to move family for a year?

[omgitcantbetrue]

Hello

An opportunity has come up where by my family could leave UK for a year.This would be entirely by choice.
As a child I was moved school a lot.I did not like it!

I have heard that moving schools sets kids back quite a bit.DS is 6.I do not want to be selfish, to take him away from friends and stable school he loves....BUT I really want an adventure.Is it selfish?

I think you should go for it, if it is just the one year you are away rather than moving to a different place every year I think it would be a fantastic experience! My mum took my little sister traveling for a year when she was 7, my sister really loved it and now aged 10 still talks lots about the different countries she visited and people she met. She is doing very well at school and has a high chance of getting into the local grammar school despite missing a year of school.

What does your dc think?

Academics do this reasonably frequently for sabbaticals, they certainly dont view it as selfish...it can be a chance to bond more with them and he's only 6. Does he think it would be an exciting adventure? Will he be able to go back to his friends etc after a year or is there a chance you will go somewhere else?

I did this at age 6 (Mum on fellowship in the states). I LOVED it. One of the best, if not the best, times in my childhood.

Especially if you'll be coming back to the same place after, I say go for it!

I think it really depends on what the "opportunity" is, where you are going, and your partners attitude (if you have one).

I think it depends on if you'll be returning to the same place after.

If you are then this is an extended holiday - great.
If he'll be leaving his current school, settling in somewhere else, then leaving for a third school in two years -that's not fair IMO and I wouldn't do it.

We did it as a family when I was a child - 2 separate years in two different places, both in Middle East. We went to school for that year in the second place (was pre-school age in the first one). I was 7/8 then, and it was brilliant. Gave me a different view of things, I experienced a totally different culture, my parents still have friends from that time.

We came back from there ahead of UK schools, so it definitely didn't do my education any harm at all.

We would go for a year and return home.DH is up for it!

I think that sounds fantastic and will be very exciting for you as a family. Your DS may (or may not) have problems adjusting back into friendship groups on return, but he is really very young, and you can always Skype etc with his friends while you are away.

A boy from my DS's class is on a two year break in a different country and we stay in touch, and are looking forward to his return.

I would do it.

I would certainly do it, assuming it is somewhere that will give a reasonable level of education or a very high level of excitement.

In that case, I'd go for it. You only live once. You may make friends for a lifetime, you will experience living in a different country, and even if you don't like it there, you'll be home in a year!

We move every two years. Whole family, lock stock and barrel. The biters are fine both emotionally and educationally and we still see friends from previous places.

Take the opportunity and make it a family adventure. It's all in the 'sales pitch' with children, if you're excited, confident and smiley about it they will be too