I have two (of three) boys who will be school age when we arrive in Calgary early next year (ages then will be 6 and 9). Should we put them into school where we rent and then move them to the new school where we buy a house or do we keep them off school until we have found the area where we want to settle (and have to home school them)? I don't like the idea of hiking them out of school after 6 months and asking them to get down in another school (rather disruptive). Your thoughts or experiences would be most helpful folks.

Personally, I would put them in school, just to get them integrating and socialising with Canadian kids. At least that way they'll make some friends and start to settle that way.

Plus if they've never been homeschooled, I would think that would be more disrupting than moving schools - it would take a while to get used to and then they'd suddenly have to get used to learning in a school environment again.

JMO though!

I would try and find the area you want to settle in first and rent there. Most of the people with kids I have helped relocate to Calgary have done it this way and many have gone on to buy houses in the same area.

If you don't know the area you want live in, I would suggest staying somewhere short term (2 to 4 weeks) and use this time as a family to find the ideal location for the rental house. There are a number of options available for short accommodation and I would be happy to send you some information if you need it.

Many people do find the location they want to settle in during a research trip and I either help them find a rental house before they arrive or as soon as they get here. If you have the option of a research trip it is money well worth spending particularly when relocating kids.

With regards to the kids, when you do find your rental home I would put them in school so they can start to make friends and integrate with others.
My kids found it very easy to make new friends here and settled in school very quickly. If the rental house turns out to be in a different area to where you eventually end up buying a home the kids are quite resilient and will make new friends quickly.

I've just helped a family who are on this forum buy a house in a completely different area to where they rent. The kids have enjoyed the house hunting experience and are really looking forward to the new school. I can put you in touch if you want to talk to someone who has done this with 2 children.

Good luck with the plans and feel free to give me a shout if you need any help.
Sam

We had the same dilema when we arrived in February this year with our 10 year old daughter. In the end, after 2 1/2 weeks of indicison, we decided that home schooling was not an option as she would have gotten very bored with Mum all day and therefore we took the plunge and put her into our catchment school. I am glad we did, as it helped her immensely with the integration and getting used to a new school system. After 3 months we managed to buy our house and as it was in a different area she had to move schools, but it was not at all stressfull for her as the two schools communicated to make her transition as easy as possible. Only you can make the decision on what is best for your kids, but my advise is, get them into a school as soon as you can to enable them to make friends. Good luck!

I would try and get a good idea of where you might like to buy and try renting there. This is much easier if you want to live in a newer area as there are more rental properties in newer areas.

Or choose a school that excepts out of catchment kids. There are some good schools that accept out of catchment:

eg E. W coffin, WO mitchell etc.

Gryph

I came over a month before the final big move and bought a house, on my own. Luckily, it's all worked out really well

I didn't want to go through the whole "moving schools twice" routine as I felt one large move across the ocean was enough to be going on with.

With the wonder of hindsight, the kids would have been OK about moving schools again if they had had to. Hey ho - such is life

We rented ~ Kept junior out of school for an extended Christmas period but then felt we "had" to put her in school...... So we did that decision made our decision and we eventually bought a house within the area of that school.

Then we moved 2000 miles a year later and she has settled into her new environment as easily as the last.

Put the boys in school ~ you just never know what's around the corner nor how long it will take to get there (just our feelings)

You willl make the right decision ~ Only you can decide !! Good luck with it all

My biggest kid will be starting G5 in her fifth school in August. She's very adaptable lol. Even the littlest will be starting G1 in her second school.

Some kids do find change difficult, but the majority of kids manage just fine, with a bit of parental preparation and support. Middle kid wants to be home-schooled in our case (because he thinks it would be an easy ride and he wouldn't have to do any, y'know, work...) but he'll be off to his new school as well.

If you are anticipating six months, that will take you until the end of the school year in any case (we try to do our moving over the summer) but they'll cope if not - particularly if they know they will be moving for a final (ish) time. I'd definitely put them in school.

Thanks so much for that. Where did you rent and where did you buy? Any advice on nice/not nice neighbourhoods?

Big thanks for a helpful response.