Melania Trump May Be Right: Moving in Middle of School Year Could Mess Up Kids

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Donald Trump may be moving into the White House in January, but his wife, Melania, and their son, Barron, are staying put in New York—and no, it’s reportedly not just because they prefer their gold-gilded penthouse in the Trump Tower over the more stately presidential digs in Washington, DC. It’s so Barron, 10, can finish out the school year at his upper west side private academy in (relative) peace without having to abruptly abandon his friends, teachers, and life as he knows it.

Seriously now: Isn’t that sweet?

As a mom with a 6-year-old, I have to admit I melted a little when I heard Melania had made this rather bold decision just so her son could have some continuity. The first lady-to-be definitely won some points with me there.

Still, though, it also got me wondering: Just how bad is it for kids to move in the middle of a school year, anyway?

According to Edweek.org, “voluntary” school transfers for kids—defined as a move by choice to a school that better suits a child’s needs, which are more likely to happen during the summer—aren’t usually disruptive, and often linked to better academic performance in kids.

But if kids move schools for an “involuntary” reason—e.g., dad got a new job—their academic performance may suffer.

Various studies suggest that, in general, students lose about three months of reading and math skills each time they switch schools, according to Edweek.org. And if they move more than once, heaven help them: One study of 14,000 children found that switching schools three or more times before the age of 13 doubles a child’s risk of mental health issues (such as, gulp, hallucinations and intrusive, violent thoughts). The study’s author, Swaran Singh, head of the mental health division at Warwick Medical School, theorizes it’s because these students are at increased risk for social isolation and bullying, which can lead to psychological damage.

In other words: If you move schools, particularly midyear, you are a horrible parent.

Kidding! Let’s face it, sometimes life happens and you just have to move. If you’re a parent who cares about your spawn, you will no doubt anguish about it—and you’ll likely bend over backward to ease this transition for your little tykes. You’ll enroll them in soccer, baseball, arts and crafts, and enough martial arts classes to make Bruce Lee proud. You’ll stalk neighbors with same-age kids for play dates … and soon enough, your kids will be just fine.

You can also take heart in knowing that, despite those research studies, stories abound of kids who move schools and end up fine. Some parents even say there are upsides to a move during the school year.

One mom on the City-data.com message board noted, “We moved in the middle of my daughter’s third grade year (at Christmas break) … and it was the best way to do it, I think. I had been worried, but my daughter’s ballet teacher (who I respected greatly) told me that she always found the kids did better when they could jump right into the routine of the new area rather than sit around with a possible attitude or anxiety all summer waiting for things to start in the fall.”

Or take it from blogger Michelle at Honestandtruly.com, who switched schools numerous times as a kid: “Honestly? It was always easier to move during the school year than it was during the summer. … At the beginning of the school year, the kids are so excited to see their friends, many of whom they haven’t seen all summer. A new kid easily gets lost in the shuffle of everyone else.”

So take heart, you intrepid middle-of-the-school-year movers! Even if it’s not the cat’s meow for Melania and Baron, it might be just fine for your family. And your kids may be better off than you might think.

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