How did you explain to your LO that they have to go to a new school? LO is 100% happy where she is, DH and I are not, which is why we are moving her.
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We switched DD1 (almost 4) at Christmas and didn't really tell her a reason. We just made it seem normal and talked up all of the fun/new things about it: that we would get to walk to her new school, that her friend down the street goes there, etc. She never really seemed to question why, and I'm not sure she even knew it was weird since the 2 weeks off for the holidays made a nice clean/long break in between.
We are also switching her next fall so that DD1 and DD2 can go to the same school, and we are just talking up how it will be SO FUN to go to the same school with DD2, how much fun she had when she visited the school, etc.
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I don't have any advice, but I really hope your new school is more affordable!!
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We switched my daughter from in home to a center and I never really told her why. I just talked about the change and told her it was going to be great and she was very accepting of that.
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@Adira: It is! $200 a month.
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@KayKay: @yellowbird: I asked her last night if she wanted to go to a new school last night and she said No, Mommy. I just want to go to school with Room Name Friends. Last week DH went up there and she was with him, since it was s teacher work day at her current school, and she started crying saying she wants to play with friends.
She would be switching to a new room in August anyway, but I can't really explain that to her either.
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@Smurfette: Do you mean $2,000 a month? Or are you saving an extra $200/month?
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@Adira: $200 a month cheaper.
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We switched my son when he was 3.5, but it was because we moved, so it was a good excuse. Depending on how you think she will take it, just make it sound like it's a normal thing that people do. It's time to change schools, meet new friends, do new things.
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@lamariniere: I could play up that angle. Her "boyfriend" is her class is moving to. His parents and us wanted to keep them together but we both got a better feeling at a different school. He will be leaving first so maybe that will help.
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@Smurfette: Very nice!!
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I struggled with this too when LO had just turned 3. LO was excited to start at a new school but after a few days she didn't want to go anymore I and wanted to return to her old school. I told her we couldn't and she cried and cried. Eventually I told her that the old school was closed. Somehow giving her that reason made her feel better and she stopped asking to go.
Tbh I'm not sure if that was the best thing to tell her but I didn't really know what else to say that she would understand.
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@Smurfette: sounds like a good plan!
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We just kinda said that the old school didn't have enough room (chairs) for her and baby brother so we needed to go to a new school that had room. She had played musical chairs and so she kinda understood the concept of not having enough chairs.
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@smurfette: since she didn't have a choice in it, i did try to avoid asking her what/if she wanted. not sure your situation (are you switching immediately?), but with ours, we didn't really even tell her that it was her last day at the old school. we just had holiday break, and starting the first day of that, we talked about how after break, she would have a new school. again, making it seem super-fun and exciting and highlighting all of the new things.
also, you can talk about how you can have playdates with old friends (if that is a possibility)? there is one girl from her old school that DD asks about every once in awhile. we also moved states, and she still talks about how she misses some of her friends from that school. i think it's just important to acknowledge and accept those feelings -- "i miss CO too, honey. it's hard to move/change schools" but just be matter of fact about it!
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@KayKay: We have to give 30 days notice. We were at a bday party this weekend, so the parents pretty much all know we are pulling her and we all said that we want to do playdates. Especially with her one friend.
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