3 Ways To Prepare Your Children For A Move

Moving to a new home can be a big ordeal. From the packing and the cleaning to moving all of your belongings from one home to another, getting through a move can be a real test of will.

One thing that can make a move even more challenging is if you’re moving your entire family, including your children. Not only are there the physical barriers of moving, but your kids might have a hard time dealing with this emotionally, too. 

So if you’re moving to a great new neighborhood but are still worried about how your kids will cope with the transition, here are three ways to prepare your children for a move. 

Get Your Kids Involved In The Decision Making

Because so much of your move is going to be out of your child’s control, it can be very helpful for you to try to involve them as much as possible in relevant decisions that you’re willing to take their input on.

For example, Dr. Jennifer Shroff Pendley, a contributor to KidsHealth.org, recommends that you try to get your kids involved in looking for your new home or choosing which school to attend. If these things aren’t really up for debate in your situation, you could also allow your kids to make smaller choices that will still give them a sense of control, like what color to paint their new room or how to set up their belongings once you move into your new home. 

Hire the right movers

With all the stresses of moving, you can imagine how having strangers in your house packing all your belongings up could put your children over the edge. If you decide to look at different moving companies, you need to ensure that they will be professional and understanding with your whole family. Look at reviews online and make sure that other people in your area have had good experiences with them. You could even post on a forum like Reddit or Yelp and discuss the issue with other people that have worked with the companies you are considering.

Try To Keep Things Familiar And Routine

Changing where you’ll be living in going to be a huge shift in your child’s life. But since children crave consistency in their lives, you’ll want to bring in some of this consistency in other ways to help your children feel safe and secure.

A few ways you can do this, according to Ryan and Rachel Ehmke, contributors to ChildMind.org, is to keep your routines and activities as familiar as possible. If your children always went to bed at a certain time, make sure you stick with the schedule during your move and when you get into your new house. Also, if your kids are used to certain things happening in order in their lives, be sure you try your best to keep to those orders. 

Get Involved In Your New Community

Getting through the actual move is on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to transitioning your child into this new normal.

To help make this easier, Allison Bisbey Colter, a contributor to HGTV, recommends that you try to get your children involved in your new community as soon as you arrive there. By participating in things that involve other children, your kids will be able to meet new friends and feel that they have a place here in this new home. 

If you’re going to be moving with your family soon, consider using the tips mentioned above to help prepare your kids for this change and adjust to their new life.