In 2017, 11% of the United States population decided to move.
Moving can be a stressful and challenging time, especially if you have children.
Are you a parent getting ready to tell your kids, “We’re moving!” then check out these five great tips to help prepare your children before a big move.
1. Let Your Children Express Their Feelings
Have a family meeting and share the news about the move as much ahead of time as possible. This will give your kids time to adjust to the idea of moving.
Acknowledge their feelings. They may be excited about the new adventure or sad and upset about leaving their home, school, neighborhood, and friends.
Emphasize the positive things about the move, perhaps in the new house they’ll have a bigger room or you will be closer to grandma and grandpa’s house. Explain that you’ll try to make the move as easy as possible for the whole family.
2. Visit Your New Community Before the Move
Alleviate your child’s fears by getting familiar with your new community ahead of time.
Drive through your new neighborhood. Visit your child’s new school through a prearranged tour.
Look for things in your new city that your child might enjoy. Perhaps your new community has an active park district or maybe there is a zoo or a children’s museum that they might find exciting.
Identify activities for your children to participate in once you have settled in so that they have something to look forward to. Check to see what clubs, sports teams, and lessons are available through school and the community park district.
3. Choose a Good Time to Move
If possible, select the most appropriate time for your family to move. Some families try to move during the summer so that there is less disruption in their children’s school schedule.
4. Help Them Stay in Touch With Friends
We live in a digital age where it is very easy to keep in touch with old friends. Most children have access to texting, emailing, or calling.
Make sure that you have contact information for all of their friends so that they can keep in touch after they move away. This will offer your kids some security and comfort as they make a difficult transition.
5. Give Them Some Choices
When you tell your children, “Hey, we’re moving,” they may feel like they didn’t have any choice in it. And they probably didn’t have a say in the decision.
However, it’s essential to make them feel included in the whole process. You should let them make choices throughout the process, to give them some ownership in the move.
For example, you could let them choose a color to paint their new bedroom. They could select which toys to take with them and which to let the movers pack.
Help Your Child Understand Why They Are Moving
Telling your child, “We’re moving” can be challenging to do.
However, if you follow these tips, it may be a smoother transition for you and them. For an easier move, we have you covered with our moving services! Contact us for a free quote today.