Please help.......

[laurasarah]

Brief background.

Two girls 11 and 8. When my eldest DD was 4 we moved to Derbyshire. We lived there for 6 years but I absolutely hated it so we came home. She is now 11 and has started a new school as has the youngest. We've now been back a year.

The problem is she is still crying because she misses her friends in Derbyshire and keeps breaking down in sobs saying its all my fault etc. I just dont know how to handle this she has made friends at her new school but she still homesick I suppose.

I've tried explaining that when she starts senior school in September it will all change but she just crys and sobs and goes off in strop saying she wants to go back and hates it here.

Anybody else had previous experience I just feel so bad for her.

Can she keep in touch with her friends via skype/facebook/mobile phone etc?
Even an old fashioned letter!
Encourage new friendships by inviting girls home for tea - you'll have to do a lot of this as routine to maintain friendships out of school I've found.
Get her to join after school clubs that interest her - that's always a good way of making friends as you instantly have something in common.
Can she meet up with her old friends in the holidays?
Could she be genuinely unhappy at school - it maybe worth while going in to speak to her teacher who'll be able to help.
Good luck!

Thanks celifate. She has made one good friend who she has back for tea, sleepovers etc but she says she misses her old friends so much. She does keep in touch with them and has had them up for a visit and she has gone down there. I just thought that by now she would have settled.

I dont think shes unhappy at school i have spoken yo her teachers who say shes happy enough although she does have SATS coming up after easter and i knows shes concerned about the maths.

My heart just breaks for her.

I am going completely against Celia's advice. Do you think that holding onto these old friendships are stopping her from fully engaging with the new?
My DD (and me) moved to England last July. She started school in September and has made several good friends and several not so good friends.
I think it's because I didn't let her phone her old friends up or skype them or email them. I didn't stop her completely, but restricted the amount she was allowed.