child split from group

evey2210

Hey
Wondering if anyone can help me. I sent my child to preschool for two years and onto junior infants in the same school as I knew the transition would be easy a and he'd have the same friends. For senior infants next year they have split the class into two. 8go in with jnr infants and 13 in with first class. The education aspect doesn't bother me at all but he is completely heartbroken. Not one of his friends are to be in the same class as him. there was 13 boys 9 will be with first and he will be with the jnrs with three other boys.every single member of his playgroup year moves to a different class. Has anyone ANY suggestions as to what I can do to TRY get him moved in with his original class . All day he's devastated. The teacher even kept them back while the other 13 went on to look at their new class today! He ran out of school crying. He's an only child who loves his friends I just feel so heartbroken for him! !

byhookorbycrook

It's not likely he'll be moved, to be honest, is there a school policy on splitting classes?

evey2210

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

It's not likely he'll be moved, to be honest, is there a school policy on splitting classes?

There is no school policy but emotionally he's just not prepared for it.!! Just hoping there's something I can do

byhookorbycrook

Reassure him that he will be with his friends at breaks etc. Continue to have them over to play etc.

Big Bag of Chips

He has been in the class with all the other kids for a full year. So even though he might have his "best" friends he will also ne friendly with the others he is in class with.

Just be aware that he will take his cues from you and how you react. So if you make him think this is the biggest disaster to ever happen then he WILL be upset over it. If you put a positive spin on it then he might be a bit upset but he will very quickly get over it.

To be honest, the school can't move kids once they've made the decision. You are only interested in your child, but there are 20+ other kids whose parents might think that if the school moves your child then they could request a move because their child isn't with their friends, or because they prefer the other teacher, or the other classroom, or the kids in the other JI/1st class.

It'd very unlikely that the school will move him, so best you can do is not to seem too upset by it.

Kathnora

I couldn't agree more with Big Bag of Chips. It is how the parent reacts is the determining factor. At Jun Infant level friendships are made and broken too quite easily. Yes the child is upset and that's to be expected but it can be temporary if the parent handles the situation in a positive manner...distract the child, reassure him that all will be well, don't make a fuss about it....it's all part of life really. Sometimes I think parents can't bear to see their child upset and will do anything to make things better for them. However, at some stage the child will have to deal with disappointments in life be that a broken friendship or a failed exam or whatever. Dealing with the bad or sad stuff is a skill we have to pass on to our children. The ones who can't cope with these things are the ones who end up with problems. I know a family who wanted to move house but their daughter kicked up such a fuss about being parted from her friend next door that they decided to stay and extend their house instead. And....guess what? ....the friend's family moved house the following year themselves!

nickig

He has had a full year with the others and has already been said he knows all of those kids even if he doesn't count them as his best friends. My advice would be to try contacting some of the parents of the kids of the kids who will still be in his class and try to arrange some play dates with them (and without the kids he would usually play with) over the summer.