Thursday, May 5, 2016 –
Moving can be a stressful time in your life. Add children into the mix and moving could begin to seem unbearable. Fortunately, there are some simple things that you can do to help prepare your children for the impending move and help things go smoothly throughout the entire process.
Talk with your children. Whether you are moving across town or across the country, this will help them to know what to expect throughout the entire move. Explain to your children that the move is exciting and encourage them to express how they are feeling about the situation. Depending on age, there are also many great books that you can read to help younger children better understand the move.
Involve them in the process. If you haven’t already purchased a house, try to include them in the process as much as possible. This will make them feel included and let them know that their opinions count. If the house is too far for them to visit, show them photos and even let them see their new room.
Have a yard sale. In order to save money and space while moving, have a family yard sale. Let your children pick out things of their own to sell and they can use the money they make to buy things for their new room.
Visit your new area. If you are able to visit your new town or area, bring your children along to check it out. Drive/walk around and show them areas like parks, schools, and playgrounds. When your children have new things to look forward to, it will make old things easier to leave.
Have a party. Even if you aren’t moving far away, children often have an emotional connection to their house. Having a farewell party for your house can be a great way to make sure your children have happy memories about leaving. If you are moving farther away and visiting friends and family might be a bit more difficult, have a “See You Soon” party. This can be a great time to make sure your children have contact information for all their friends. With so many ways to keep in touch, (phone, email, text, FaceTime) it should be much easier to say “See you soon!”
Once you’re in your new home, let the little ones help decorate their new room. This will help them to feel comfortable in the new space and it will feel much more familiar when it is filled with their own things. Also, let your kids explore their new home and surrounding area. This will help them get comfortable at their own speed.
Moving with children is always a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be an overly stressful situation. With a few simple preparations and a little creativity, it can be an exciting time for everyone. Earle W. Noyes & Sons has over 90 years of experience moving families and we do everything we can to help make moving with children as easy as possible. Please consider giving us a call or visiting our website for more information.
Sources: HowStuffWorks, ParentSquad,
