so unlocked) multiple times, and she's warming up to the neighborhood and the realization that it's a better situation for them. She was also presented with the idea that now that they'll be owning and not renting, she can paint her room whatever color she wants. She's feeling better about it. The younger brother in 3rd grade doesn't really care, but boys will be boys.
Overall, it's the parents' decisions, and kids don't really have a say unless they're going to pitch in with the mortgage.
Moving to a better school district is a really good idea. Girls around the 8th grade age are really scared of that and have lots of "friends" that they don't want to leave. Try talking to her and tell her that family is forever and friends come and go. I hope this helps thank you.
As someone who went through my parents divorce and moving to a smaller house at about the same age, I would keep her where she is. That is A LOT of change for someone her age. School has been the one consistent thing she's had. Don't take it from her. Yes, she will be going to a new school no matter what, but at one she will know nobody, and the other, she will know a lot of people. It makes a big difference to see a familiar face when entering a new classroom or the cafeteria.
Unless her current district is dangerous or downright abysmal, it won't make much of a difference.
Starting high school is scary, for everyone. Your daughter will not be the only one who sees a sea of new faces. It's the perfect time to make the move.
We moved to a new state and of course new school district when our sons were in 7th and 8th grade. My older son wanted to stay in NY and graduate with his classmates (parochial school), we said no. I wanted them to be in school for a year before moving to high school. I promised that we could go back for graduation and we did. We let the kids pick the school district as we did not have jobs but were moving for the schools.
Fast forward 4 years later ; it was the best thing we did for the kids. They have both thrived in the school and just couldn't have done better in NY. Let your daughter tour the school and see the advantages of it.
Back when I was a child, we moved to a new town over the summer, and I made friends with a kid from the YMCA where we went swimming. Right before school started, I talked my parents into letting me go to the not-so-great school where my one new friend went, instead of the really good school I had already been accepted at. I was in 4th grade, and my parents thought I should have a say. 5 years of constant bullying and crappy academics later, both my parents and I really regretted that decision. Still regret it as an adult. I have literally apologized to my parents for making them do that.
Move. In this instance, you know better than your kid.
Back when I was a child, we moved to a new town over the summer, and I made friends with a kid from the YMCA where we went swimming. Right before school started, I talked my parents into letting me go to the not-so-great school where my one new friend went, instead of the really good school I had already been accepted at. I was in 4th grade, and my parents thought I should have a say. 5 years of constant bullying and crappy academics later, both my parents and I really regretted that decision. Still regret it as an adult. I have literally apologized to my parents for making them do that.
Move. In this instance, you know better than your kid.
I agree. OP, Move. You are able to make decisions at an adult level not with the limited knowledge and emotionality of a child.
Now, if the child was a HS Junior or especially a HS Senior IMHO it would be a different but for someone going into HS it is perfect age to move.
BTW, pkbab, I can't believe that your parents would let a 9 year old make the final decision to go to the crappy school over the really good school just because they made one friend over the summer. Did your parents have a "few screws lose upstairs"?
Anyone have experience moving their children into a new district? I am planning on moving in the spring, not far, same county but into a better school district. My daughter who is in 8th grade does NOT want to go to the new school despite having more and better opportunities. I get it, she's been with her friends since K and change is scary. I explained we won't be far, her friends are always welcome to come over and she would still see a lot of them at dance every Saturday. I do think that if we were to make this switch, the beginning of high school would be the best option because no matter what, she is in a new building next year with a bunch of kids she doesn't know. Ultimately it IS up to us as parents to do what we think is best for our children, but I'm really torn on this as of course I do want her to be happy. I went through a divorce a few years ago and we moved out of our big house into a rented town-home which was a change she resisted but now seems fine with. The potential move this spring would be back into a larger, one family home again which she would love. And no, there is no open enrollment here. Ugh...parenting is HARD!
If the only reason you're moving is for your daughter's education, I'd have to ask if the school is really that much better. I mean, if you're moving to get out of a gang-infested Greatschools 1, I would say that makes a lot of sense. If you're going from a middle-class 6 to a 9, I'd say not so much. If there are reasons beyond that, like family finances, that also makes sense. But if it's only for the school, then it would have to be one really bad school for me to make that choice for my child. Our current school is not great, but my child has friends there and I am not convinced it's worth it to move him to a slightly better school, which I can't really even be guaranteed will be that much better.
She'll be fine once she accepts it and adjusts. I moved a lot growing up. I went to eight different schools by the time I graduated high school. I moved at the end of my junior year, so that meant entering my senior year at a different school 550 miles away. It was fine. I made new friends and enjoyed my last year of school.
My older kids have been to several schools at this point (we were a military family) and they've adjusted fine. My middle schooler is changing schools for the next school year. She's a little bummed about leaving her friends, but they will remain in contact and she knows she'll make new friends.
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