Help Me Be Prepared Please! (Re: Moving for Job)

My best advice is to not talk it up too much.
Let him know about the move, be happy and positive, answer any questions he has and then let it go.
Sometimes parents actually make a kid MORE stressed and nervous when it comes to major life changes (moving, new school, new baby, etc.) by making TOO big of a deal out of the situation. With some kids, the more you talk about it the more they will fixate and worry about all the "what if's."
And yes, he WILL be fine. He's at a great age for a move, it's much easier making friends as a kindergartener than as a tween or teen.
Congrats and good luck!

Make this particularly special for him. You are making some really big assumptions about his response and when I had to make a move when my son was 5 almost 6. He really wasn't as disturbed as I prepared for him to be. His main concern was about where I would be and how much time we would have together.

I would pack a special nap sack just for him. I would put some new things in it having to do with your new hometown and area. My son was very much into maps. So having a map of the area was exciting for him. Also having some new toy based on Nashville may be fun for him too. Along with whatever his thing is. For my son it was all about hand held cars like Matchbox or Hotwheels.

As we pack up for the final version of the move. He would get to pack his favorite books and toys (the ones that travel in the truck with us to keep them well preserved and ready to roll when we get to our new home).

Remember you are his stability and you just may be overthinking this whole thing. I know I was. My son was great for our move and he was able to make friends easily and I continued to be his stability because he always knew he could count on me.

Congrats on the new job and the move. You all will be just fine but keep as much a of regular schedule as you can with bedtimes and eating times. It helps keep your little one more stable during this move.

I moved every 2 1/2 to 3 years growing up. My mom made a big deal and how much fun we were going to have exploring a new city. She would generally have a list of things we would do the first few weeks. She was positive, happy and excited when she talked about the move.

Nashville is a wonderful city. They have a zoo, lakes, parks. Its really a very nice "little" city to live in. Enjoy! I would move to Nashville in a heartbeat!!!

Maybe let him be involved? I remember we moved from NY to TX when my son was in Kinder -- when we were looking for places to live, we let him look at the houses on the web with us. Asked him what kinds of things HE wanted in a new house, etc. It made him feel invested in the process, and got him excited.

Also we had a big garage sale before we moved, and he got to keep the $ we made from selling anything that was his to buy stuff for his new room.

Good luck with your move... I hear Nashville is fantastic!

we were talking about Kinder teachers the other night at my house. The earliest teacher I can remember is my 1st grade teacher. My mom asked 'What about your Kinder teacher'. What? Turns out that I had Kinder in one school and 1-5 in a different school. I am now 38y and do not remember the Kinder teacher or other school. I only remember going to one Elementary school for 1 - 5.

Kinder to Kinder or Kinder to 1st is actually a good time to transition (you don't say when the move is), as the kids are just starting to form friendships. There will still be kids coming in to the school that were in private Kinder and moving. What I tell my kids is that you don't have to be friends with everyone right away. The goal for each day is to learn the name of 1 new person. If you learn 2, all the better.

I think you have figured out most of it already. Being positive, upselling the move, etc. are all important. But even then, he may still be very sad about leaving.

We moved 3 years ago when our little one was in preschool. Both boys didn't seem to have a problem at all. They started at a new school and preschool halfway through the year and everything was fine. However, our little guy told us a couple of times during the first few weeks that he hated the new house. I asked him why, but he couldn't say. All he knew was that he "just hated it". Anyway, this went on for the first couple of weeks. I always told him that it was ok to be sad about the old house, that I was a little bit sad too, but that he would get used to the new one eventually. I was so worried and heartbroken about it, especially since he was right, our old house had been way better because it was much bigger, newer and right by the park. I missed it so much too. Now, three years later he barley remembers our old house and basically this house is the only home he truly knows as his home.

One last thing. Take tons of pictures of everything preferably now when the house still is the way it always was. He will forget so soon. Having pictures of his old room etc. will help him remember his first home. As soon as the for sale sign goes up things will be different.

I moved a lot as a child, as my dad changed jobs and was transferred. I honestly have no negative memories from it.

My big tip is to take advantage of technology today. If your son feels sad, remind him that he can Facetime or Skype with friends, talk on the phone, etc. to keep in touch. He won't be losing friends, but just gaining new ones is how I'd approach it.

For what it's worth, my best friend moved away in 3rd grade back in the 70s. Thirty-something years later, we're still friends, even though we don't live in the same state. :)

Take a deep breath. We're actually (hopefully) going to be in the same boat, so I will be watching for suggestions too!

When I worked as a psychologist, this came up fairly often. Just some suggestions:
1. Be genuine. You don't need to be "hyped up" about the whole situation. Be yourself because your child will know if you're adding to your excitement for his benefit. Odds are pretty good that you have some hesitations as well. It's OK to share with your son that you are nervous, but excited at the same time.
2. Take a TON of pictures of your house, his school, his friends (if you are allowed), the library, soccer field... wherever he spends his time. Use those pictures to make a scrapbook for him of his "old house". Have him help you write captions under the pictures and let him look at it often following the move.
3. If possible, have a pen pal (email pal) with whom he can communicate for a while to transition.
4. Don't have him "disappear" from his friends. If possible, have a playdate with his best friends and/or neighbors so that he gets a chance to say goodbye to people. WARNING: this is going to be very tough on him and you, but you really need to allow him the closure.
5. Be patient with him as he gets settled in the new location. He will be moving mid-year which is really tough on kids. He will need to meet new friends, learn the routines (which the other kids will already know) and find his way around a new town. Allow him to have emotions about all of this, but keep your limits and expectations the same and clear.
6. Make a big calendar for him marking the things that will happen between now and the day he starts at his new school (think Kindergarten calendar.... poster sized with pictures). We do this with my son and it's wonderful. I put everything on there and he crosses out the day before going to bed. It's highly reassuring for a child to know what's coming "next", especially when things may feel out-of-control for him.

Good luck and congratulations on the move. He will be fine. Be there. Be patient. Be open. Be consistent.