I need advice from anyone who has moved out of their area when their children were starting school, I am having a wobble about meeting new people...

[grapeandlemon]

We have found the perfect school for DD which means a move further into Kent, (bit more "countryfied") about 20 miles away and long enough that DD won't be able to keep up with her playdates or dance classes.

I have few friends from before DD left tbh as we already moved once to buy a house and have her, and people have just drifted away, understandably there is only so much you can talk on the phone without meet-ups I suppose. Being here for 4 yrs I have built up a nice network of Mum friends which would have blossomed into closer relationships had I been staying here.

I know this is the right thing for us to do but am really worried about if the people are unfriendly or unwelcoming or people have already formed groups and are unwilling to open them. DD is my only one so I feel it's doubly important that she had friends and activities out of school. She is 3. Can anyone offer any words of wisdom?

anyone?

I might be in the same boat soon.
We live in a commuter town and when I worked I knew immediate neighbours but after having DS (6mths) now have a group of girls from ante-natal class who have kept me sane.

DH will be moving jobs soon and we should move to make his commute better. I'm gutted and he's gutted for me as I'm not great at making friends but I keep getting told that DS will give me something in common with people and you will be the same.

Sorry not much help but maybe someone else will come along and make us both feel more positive about it

You will meet mums at school whose children are your DD's friends. If you start her at Rainbows , dancing etc when she is 5 you will meet the other mums there as well.

I'm in a similar situation in that I had built up a group of local mum friends, then we moved to the other side of the country last year. As I work FT I haven't had a chance to meet any other mums. I'm hoping it will be easier when DD (also 3) goes to school.

Whereabouts in Kent?

I've moved six times in 13 years so have a fair bit of experience of having to 'start again' on the friendship front. I find that if you look friendly, ask other parents for their advice and experience about various aspects of school/the area they are generally happy to open up. If you can identify a few nice kids that your daughter gets on with and offer play dates you will very soon have a new circle of friends! Don't be afraid to say 'Hi, I'm new here, can you tell me about...' to parents in your child's class. Good luck!

Oh thank you all who have replied, we are moving to Sevenoaks, I have heard positive things about the school and area being quite sociable but you know what it's like, before you are actually there there is no definates. It is so important to have a good network as a Mum isn't it?