Moving your home is stressful enough. But adding children into the mix, no matter the age, gives the move another level of complexity. As a parent, you want what is best for your kids, and you want to make the transition from your old home to your new home and neighborhood as smooth as possible, especially for your children. Preparation for the move will help the entire family handle the stress that moving can create. Sitterly Movers has a few tips to help children adjust to the move!
Age Matters
Moving with a toddler vs moving with a teenager are two entirely different experiences. You know your children and how they react to different scenarios so make sure to take their feelings into consideration before and during the move. If they have established friendships and relationships in the current place you live then the move might be a little harder for them. Whereas a young child does not really understand what is going on and all they know is that there are lots of boxes around the house for them to play in.
Disrupting a child’s routine can send them for a loop, so maintaining a comfortable and semi-normal routine for them during the pre-move phase is important for keeping them in check.
For young children in preschool through grade school, you should keep them involved in the move. You may want to send them off with a babysitter, but the move affects them as much as it affects you. Make sure they know where their special items are being packed and even allow them to help pack their own things as much as they can. It’s probably best to keep their favorite stuffed animal out of a box and in their arms when they are moving to a new place.
Still, some parents use a babysitter because to them it will make the move go more smoothly with their kids occupied elsewhere and out of the way. Do what works best for you.
You may want to let your older children see their friends and maybe even allow those friends to help them pack. Teenagers do not want you touching their stuff anyways so you might be better off leaving a few boxes at their door and letting them handle the rest.
Helping Kids Cope with Moving
Before you move you should take some precautionary steps to help prepare your children to move to a new home and location.
- Tell them as soon as possible that they are moving so they have time to prepare
- Have a going-away party or allow the kids to meet up with friends before they go so that they can say their goodbyes and collect their contact information.
- Take them to their favorite places around town, but add that future visits are still possible
- As a parent, keep a positive attitude and actions during this time because your child’s emotions will mimic how you are feeling. If you’re stressed, they will be. If you get angry or upset, chances are they will feed off that energy too. Do your best to remain calm, cool and collective for the sake of your children.
- Help your children to learn about the new area they are moving to
- Encourage them to exchange phone numbers and addresses with current friends so that they can remain in contact after the move. Allow them to plan a time to see each other after the move, too.
- Prepare a travel pack for the kids, depending on the distance. Give them a few toys and snacks to keep them occupied.
During the Move
- TAKE A BREAK – moving takes time and energy. Rather than trying to unpack as soon as you arrive at your new house, let the kids explore and maybe get them some lunch. A hangry family is the last thing you want on a moving day.
- Have a plan on how you want to start unpacking so that everyone is on the same page
- Keep an eye on your children until they become familiar with their new home
- Young children may act out by reverting back to babyish actions, this is how they may cope with the move. The change will be difficult for them, but they will soon return to normal behavior once they get comfortable.
- Let them unpack their own things (if they are old enough and capable to)
Let them choose how their room looks, with a parents approval of course - If they become irritable or annoyed, let them take a break. This will be beneficial to both you and them to avoid butting heads
- Do not expect to get everything done in one day. Most people do not have their house fully unpacked for weeks after their move.
- Allow your children time to adjust, it won’t be automatic
After the Move
- Spend time with your children after the move, talk to them and listen to what they have to say. About the house, their new room, school, or making new friends.
- Bring the kids to their new school, see if you can go after school hours to allow them to walk around and learn the building and see where their classroom is
- Encourage them to join clubs or sports teams at their new school to make friends
Set up playdates for your child and possible new friends - Introduce yourself and your children to your new neighbors, who knows they might have a child the same age as yours that lives right next store
Talk to other parents to learn about the community, school, and activities available - Fitting in is often the biggest fear for kids going to a new school so be as supportive as possible when your child is starting to navigate this new environment.
- Check out stores and restaurants in town with your children, they need to feel like they know the community
We hope these tips will help you out with your family move. Or take it one step further and hire professionals like Sitterly Movers to handle a good portion of your move so that you can focus on helping your children adjust to their new home.
If you’re planning a move from the Western MA area, call Sitterly Movers at 413-737-2641 for more information or a free quote today!
