...to put reception class time before big holiday/relocation?

[VickyA]

DH and I have been thinking for ages about moving to Australia. Time has run away with us, and DH is also having cold feet about the whole "other side of the world" thing, as well as leaving behind his cats....

So we're now thinking about taking a long holiday over there, which would enable us to see if we really want to settle out there for good.

The problem is time - DS starts in reception in January, and he's not a good mixer and will struggle to establish himself there, even though there are 8 kids from his nursery going up to school with him, and 5 are there already.

After I've already refused to contemplate going to Oz in Jan/Feb, meaning DS would go to school at Easter, on his own, DH has suggested we should go at Easter, so DS has had a chance to get his head around the school "idea", then have a few months out and go back into school in September (which may or may not be the same school, god knows where we'll come back to - long story...!)

I feel it'll compromise DS's settling into school "per se", and we should now wait until, say, Easter 09 to take a big trip (ok I know there are issues with taking kids out of school but will deal with that nearer the time or squeeze into school summer hols.) Am I being over-sensitive? He is my PFB, and, unfortunately, has inherited my tendency to observe rather than join in...

Any ideas/comments?

[3andnomore]

rofl...you know Xenia....that might be a good thing...that it isn't England
Not that I have anything against england, am all in all happy here...but would jump at teh chance of returning to germany...but that is another story, and will never happen...unless dh gets his butt into gear and learns teh language....but we have been married 12 years now, and it ahsn't happened...so, I think it never will...hohum

[VickyA]

The thing is, you can only emigrate to Oz if you're under 45, which admittedly gives us 7 years based on my age, but it'll get harder as ds gets settled in school (IF he gets settled...) and it's the sort of thing I just KNOW we'll look back on and wonder what if.... So the big holiday/sabbatical idea does appeal, to lay the ghosts or enthuse us completely, but apart from the money we'd spend (waste?) on that I'm still stuck on the schooling thing...

I think I'll stick it out and insist ds gets at least 3 months settling in time from Jan - our school's not over-subscribed so I can't imagine there'd be a problem getting back in, although I'll obviously check it out before making any decisions..

I just feel so ground down - every option I (or anyone else - thanks HG!) comes up with has fatal down-sides, or so it seems. I should be approaching this grand plan with a positive attitude, but it's just not there...

Ah well, off to Adsa to buy uniform which may or may not be worn for long/at all - aaaagghhhh!!!

[HonoriaGlossop]

oh dear Vicky, it is tricky isn't it

FWIW I think that if there is still a chance that you'll be where you are rather than moving, whether abroad or in UK, then you are right to want your ds to have some time settling into reception. Reception is a very important year, I know my DS would have had a BIG shock had he gone straight to year 1. Good luck.

And IF I come up with plan D, I'll let you know

[Cammelia]

I would say you should put ds into school anyway, no matter how long you think he may stay there.
I was a child of an RAF officer and we went to loads of different primary schools as he was always getting posted to different places.
When we were on standby to join him in his posting to Singapore I went to a village school for one month.
In the grand scheme of your ds's education none of this is that important, I still went to university and got an upper second.
Put him in school, then use the "breathing space" to think more about your future plans.

[wheresthehamster]

The longer you leave it the harder it will get. As your DS gets more settled and moves up through school there will always be reasons why 'now' isn't the right time.
Good luck!

[VickyA]

Thanks guys - I really appreciate you all taking the time to respond. Lots of thinking to do, for all of us!