If you ever are in a position when you’re moving with kids, it’s safe to say that if you don’t plan accordingly, the whole experience can become an ordeal. Even though you may move many times like a couple or even independently, we don’t recognize how hard moving could be until there is a house move with kids running around. Once you are organized and have settled on a property with someone like William Pitt Realty, the next stage is the transition.
Photo by David McBee from Pexels
Keep Your Whole Family Updated, Including Your Children
This one can pay dividends for your patience in the future when the big move date arrives. It’s not about making the little ones aware of the adult’s responsibilities of the move, rather help them feel included and become aware of their belongings. Teaching them about arranging items and packing; with the hoarders curse in mind, be sure to help them think about what to do with their broken toys, or whether their out-dated, grown-out-of clothes or toys are due to be donated.
It’s about embracing the ‘out with the old, and in with the new’ idiom. The children will are able to pick the new colors for their new rooms and even have a hand in writing on the labels on the boxes.
Stick to Routines to Help Minimize the Changes
With so many changes happening within the family environment because of the move, try to keep the rest of life as normal as possible. Also, remind your child what routines will change slightly round and on the day, but will remain the same after the move. If you do storytime with your child every night, let them know that isn’t going to change after the move. If your child plays on a soccer team, you may need to check with your new local area about their teams available.
Host a Moving Party
Having a party to celebrate the time you have lived in the area is a good way to leave on a happy memory. This will probably involve hosting a moving party, or for the children, if they have friends from the area, they might want to have a party themselves or invite them to do an activity before the move. Children tend to get anxious about moving and start to develop confidence in their ability to make new friends. Remind, or teach your little ones the best ways to make friends, then practice these tips with your child and make eye contact, smile, and keep your arms by your side. To help your child feel more confident, do some practice runs at home before they begin at a new school.
Make Your New Destination Appealing
Focus on the main reasons for the move; that the family and your child’s life will be better after the move. Talk about the positivity of moving closer to family, let them know that they’ll get to see their favorite cousin on weekends. If one of your children is worried they won’t talk to their old friends anymore, you can positively reinforce ideas such as pen pals, or if the move is still within travel distance, keeping in touch with the parents can help solidify your child’s friendship bonds.
When the move is in the unpacking stage, it will get done eventually, I promise. Meanwhile, though, take advantage of this time to explore your new city as a family. Children really benefit from having confidence in the move when they have seen the new area, go visit the top local attractions. Get your smartphone and search for all the local places like libraries, centers, or go on a scavenger hunt where your kids look for landmarks. Once the kids are all immersed in their new environment, it’s then time to focus on the new home, new beginnings.
Do you have any other tips and advice on how to make moving with children less hassle? Let us know in the comments below.
No Comments