Are you moving with your kids? While moving is a lot less complicated for children than for grownups, it is equally stressful. Kids feel safe at home, in their rooms and neighborhoods, with the school and friends they know. But, while the great unknown brings excitement, it can also lead to anxiety. Luckily, the steps below can help you make kids more comfortable with relocating. Read on to learn about the 10 guaranteed methods for a stress-free move with the kids.
1. Tell Your Children About the Move
Most parents wouldn’t wake up on moving day and announce to their children for the time time, “We are moving!” Instead, gather as a family to break the news beforehand. Naturally, you will have adult friends who likely know about the move before your children. However, be sure to tell your kids before you tell other grownups who might spill the word. Still, you’ll want to hold off on telling teachers, parents of friends, or the like until your kids know.
2. Make the Move as Concrete as Possible
If you tell kids about the move and leave it at that, all they know is what they’re leaving behind: school, neighborhood kids, possibly grandparents, and their unique bedroom. So instead, parents should emphasize what kids are moving toward, including:
- A new school with an opportunity to make new friends
- A new home, with emphasis on desirable amenities that aren’t available at your old home (a backyard, a bedroom for everyone, or the like.)
- Possibly different weather and landscapes if you’re moving out of state
- There will be unique features of the new town, such as a park, playground, or a body of water.
It’s also essential to clarify to what and to whom all is coming on this new adventure. Tell your children outright that you and your partner (if applicable) are coming, as well as siblings, pets, and other treasured items.
3. If Possible, Visit your New Hometown
Depending on how far you are moving, take a weekend to visit your new hometown before moving permanently. Take your child/children to the new neighborhood and see their new school. Also, find a fun landmark to visit before heading home.
This experience will give your child better visuals of their new hometown and calm some pre-move jitters. Adding in a fun landmark provides the child with a positive memory to associate with your new hometown.
4. Let Your Child Pack His/Her Belongings
When you’re in the thick of packing, it’s natural to want to clear away as much mess as possible. But, while you may get the urge to pile the toys and stuffies into a box, there’s a better approach. When you’re busy and harried, your home is a tumbled mess, and the reality of moving sinks in; your kids need something to remember their first home.
Be sure to take extra care by leaving the things they care about out and visible. Some things kids hold near and dear are their favorite blankets, outfits, toys, games, electronics, and art projects. Toddlers, especially, get attached to specific items. If they like to hide behind a chair or play in a sunny windowsill, leave those open as well rather than covering them with boxes. Until you can create a new life, it’s best to go the old one as familiar as possible.
5. Keep Your Child Informed
The easiest way to help a child cope with moving is to keep them informed. Don’t leave kids out in the cold when it comes to details. Give your children as much information about their new lives as possible. Include the new address, the new school’s name, the new neighborhood’s name, the reason you’re moving, and your work/your spouse’s workplace.
Although it may seem like much detailed information for kids, children like to feel like they’re involved in the process. This way, when teachers, family friends, or other adults ask kids about their new life, they have authentic details to share. Plus, this information is good to know for safety reasons, so it’s essential to drill it in ahead of time.
6. Include Your Children in the Process
If you have young children, it might be best to have them skip out on most of the moving day. Instead, they could hang out with grandparents or the like elsewhere or riding in a separate car from the moving van.
That doesn’t take care of them the rest of the time, however. Packing is a long process. Make it a point to include your children in on some of it, but not all. You can do this by having your child gather particular items to carry safely, so they feel included.
7. Let Your Children Decorate
Sometimes letting go of control is an excellent way to help ease the stress of relocating to a different city. For instance, your child can help decorate their new room. Let them pick out their new wall color or bedspread. These autonomous acts give your children something to look forward to when he or she arrives at his or her new home.
Another place where they can lend a hand is in the den or playroom. These are places where the room can have an enjoyable vibe with bright colors and artwork.
8. Pick Your Battles
Moving and leaving home is an emotional experience for any child. As a result, he or she may start to whine or appear overly clingy. These behaviors could make you a little more anxious about the move, as is usual when you have a toddler throwing tantrums. So make sure you pick and choose your battles.
There are some ways to help smooth out their tensions. For example, you can let your kids stay up a little later or wear their superhero costumes on moving day. Or, have some pizza for breakfast, or let them sneak in a late-night snack. If all else fails, let them watch that cartoon they constantly beg you to watch or even buy them that surprise they’ve been itching for at the mall. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean more to a child than you think they would.
9. Stay Positive
At the end of the moving day, kids will take a similar attitude with the relocation. If you’re cheerful and upbeat, they’ll sing the same tune. You can make their job easier by giving them tangibles to focus their energies on before, during, and after the move.
10. Call Belleair Storage
While moving is a lot more complicated for grownups than it is for kids, it’s not more stressful. Nevertheless, children are susceptible to the chaos of packing up and leaving their old lives behind. Hopefully, these 10 guaranteed methods for a stress-free move with the kids helps you reduce the pressure to make your new journey a fun one. Call the main office today about availability—we are here to make it as painless a process as possible! Call now! 727-584-3575
