Featured Image Caption: Family picture on their new house.
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While moving is both an exciting and joyful experience, it can also be heartbreaking and upsetting to uproot your children from their familiar surroundings. Even though children are flexible and quite adaptable, this doesn’t mean there won’t be things that will stress you out during the process. From packing up the kids’ belongings to chasing deadlines for extracurricular activities before your kids start their new school, you need to take care of plenty of things. Sounds overwhelming, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be because there are ways to make moving with kids simple. In fact, that’s exactly what we’re here to help you with. So buckle up and get ready to plan your easiest relocation yet.
How to make moving with kids simple and easy for everyone?
Moving is stressful in and of itself. But adding a baby, toddler, tween, or teen to the equation can make things more difficult. From your child’s perspective, this experience can be challenging and traumatic due to changes like changing schools, saying goodbye to friends, and giving up a childhood bedroom.
However, there are ways to make your family move as stress-free an experience as possible for everyone. You want to consider the move from the kids’ perspective and figure out how to make sure they don’t get overwhelmed during the process. To help you do this, we’ve gathered eight tips that will help you make moving with kids simple.
Be open and honest with your kids
First thing first, it’s essential to talk to your kids about the move as soon as you finalize your decision. Talking to your kids about the relocation can help ease their fears, concerns, and frustrations, even if circumstances are less than ideal. For example, if you’ve been evicted and are forced to relocate. Whether you have a toddler or a teen, it’s important to talk to them about the huge change they’re about to experience. Your job is to make them feel this change is not bad and that they can count on your support every step of the way.
Involve them in the process
Given that you’re moving as a family, it’s only fair to involve your kids from the start. Involving them in the moving process can give them a sense of control and purpose during a time when they may feel the most powerless. Therefore, when making your moving checklist, include tasks that your kids can complete on their own or with minimal supervision. In their eyes, even the smallest tasks can feel monumental.
Introduce them to your new neighborhood
You may not always be able to do this, but if you and the kids have the chance, get out and explore the area. With the help of this kind of family excursion, their final destination will no longer be a mysterious unknown but rather a place they are comfortable with. Inquire about their impressions of the location, highlighting local amenities like parks, pizza joints, ice cream, movie theaters, etc. You can even take a virtual tour of your new neighborhood using Google Earth if you can’t make it there in person.
Throw a farewell party
Even if you’re just moving down the street, it’s still a nice gesture to throw your child a going-away party. This way, they (and you) can say farewell. Throwing a party at home can be a terrific opportunity to celebrate your home’s history and legacy. Think of ways to make memories that you can keep forever. Such as using a Polaroid camera to capture the event, having guests sign a guestbook, or presenting them with a small gift your child picked out.
Be positive and optimistic
No matter how stressed you are, it’s crucial to approach the move with an optimistic and enthusiastic mindset. Talk to your kids about the new home’s perks while you’re doing things like cooking or cleaning together. Mention how nice the weather will be, how close you’ll be to the beach or parks, etc. Make sure they know that you, too, are sad to leave your friends and familiar surroundings. But that you’re excited about the new opportunities and adventures that lie ahead.
Pack a bag of essentials for the moving day
One of the ways to make moving with kids simple is to pack an easy-to-access bag with everything your kids might need during the trip to your new home. Besides snacks and drinks, pack something they can use for entertainment (especially if you’re in for a long road trip).
Maintain your kids’ routine
Moving can be chaotic, so maintaining family routines may not seem like a top priority. However, in the weeks preceding your move, it’s crucial to foster a sense of stability and predictability by avoiding sudden changes. You should keep your child’s regular meal, nap, homework, and bedtime routines up to the week before moving. This includes letting them keep up with any extracurricular activities. Bring in some old favorites to make yourself home in your new location as quickly as possible.
Properly say goodbye to your old home
Lastly, on your moving day, you and your kids should take some time to properly say goodbye to your old home. There are several ways to do this. For example, you can visit each room and describe what you like best, what you’ll miss most, and what you won’t miss. You can even consider penning a letter to the new owners detailing your favorite memories there. You and the kids should take a minute to reflect on the good times you had at the old house and express gratitude for the memories you made there.
The bottom line
There are plenty more ways to make moving with kids simple. All it takes is a little bit of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. What could have been an overwhelming and stressful event will quickly become a fun family adventure. Do keep in mind that the key to a successful move lies in hiring movers with knowledge and experience. They are the final piece of a puzzle needed to make your move a pleasant and easy experience for everyone. Best of luck!
By Lucy Watts
who is a professional organizer from Florida with years of experience in this field. Although Lucy has a marketing degree, she discovered her passion for organizing while working as a part-time packer for a moving company during her studies and quickly decided to make it her full-time career. Lucy also works as a content writer for moving companies such as fourwinds-ksa.com, where she shares valuable tips and advice based on her experience. She is married and expecting a baby in four months.
Member since December, 2022
View all the articles of Lucy Watts.
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