christina225

We are due to move to Perth in the next couple of months and am really panicking about my 2 kids, we have a girl of 14 and a boy of 12. Things running through my head, will they make friends, will they like school, are they going to hate me for it, its doing my head in.
I think I’m looking for some reassurance from people that have moved with kids at similar ages that could maybe give me their experiences and how they settled in.
Christina x

Sally Simpson

We have 2 boys, 15 & 10 & we were really concerned about them settling & making friends, in particular the eldest. However, they have both settled really well both at school & in doing other activities.
Try not to worry too much. Kids are very adaptable & although they will certainly miss friends, they will soon make new ones especially if they get involved with clubs etc.

sutty77

Hi Christina
I,m totally same position as you. I have 3 girls aged 12, 10 and 1. The youngest is obviously no worry, the 10 year old wants to go to Australia but the 12 year old doesnt. She says she not leaving her friends and will miss them, also she just started high school last year, so makes it more difficult for her. I feel soooooooooo GUILTY, but i keep trying to tell myself, once she gets there she will love it and make lots of new friends but she not having any of it. I just got to stay strong and tell myself i am doing the right thing for my girls and not let the guilt get the better of me. I could cry sometimes thinking about it. But stay positive, as many people have said on here, kids settle more quickly then we expect them too.

moneypenny20

We moved over when my girls were 13 and 11. 11 year old was fully up for it, first born was totally anti from day one until about a year here. Once we'd moved over however, whilst she wasn't 100% happy, she did fully make the effort to get out there, make friends and make the best of a bad job (in her mind anyway). Three and a half years later, all very happy and very settled.

Don't expect miracles but your eldest is coming to the age where no matter what you do it will be wrong and you'll be ruining her life (even if you stayed put and kept everything the same). Whilst I get your point about it being harder for her since she's moved to secondary school, from our perspective, it helped because it proved to first born that she had managed to transfer from primary to secondary and within a short space of time had made completely new friends and how she wasn't worried about not being with the old friends.

You wouldn't be normal if you didn't worry but I think you know deep down that they will be fine.

christina225

Thanks for the replies, I think i'm having a bit of a wobble today, I'm not so worried about my son, he will go out and kick a ball with anyone, but my daughter is quite shy, she has a great group of friends and to be truthful having a lovely life, just frightened of ruining everything.
Like you say Moneypen normal feelings eh!!!
Christina

Nu-Shooz

Normal feelings for sure, but i would like to point out for those that do settle there are many that don't...like mine for instance. They hated Perth.
Very hard for kids in their teens and it will 50/50. Take the chance that's all you can do.