Moving to Italy, daughter unhappy

[Bluefin]

Hi there,
We are moving to Italy in about a week's time. My 7 year old daughter is taking some getting used to the idea, but responded positively when I mentioned getting in touch with other children who have gone through a similar experience. Can anyone offer any suggestions as to how to go about doing this? (I'm going to contact her school to see whether we can make contact with a fellow pupil before she starts.)
Thanks!

[THK]

Blueberryc- my friend moved to Amsterdam in July with her 8 year old. I'm sure she would be really helpful if you need any advice???just shout!

[THK]

Blueberryc- my friend moved to Amsterdam in July with her 8 year old. I'm sure she would be really helpful if you need any advice???just shout!

[natation]

Blueberrycrystal, as someone who is Dutch, I don't think you'll find moving there very hard. I'd be more than happy to be lving there, much better for children than the UK. The thread ZZZenAgain is talking about I would not say is a typical tale of moving to the Netherlands. I wouldn't lose any sleep over moving.

[ZZZenAgain]

lol then don't read the thread by the Mner who went there with her little girl and then decided to leave....

bad deed for the day.

[blueberrycustard]

Boy, this really scares me! We are planning to move to the Netherlands, hope that turns out any better ...

[gordonpym]

And I am not in Italy anymore, so sorry, we can't meet to swap stories!!

[gordonpym]

If Sant Anna in Como, oh poor you,. I gave birth in Sant Anna in Lugano, totally another universe! Italian hospitals/clinics are such a shame - devastating!

[misssilverwings]

HI how is it going near Rome? I am a brit mum living in Lake Como, 1 baby 1 on the way...anyone else closeby wants to get in contact??? Swap stories..there is certainly alot to challenge us here in italy ( I gave birth last year in Sant Anna - horrible....) lok forward to meeting anyone similar! ss.

[Bluefin]

Wow, just logged on after a month or so of no internet, so have just caught up on the mixed set of posts!
So far so good - DD feeling a bit homesick but school v good (is international school - daddy teaching there). School also great help with paperwork..!
Am now more concerned with finding through-the-week activities to take my 1 year old son to!
Need to figure out how to get onto Rome MN discussions (new to MN). will post again!

[BananaGio]

Am one of the other Rome MNers. Second Sputnik-are loads of good things about living here. Have had a verrrry lazy August on the beach, went to a lake for the day yesterday and to the park this morn. Like Sputnik my ds was born here. We live in a central area of the city and I love it!
Is your daughter going into the Italian schooling system or going to an English school?
Worth putting a post on this or this to get in touch with people.
Hope move went well.

[happychappy]

Hi again, been away for work.

For us life is anything but easy lazy and relaxed and I don't know anybody else around me who is enjoying that lifestyle.

Most people are very worried about work and money but there is the beach but I hardly ever get there because I'm constantly working. This is part of the problem.

The paperwork and politics are crap but they have always been crap, we knew that. It all feels very difficult here,

[Sputnik]

Hi, I am one of the aforementioned Rome MNers (waves at DelGirl). Presumably you are here now, so hope things are going ok.

Would second what Gordonpymm says, we have just enjoyed a very easy, lazy and happy morning on the beach here. We've been doing it regularly all month as it's only 20 minutes away. There are lots of positive things about being here. You should definitely get down to the beach asap, she will love that. Torvaianica is nicer than Ostia IME, or head north a little if you don't mind driving.

My DCs were born here so can't really help you with the moving thing but I just wanted to add to the invitation to the little Italy thread, we will get going again soon, after our august break.

[gordonpym]

Ok, you can not - and should not - compare. If you start comparing you'll never be happy. Things are different, food is different and schools are different. But different doesn't mean worse. Far from it. We had a great time in Italy 2 years ago. Weather is fantastic, people are easygoing and nice, food is great. Politic and paperwork are crap, you will more than once be tempted to strangle someone.
The best thing about Italy is that life can be very easy, lazy and happy.
Of course it is going to be hard for your DD so I suggest you call the school and ask for the name and phone number of the class rep, then call her and ask if you could meet one afternoon for merenda with some of the girl/mothers. Don't rely on the school for the meeting-up. As soon as you are settled in your new home, invite other children home for tea and biscuit (yes they love tea in Italy but with honey and lemon - beurck), and then invite again and again but don't expect to be invited back, don't know why.

[LaRagazzaInglese]

Is the move permanent bluefin? have you lived there before? i don't have much advice apart from dooooon't doooo iiiiiiitttt!!!!! joking, im like BitterAndTwisted happychappy!! sorry, ignore me

[ZZZenAgain]

lol at bitter and twisted. Would suit me quite well that name.

Well you are not selling it, that's for sure. It isn't sounding good on the school front. Did you move there for a fixed term or for "good" if that's the right term?

[happychappy]

LOL, visit the new school on line, the schools here are soooooo old fashioned. Can see that happening (sorry I should change my name today to bitter and twisted).

I work in the schools as a teacher, as does my husband. The teachers are often waiting out their pension and are spectacularly rubbish. A large number vary from okay to fantastic but a large portion are rubbish. I live in a very quiet rural so I think this problem is bigger here than in the cities.

Security in terms of work is non existent here. For example its now the 20 August and I still don't know where and if I will have a job next September! This is the same every year. You can't plan anything.

As far as my kids are concerned, I have been saying my son is dyslexic for 2 years and the schools told me very aggressively he wasn't and he was lazy and furbo(sly). I pushed for the school to refer but they refused so I went to my doctor. The tests have come back and he is dyslexic. The teachers has no training in recognising this problem but claims expertise!

My daughter is having terrible trouble with scuola media because we are English (is the long and the short of it). I have been into her school that many times I was to blow the place up! I'm not the only one because I have the same experience of the teachers as do my other English and American friends here. Even the Romans here don't like it and all go back after a very short time.

Perhaps the problem is that we are in a very small rural town and they are generally very closed minded and slow to change.

However, I can rant all day if you want but I will stop, Where are you moving to? I can ask my daughter to give your daughter the low down on living in Italy (the good things).

[ZZZenAgain]

that would be my dd's dream to live in Italy. she couldn't get there fast enough although she loves it here in the Czech Republic too.

Is she worried about leaving her friends? Is that the main worry?

You could get her some nice books about Italy/ancient Rome and view her new school online.

My dd had this (nice and easy) to start learning Italian. With songs etc:
CD course for dc with a little book

[DelGirl]

oh dear happychappy. Do you mind me asking why?

[happychappy]

We live in Italy at the moment, my daughter arrived when she was 7. You can contact us if you want (however we are desperate to get back to the UK!!!!

[DelGirl]

about an hour North of Rome (45 mins on the train). Will you be north or south or east of??? There are a couple of mners in Rome .

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/other_subjects/947359-Brand-new-MN-Little-Italy-22 tis a bit quiet on there as it's August.

[Bluefin]

Just outside of Rome - and you?

[DelGirl]

Ciao Bluefin. Where abouts in Italy are you moving too? My dd who is 5 and I are moving there on the 6th of September!! . NO real words of wisdom to offer though except i'm sure she will be fine once there.