Oh, Sox, it`s gorgeous. Want!

EM's opinion is that we are idiots if we don't take it.

Hec, if it's any consolation, Emeline sometimes goes back to "I miss the gray house in California! I want to go back there and live!" or "I miss the pink house and I want to go back there to live!" or "I miss the brown house!" but then ten seconds later she's all, "I love this house! It's our best house ever and I don't like any other house in the world! Unless it's a castle."

Which is all to say that it seems that at this age, they "miss" everything that ever come before and they complain and wail about it, but it's fleeting. I think that if for your family it's best overall for her to switch schools, then it needs to be done. She will totally get over it. And, she may surprise you - I was TERRIFIED of Emeline's transition to kindergarten because Mrs. J was her bestest friend int he whole entire world. But after a couple of days with Mrs. P, Mrs. P can do no wrong.

Oh, Sox, it`s gorgeous. Want!

hee. it was fun to make! I might standardize some things (ie: not wing it) and then make a few and see where that gets me...

I do try to remember that I barely remember anything about my preschool years, and barely remember kindergarten.

This. I remember zero about preschool. I remember very very little about kindergarten, or even first grade, and then we moved. I think I remember more of the next few grades only because they were all in the same school, if that makes any sense.

It sounds like she'll be all unhappy, but she needs to suck it up--it's better for everyone else AND maybe her!

I kinda have to agree with EM. Not that y'all are ever idiots, and of course, I'm not the one that has to deal woth cranky girl. But y'all are strapped enough, it makes sense, and life is full of transitions and things that we don't necessarily love, but have to do, and I remember the nightmare you had getting Emmett into an elementary school.

Unless you have a horrid experience with the teacher tomorrow, do it. She's a great kid with great parents, and this is the school she'd going to go to anyway, right? Do it. There will be a transition period, but she will not remember it, and it will loosen the screws for y'all in time and money.

life is full of transitions and things that we don't necessarily love, but have to do

Exactly. It's not as if you're moving from a little house in the big woods to be a squatter on Indian territory or something.

I have exactly one memory of preschool: I was on the stage working, and my preschool geek buddy Darren finished before everybody else and got to go down to the play area first, where he got to play with the Lite Brite.
 
He was also the one programming the Apples in elementary school while we were all killing our Oregon Trail pioneers so we could leave gravestones. That guy grew up to be a succesful software developer.
 
I realize that is not helpful advice. But it does support everyone else`s suggestions that she likely won`t remember the trauma. Which won`t make it any easier while she`s going through it, but it sure looks like a good decision for the long run.

Also life is going to continue to get tougher. More and more stuff you we grew up having ways to get without money will only be available with money. Your college cost more than mine (in real dollars and as a percent of what you could earn). Her college will cost more than your unless the political direction this is nation is traveling changes. So an opportunity to get on a better financial footing is really important for her long term future too.

You have all my wishes for a good decision, Zmayhem, and an easy adjustment, whenever she makes it.

Sox, I have several of those for my fountain pens! I had the schmancy leather one from Levenger as a gift, but I had more pens than it held, so I went looking for alternatives. A seamstress was offering them on ebay, made of vintage fabrics with vintage button and bead ends on the ties. I love them dearly, and so do my coddled pens. I never imagined knitters would coddle their tools as well, but it makes sense. Nice!