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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP: For 9th and 6th grade next year, my kids will be in new DC schools. Cohort of friends splitting off because of different school acceptance. That seems to be part of DC culture.  So there is already change happening and new social beginnings. So, the uprooting would be separating from some  neighborhood kids. [/quote]

Hard decision op it's so hard to predict! Some of it is your kid's personalities. Some kids will do well and end up loving it, some it could be very hard. Generally for most kids, especially at these ages, moving is pretty tough. So you should go in with your eyes wide open to that. It doesn't mean don't do it, but don't expect even though they are about to have a lot of transitions doesn't mean that it wouldn't still potentially be very hard. And it's so hard to predict - if 9th grader finds a great new group and feels like she fits in there then maybe things go well. If the kids there have a different vibe than she's used to and she feels a little out it could take longer.

That being said, moving somewhere with a slower pace can be great for kids so I think it's worth thinking about. And no matter what I think you should be understanding and empathic over the next year if you do move to any feelings your kids have about it. Even if you perceive your life to be "better" the best thing to do is to accept all of their feelings about it. 9th and 6th is a hard year to move. Your kids will have transitions but the kids in Ithaca will likely have been going to school, many of them, since elementary. So it's just going to be a transition and those are hard. At those ages, I would personally get to a good place with spouse on pros and cons and then bring it to kids. Letting them know that mom and dad have to make the ultimate decision but that their thoughts and opinions on it are valuable to you. WOrk it through a little as a family.[/quote]

Ithaca has lots of people transitioning in and out of town, including families with kids.  It’s the culture of the universities, so your kids definitely won’t be the only new kids.

I would also not necessarily say the pace of life for academically invested kids is any slower than here in DC.  Plenty of kids have very high achieving parents, and expect a lot.  What is different from DC is you don’t have as many people striving for political power or even wealth, but there is an expectation among a certain set to be very accomplished in science, music, environmental justice, writing etc.  I grew up there, and while most of my friends from that time are very accomplished and well-adjusted, a few of them did implode.[/quote]

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