Originally Posted by Siouxie (Post 11235410)

Hockey will help him make friends that will last for years - he will get better the more he skates.

:)

Originally Posted by Tirytory (Post 11235211)

Hi all,


As the title says really..... My son after initially seeming to settle in, is really struggling at the moment. He's mentioned bullying type incidents, says he spends a lot of recess alone. He told me when he tell the teacher, her response was "what do you expect me to do about it?" He's crying about going to school and cried in school this week. He misses all his friends understandably and says this school is not as good as his old one.

For some background, he is in Grade 3 English Stream of the French Immersion school, which comes with it's only queries. But of only two schools open to us in the area, it was the one with by far the best results. The other school seemed to have nearly 50% special needs per class, and academic progression was awful/negative. We since heard that's it's a not good school and they have split years so it's hard to feel that there is another option open to him. A smaller class size inevitably means less choice of friends also.

Back home, he had lots of friends in his class, and two other best friends which he would spend lots of time with (they still both email him) , was part of a really great rugby team and was friends with so many children in his area because of rugby/cricket/scouts which would have fed into his local comprehensive. I've tried inviting children back, but none of the kids seem to mix like they did back home- maybe because of geographical area and buses- everyone lived in the same area back home. He loves football, but it's not big here so they don't play that at school. He is part of the local soccer team but it really isn't comparable to the rugby structure/sociable side back home.

I feel like we've actively made his life worse by coming here. He wants to go home to his friends, and it's hard to consider staying when you know your child is unhappy and you can see exactly why. We never moved because we thought it would be "better" for him- after all they are pretty comparable countries. We hoped that we could replicate his life.

But it is true that my husband is loving his job and is less stressed, and we can afford a better house, has more money (if that means anything at all).... Feeling confused and terribly guilty... :(

Originally Posted by Siouxie (Post 11235438)

Are there no other schools in the area that he could attend? Perhaps by moving (in Bracebridge)?

http://eqaoweb.eqao.com/eqaoweborgpr...ublic%20School

This one looks like they have fewer 'special needs' students than other schools:
http://eqaoweb.eqao.com/eqaoweborgpr...nt=3813&Lang=E http://mac.tldsb.on.ca/

http://eqaoweb.eqao.com/eqaoweborgpr...nt=3816&Lang=E

:)

Originally Posted by kswoosh (Post 11236292)

When you say football, do you mean soccer or football?

If he liked rugby, has he considered football, as in Canadian/American Football?

Originally Posted by Minstrels87 (Post 11236415)

Our local skating club does offer summer sessions, maybe take a look in your area if your local club does the same. Skating and summer seem strange bedfellows, but hey this is Canada! Summer camp and activities are also very big here (not sure if this will be your first summer here), now is the time to start looking into what is on offer and getting signed up.

My kids were born here so I have no experience of what after school activities in the UK are like these days, but here kids are very "scheduled" with activities so there is little time for after school playmates. Hanging out time seems to happen within with your teams / groups you belong to (when you don't have family around).

I suspect things will be different with your second as you will have the Kindergarten bonding experience, that is probably where the first friendships between your son's classmates were made, and more strategically important between the Mum's and Dads! So as I suggested in an earlier post joining the parent school council would be a good way for you to meet other folks. I think you will find a lot of other "professional" types amongst those parents ( I think your hubby is doctor??). I really don't mean it to sound snobby but that is how things broke down down at the school my kids attended.

Also, back to your original issue of bullying, it's just human nature that being involved and engaged in the school as a parent gives you an "in" with the teachers and therefore more able to get a feel of how issues get handled, more able to have a quick casual word with the Principal etc.