How badly am I ruining my child's life?

[oceanchild]

We are hopefully moving the second week of March. Our current daycare is near our current house and really inconvenient from the new place. Recognizing this might happen, I put DS (2.5) on a waitlist for a daycare I liked that's much closer back in fall. I called them this week to ask where he was on the waitlist, and they were like, we can give you a spot right now if you'll start by the middle of February.

I am freaking out.

This is a better center in every measurable way. We've had tons of issues with the current place. BUT, DS has been going there since he was 4 months old. He loves his teachers and has several friends he talks about constantly. He was never going to stay at this place forever, but how terrible will it be to switch schools and move to a new house within a month?

Someone hold my hand please.

[MrsK]

Do it! Kids are resilient. In a few weeks, he'll be totally acclimated to the new place and moving will bring fewer changes.

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[MarissaNicole]

You are going to have to switch him anyway so don't beat yourself up about it!

Wife of a PGY-6

[SoonerTexan]

Do it. Noelle has had 3 different care providers and did just fibe


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[TulipsAndSunscreen]

I actually think the medical kids get an upside of the somewhat tumultuous caregiver situation: flexibility! My kids are much more flexible about who watches them than other kids I know. I chalk it up to our rotating cast of parents, nanny, temp/travel nannies, aunts and uncles, etc.

[Michele]

My kids have all responded well to all of the changes and like T&S said, they are flexible!! My daughter lived in 5 different houses before she was 4! And that doesn't include her dad's 2 places!

[OrionGrad]

Not ruining his life at all! Do it and don't give it a second thought.

[alotofyarn]

It can't be any worse than what we're doing with E - moving her to a new place and school temporarily while we bring a new baby into her life, then moving her back. She's adapted really well so far, and she talks all about her new friends at school.

[Ladybug]

Do it! They are so adaptable when little. Plus less stress on mom makes a better mom

[MsSassyBaskets]

Oh, I feel your pain. We have considered switching to a "better" daycare a couple times, and I've been extremely relieved when I decided I didn't like them as much as her current one. I would hate to do that to her. But if the new one is really better and more convenient in every way, it sounds like a great decision! Are there any friends from the old daycare he could have play dates with so it's not such a hard cut off?

[civilspouse]

I was really worried about taking DS out of daycare for a few months while I had maternity leave (and him adjusting to a new baby) and then putting him back in there for 6 months, then making a cross country move. He handled all the changes like a champ and it really wasn't a big deal for him. Make the change if you feel it is what will be best in the long run. Good luck.


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[oceanchild]

Are there any friends from the old daycare he could have play dates with so it's not such a hard cut off?

I have phone numbers for the parents of one of his best friends. I'll have to try to set something up with them. The teachers at his current school were already planning to separate the two of them when they move up to preschool this summer anyway.

Thanks for the reassurances, everyone. I want a flexible, adaptable kid in theory (and did my share of moving when I was young - 4 houses by age 6), but it's so hard/sad to do in practice!

[spaz]

Smile... I feel for you. I know it feels like a huge deal... Unfortunately, you will still be asking these questions when they are 21 and 19.. ( Did I ruin their life by doing this??? Should I have done that???) Welcome to mommy guilt.

[Meenah]

You are not hurting him at all. I agree with the flexibility too!!!

[oceanchild]

So, in the last 2 days we've run into the parents of both his best school friends, and both of them are leaving before summer too. I also took him to visit the new place on Tuesday (when the current place was closed for a snow day and the new place wasn't!), and he seemed pretty ok with it. Definitely feeling better about the decision this week.