Moving to a new home is challenging as you juggle various aspects of a move and pack all your things away. Add to that mix high-spirited young children, and you already know that your challenge level just went up a notch.
Moving with children can be difficult because children thrive on the solidity of routine and the security of familiar things. A move disrupts the harmony of everything familiar.
However, each kid has a unique understanding. While it may be stressful for some kids, it may seem like an exciting experience to others. Still, children do find moving to a new home hard.
This inner disturbance appears in their inability to fall asleep or sleep well. Anger and sadness are two other reactions that are evident in older kids.
Toddlers tend to become fussier and even more so because the parents become distracted and stressed out as they run around trying to maintain order in the house while keeping the chaos at bay, which is inevitable during a move.
To counter this, organizing your move is the first crucial step in making it easier for children. Secondly, keeping your children informed and talking about your relocation will make things go much more smoothly.
Organizing Your Move
A good strategy is to pack your things room-wise and leave your children’s room till the end. During the packing process, maintain the eating and sleeping schedules to reinforce a sense of security.
Pack all the other rooms and when you start packing the children’s rooms, involve them by letting them pack their toys in storage cartons.
It would be a good idea to decide where to store your packed cartons. Look for nearby storage units to do this. These days many storage businesses, such as the All Season Storage Kingsport TN storage units, provide self-storage spaces where one can easily store stuff securely.
Children become concerned about their things because they’re under the impression that they might lose their precious toys while relocating. As a result, if you arrange a storage unit in advance, your children will feel more secure knowing their stuff is safe.
Now let’s look at how you can prepare your kids for moving homes.
Ways of Preparing Your Kids for a Move
Preparing your children for moving can be tricky, but it isn’t as difficult as you think. Follow these tips, and your next move will be a breeze.
Keep them Involved
Always keep your kids in the loop. Like adults, children also feel more important when they’re involved in any crucial decision-making process.
So, whether choosing your next home or deciding on a date for relocating, always keep your kids involved, especially the elder ones. To accomplish this, it is a good idea to hold family meetings often.
Family meetings are a great way to keep everyone updated about the latest ongoing progress and take their input on matters.
Similarly, make sure your child knows when you’re moving by putting the date on your family calendar. Don’t forget to decide the date when packing should begin.
You may want your older children to pack up their bedrooms or favorite belongings. Give them crayons, markers, stickers, and tags for their boxes.
You can ask your children to draw a picture of the new room they’ll decorate. Even helping with a floor plan would be a great help.
Take them to their new school
You have to realize the fact that moving homes makes your child lose their existing friends. Not to mention the stress of adjusting to the new school.
Therefore, to make this entire phase a bit easier for them, make sure you take them to visit their new school beforehand. Getting your child involved in their favorite activities and forming friendships will make the transition easier.
Prepare a folder for each child that contains brochures about sports teams, libraries, and parks near their new home, and remember to include information about activities they enjoy.
Get your kids accustomed to the new environment
Taking pictures or videos of the new home will assist them in adjusting to the new environment. Additionally, you can get a map of the new neighborhood and mark some of the places you’ve talked about and where your new house is.
When you arrive, they’ll know what these landmarks are. Similarly, you can take your kids to nearby stores so that they can get used to the new neighborhood.
Organize a farewell party
Making lasting memories is easy with a farewell party. Make the event a family affair by getting your kids involved. Think outside the box. Ask your child’s friends to sign a T-shirt or stuffed animal for them.
Please provide an address book at the party for guests to write down their details. Doing this will ensure that your kids do not lose touch with their friends.
Don’t mind if they’re frustrated
Relocating can bring mixed emotions. It is emotional to say goodbye to your old house even if you are in the same city. It’s okay for your children to be upset about the move – they won’t feel that way for long.
Be tolerant of their sadness and anger while they adjust to the new environment. They will eventually come around, regardless of how long their agitation lasts.
Don’t worry if your child is having trouble adjusting to their new environment because it usually takes six months to acclimate.
Keeping in touch should be a priority
Make sure your kids know how to maintain their relationships. Today’s technology and social media make it easier than ever to stay in touch! Encourage children concerned about staying in touch by making video calls with them.
Tell your child if you plan to visit your old hometown. Please put the date on a calendar so they can count the days. Do not make promises you cannot keep – do not commit to visiting if you aren’t sure you can.
Organize the children’s bedrooms first
Experts suggest that pack your kids’ bedroom last when you’re moving. However, you must prepare your kids’ room when organizing new rooms first. Remember that the bedroom is often a child’s most private place.
Therefore, packing your kids’ bedrooms last and building them first will prevent any unnecessary disruptions during the move. As a result, your kids won’t feel displaced, and the move will not disrupt their routine for long.
Before We Part!
Being a parent, you must remember that, like adults, children are emotionally attached to places and people. Therefore, if you’re planning on moving homes, you should prepare your children for it physically and emotionally.
We hope that some of the ways we’ve discussed above will help you make this entire process a bit easy.
