Ds upset about leaving his prep

[salsamummy]

Ds 12 is due to leave his prep this June. He has been crying at bedtime about leaving. Is there anything i can do to ease the transition.

He had brought home some information about the year 8 year book so this has obviously set it off.

I think listening and talking to him about how he feels will help. It's a big change - especially if he's been at that prep for 8 years it's natural for him to be scared and sad and having an outlet for those emotions is a good thing. I'd just chat with him, ask him what he thinks secondary will be like etc.

It’s only normal that some children worry about the change, others embrace it with delight. It is hard to leave your good friends and move into a bigger school and start all over again as the youngest in the school. Up coming CE can also worry children. Assuming he’s going to a school that he and you have chosen big it up, look on the website at activities etc going on, look at subjects offered and other opportunities that you think he’ll like, and doesn’t currentky have, also acknowledge his sadness and any possible anxiety and discuss how he can keep in contact with friends from prep once he’s left.
My DS2 didn’t keep in contact with any of his friends from prep, he declined an invitation to a recent reuinion but when I looked in the school magazine lots of his friend had gone. DS1 was too disorganised to RSVP the invite but I suspect that if he had seen in time it he would probably chosen to go.

thank you so much for the great advice. I think the fact quite a few of the boys are going across the road to the boys school and to other schools is a big deal as none are going to our choice.