Kindergarten/moving debacle (SAHM, parents, daughter, five year old)
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We were planning on moving from AZ to MN by my birthday this year (last month), but decided it would suit us best to stay and finish our house for remodel, which meant staying another year.
Well, we are already worn down by the heat and it's only June(!) and looking at our house, we are very close to being finished and rather than waiting the full year, we are considering taking out a small loan to finish everything off and just get the eff out of here! I am just worried about my daughter...
She starts school here late July (year round school). Even if we took the loan out today, there is no way we could finish everything, locate a job for my husband, sell the house and get moved in just one month. Just not possible. At best, we are looking at two months from the day we receive the money.
I can't just leave her out of school on the idea we are moving in case something happens and we are stuck here well into fall (or winter ) (she is also EXTREMELY excited about going to school; talks about it everyday and I don't want to take that away from her), but from what I understand, school doesn't start there until around Labor Day, so if we move in say August/September she will have an extremely long and strange semester with two first days of school with no fall break (here she will get two weeks off in October). I was thinking to try and time the move to coincide with the fall break so she gets time off, but I think hitting that perfectly is going to be near impossible :/.
Do you think that long semester is going to be strange or hard on a five year old who's never gone to school? I know kids are resilient and she is pretty adaptable/easy going, but I don't want to burn her out either. Should we just wait until Christmas?? Next summer, let her finish out the year??
It's Kindy....don't over think this. You can either send her in July and move...or if you really think you'll complete the move by the time school starts there...just keep her out.
Either way...kids that age will adapt...and two first days of school sounds pretty neat!
You mentioned finding a job for your husband, so I assume he doesn't have one lined up yet. Do you have a job waiting for you in Minnesota, or are you planning on being a stay-at-home mom?
Either way, one thing to consider would be for whichever parent won't be working (you, if you're a stay-at-home; otherwise your husband, since he doesn't have a job lined up yet) to take the kid and move to Minnesota in August, and have her start school at the regular time. Then, when the Arizona house is finished and sold, the other parent could move as well.
Sure, it's less than optimal. But you'd at least avoid having to switch schools mid-semester.
It's Kindy....don't over think this. You can either send her in July and move...or if you really think you'll complete the move by the time school starts there...just keep her out.
Either way...kids that age will adapt...and two first days of school sounds pretty neat!
I agree that kids that age adapt well. If she starts in July and then starts again in September it won't be a big deal. If it turns out that she really needs a break, which I doubt, you can always take her out of school for a long weekend or two later in the fall.
She doesn't know what a semester is. She doesn't have any expectations about what is "too long" or "just right." Only we parents have those.
Just do what works for your family and hope it times out the way you want it to. Above all, keep a positive spin on it for your daughter, so she will follow your lead. If you show anxiety about a transition that YOU perceive as less than ideal or "a debacle," she will pick up on it.
As Scarlet said, it's kindergarten. It doesn't matter THAT much.
Instead of enrolling her in the public year round school, is there a private kindergarten (lots of churches around her have excellent kindergarten programs) you could enroll her in? Then perhaps move her to a private kindergarten in MN when you move and then start first grade at the public school?
Otherwise, yes, moves are hard on everyone, but she will adjust quickly whenever you do eventually move. And, frankly, it's kindergarten -- if she shows signs of burning out, give her a few "mental health days" off for her own private break, and do something as a family to explore your new home. It's not the end of the world, in kindergarten. :-) I'm surprised the MN schools don't have a little fall break, either -- the ones down here have a long weekend around Columbus Day.
We were planning on moving from AZ to MN by my birthday this year (last month), but decided it would suit us best to stay and finish our house for remodel, which meant staying another year.
Well, we are already worn down by the heat and it's only June(!) and looking at our house, we are very close to being finished and rather than waiting the full year, we are considering taking out a small loan to finish everything off and just get the eff out of here! I am just worried about my daughter...
She starts school here late July (year round school). Even if we took the loan out today, there is no way we could finish everything, locate a job for my husband, sell the house and get moved in just one month. Just not possible. At best, we are looking at two months from the day we receive the money.
I can't just leave her out of school on the idea we are moving in case something happens and we are stuck here well into fall (or winter ) (she is also EXTREMELY excited about going to school; talks about it everyday and I don't want to take that away from her), but from what I understand, school doesn't start there until around Labor Day, so if we move in say August/September she will have an extremely long and strange semester with two first days of school with no fall break (here she will get two weeks off in October). I was thinking to try and time the move to coincide with the fall break so she gets time off, but I think hitting that perfectly is going to be near impossible :/.
