What to
consider when moving with children
At the best of times moving house, either to another part
of the State or to another town in the US can prove difficult enough for the
grown-ups. Add the kids to the mix and
most parents start to dread the event.
Communication:
In common with most things in life communication is the
key to a successful move. If at all
possible try to let the kids know early on that the family will be moving and
try to paint this as an adventure, rather than something to be dreaded. Obviously if the move is as the result of a
family break-up then this event may well be fraught but if the family is
relocating as a result of improved job opportunities, or for a change of
climate then the more positive the adults can be about the forthcoming
upheaval, the better.
Involvement:
Try to involve the kids as much as possible. If the move involves looking at land tobuy then why not take them with you on the initial trip so that they can
feel that they are a major part of the decision making process. If a new build is on the cards then it’s very
easy to try to involve the kids in the design of the house. Emphasize that they could very well design
their own bedrooms and play areas. Many
children become quite nervous and insecure about the possibility of moving from
a place where they feel safe and find it difficult to imagine that they could
be happy anywhere else so encourage them to think of the pleasure they will get
when their old friends can come and stay.
Future fun:
The child will be a lot more confident about the projected
move if some time is spent in explaining the amenities of the new
environment. Before the initial visit
try to visit the area online, look for the town website, or find books that
have lots of pictures about the new environment. Once the family has chosen the house then see
if you can visit the local school or playgroup so the child will see some
familiar faces when they actually start at their new school. It’s a good idea to also point out all the
activities that exist in the new town that are specifically devoted to
children. All of these amenities should
make the kids look forward to the move, they can tell their friends about the
forthcoming adventure and how cool it’s all going to be.
The actual move:
Try to encourage the children to help with the packing and
get them to mark their packing boxes containing their toys and clutter. This will make them feel that they are an important
part of the move and also will release the adults so that they can get on with
the millions of tasks that the event will introduce. If the children are very small, it might
prove to be useful for them to stay with a family member on the day of the
move, perhaps get them to look after the family pet so they can believe that
they have the role as the pet monitor and feel a sense of inclusion and
importance.
We have moved several times since hubby and I got married. The last 2 moves were out-of-state(WI to FL and FL to TX) after our daughter was born.
ReplyDeleteOur moves are always a MAJOR pain but the saving graces are :
. I'm a SAHM
. Our daughter is homeschooled
We have used all the hints you mentioned in your post.
. Our daughter knew about the move in the decision-making/planning stages
. We take her to check out the possible neighborhoods and/or homes
. We check out amenities with her in mind
. When she was younger, we had my parents watch her so we could get stuff done. Now that she's older, we asked her to help with her toys. It was so cute how she was trying to separate stuff to sell and/or give away. We ended up taking everything.
Our moves are never smooth sailing. Hubby and I are on different pages planning-wise. Despite our best efforts, something always goes wrong :(
Good information. Lucky me I recently found your site by accident (stumbleupon).
ReplyDeleteI have book-marked it for later!
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You have given an appropriate suggestion for people who have families and children as well. Like Mona said that similar tips have helped her and her husband to relocate easily.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great information. It is hard to change for kids. They do like a routine. You have some great suggestions here. Rita Spratlen rjspratlen@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWe recently had some clients who were moving with kids and they really had a problem!
ReplyDeleteI think it was because it was their first time moving with kids and the kids were really not used to it.
I think adding a little fun and making it a positive experience will make moving with kids and a lot easier and also make it a better experience for them.
Thanks for the advice! Will definitely share it with our customers.
WOW a I knew some trick but a few of them I did not know Good content
ReplyDelete