Whether you want to move or you have to, moving can be a stressful time if you have a family in tow. If you’re moving house with your children, these tips will help you make that transition a little easier for the kids.
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See Things From Your Child’s Point of View
In a perfect world, you would have your new house all sorted and make all the necessary logistical arrangements a long time before you have to leave the old place. Whether you currently rent a house, or you’re selling your old home, the move will be easier for all involved if your move-out date can be timed with a move-in date. Of course, that’s not always possible. Depending on your unique situation, you may require interim accommodation and storage solutions if you have a few weeks between houses. While you may think that this disruption may be challenging for your kids, it’s important to note that what you find stressful won’t necessarily be what stresses your kids out the most. What matters is keeping the routine as normal as possible once you’ve moved out, whether that means reading a bedtime story, or ensuring that meals are at usual times. Sometimes expecting your kids to be stressed can actually make them anxious about things that it hadn’t occurred to them to be anxious about. Try to avoid planting the seed of stress by anticipating their anxiety.
Keep Kids Informed
What matters most when it comes time to move house is that your kids are kept up to speed with relevant information, like why you are moving, and what they should expect at every stage. If you have these conversations, you might discover things that stress them out that you hadn’t anticipated. For example, many children find it stressful to see their belongings being carted out of the house by a moving company, as they don’t know whether they’ll ever see their thing again. So say you’re getting Bekins Moving Solutions to help with your move, explain to the kids how the moving process works, so they understand that their belongings will be well looked after, and will appear in one piece at the other end.
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Give Children the Job of Digitizing
This one is especially useful if you’re downsizing with kids, as the move to a smaller living space can be especially stressful. You may have a whole room in your current house—perhaps this room is referred to as ‘the office’—that houses all your family’s photo albums, videos and old DVDs. The fact is that if you’re downsizing, you won’t have a spare room for storing as much as you like to keep. If your kids are old enough to use a computer (even toddlers are better at using technology than their parents, these days!) assign them the task of digitizing your family archive. Not only will they feel valued because you have entrusted them with an important job, but they may gain a degree of closure, helping them move on from the old family home.
Whether you have one kid or six, downsizing from a spacious home to a smaller living space can be an extremely stressful time for all members of the family. These tips will help you handle your children’s feelings, and encourage them to embrace change.
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