Do you think that long semester is going to be strange or hard on a five year old who's never gone to school? I know kids are resilient and she is pretty adaptable/easy going, but I don't want to burn her out either. Should we just wait until Christmas?? Next summer, let her finish out the year??
No...Go asap. There will be winter breaks, holidays etc. The school year is not all year round here, so it should be fine. I think she sounds very excited about school, and that will probably help you in the transition to MN because she will still be going to school.
Worse case scenario, you take her out a couple weeks before leaving, or you don't get moved til October. Kindergarten is not the issue H.S. would be. I think she sounds very excited about school, and that will probably help you in the transition to MN because she will still be going to a school.
Go for it...You have made it clear in several threads this is what you want....Don't let a couple weeks make a year difference. Enjoy your move!!
My just-finished-Kindergarten daughter loved Kindergarten so much she never wanted it to end ever. Your kiddo sounds about the same. I don't think an extremely long semester will bother her much.
If it looks like she needs a break at some point, take her out for a few days. According to this website Minnesota Compulsory Education Laws - FindLaw the law is a child doesn't *have* to be in school until age 7 anyway.
Here is the thing--she's in Kindergarten. She won't know the difference in terms of an extra long semester. It won't be a big deal to her unless you decide to make it a big deal. She'll have days off, and as another poster suggested, you can wait a week or two in your new location before enrolling her.
It's Kindy....don't over think this. You can either send her in July and move...or if you really think you'll complete the move by the time school starts there...just keep her out.
Either way...kids that age will adapt...and two first days of school sounds pretty neat!
I tend to over think. It's just my way .
Quote:
Originally Posted by bus man
You mentioned finding a job for your husband, so I assume he doesn't have one lined up yet. Do you have a job waiting for you in Minnesota, or are you planning on being a stay-at-home mom?
Either way, one thing to consider would be for whichever parent won't be working (you, if you're a stay-at-home; otherwise your husband, since he doesn't have a job lined up yet) to take the kid and move to Minnesota in August, and have her start school at the regular time. Then, when the Arizona house is finished and sold, the other parent could move as well.
Sure, it's less than optimal. But you'd at least avoid having to switch schools mid-semester.
Yes, I am a SAHM and will be for at least 4 more years. No, my husband does not have a job lined up, but his boss and upper management are fully aware we intend to move within the next 6-12 months and volunteered to help him find a job. I am optimistic that with (what appears to be) a good job market up there, coupled with strong references from his employers, he will have an okay time finding something.
Unfortunately we can in no way afford to both rent and a mortgage, so moving separately is not possible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dblackga
Instead of enrolling her in the public year round school, is there a private kindergarten (lots of churches around her have excellent kindergarten programs) you could enroll her in? Then perhaps move her to a private kindergarten in MN when you move and then start first grade at the public school?
Otherwise, yes, moves are hard on everyone, but she will adjust quickly whenever you do eventually move. And, frankly, it's kindergarten -- if she shows signs of burning out, give her a few "mental health days" off for her own private break, and do something as a family to explore your new home. It's not the end of the world, in kindergarten. :-) I'm surprised the MN schools don't have a little fall break, either -- the ones down here have a long weekend around Columbus Day.
I was fortunate enough to get her in the best charter school in the state here. It follows the same scedule as the regular public school. Private school is too expensive.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pkbab5
My just-finished-Kindergarten daughter loved Kindergarten so much she never wanted it to end ever. Your kiddo sounds about the same. I don't think an extremely long semester will bother her much.
If it looks like she needs a break at some point, take her out for a few days. According to this website Minnesota Compulsory Education Laws - FindLaw the law is a child doesn't *have* to be in school until age 7 anyway.
I know she doesn't understand the concept of a semester or how long one should be, but she will need and deserve a break. I just don't know how much the extra 6-7 weeks of straight school will affect her.
I never thought about delaying enrollment once we move. That might be a good solution.
We just brought the subject up last night and this was our biggest concern (among a few other things). We are very eager to move and get to our next phase of life, but we also don't want out eagerness to lead to hasty decisions.
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) (she is also EXTREMELY excited about going to school; talks about it everyday and I don't want to take that away from her), but from what I understand, school doesn't start there until around Labor Day, so if we move in say August/September she will have an extremely long and strange semester with two first days of school with no fall break (here she will get two weeks off in October). I was thinking to try and time the move to coincide with the fall break so she gets time off, but I think hitting that perfectly is going to be near impossible :/.
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