Moving to a new home, whether it is a waterfront home for sale in Lake of the Woods, a colonial in Wilderness Shores, a ranch home on acreage in Unionville, or any other type of home is emotional. There are a lot of ups and downs in the moving process and you can feel excited, sad, sentimental, and hopeful all at the same time. Trying to unpack all of these emotions as an adult can be tough, but imagine being a child. If you are preparing to move to a new home, then here are some helpful tips to prepare kids for moving.
Validate child’s emotions and answer questions
Depending on their age, kids will ask a variety of questions that sometimes don’t seem that important to us as adults. But, those questions are important to them! Try to answer your child’s questions truthfully and be reassuring, but don’t say the questions are silly or unimportant. For example, if your child is worried that he won’t be able to get his favorite cereal at the new house, then tell him you understand why he would be worried about this. Then talk about where the cereal is sold and the stores near your new home that have it.
Explain what to expect
Especially if your children haven’t moved before, it can be unsettling to suddenly have to keep their room clean for showings, see packing boxes around the home, and notice things disappearing from the home as your pack. Take time to explain the steps in the moving process in an age appropriate way. For example preschoolers could be told, “First we are going to find a home. While we are waiting to go to the new home, we will pack up our things in boxes. Then we will let people who want to buy a home come and look at our home. Last, we will go to the new home.” Knowing what is going to happen next will help ease some anxiety.
Pack bedroom last, Unpack First
While you might be tempted to get ahead and pack up your child’s room, save it for last. Keeping the room the same provides reassurance to children during an unstable time. Have your child clearly mark their boxes by drawing on them or adding stickers. Be clear that you are not throwing away their things. When you have arrived at your new home, get the room unpacked first. If you are moving long distance, then pack a suitcase with items like sheets, favorite toys, pictures, ect that will help transform their new room into something familiar.
Visit your new home often
When possible, bring your child to the home; maybe it’s a home inspection or final walk-through so she feels more familiar with the space. Even if you can’t bring them into the home, take a walk through the neighborhood, visit a playground, or check out a nearby restaurant.
Say Goodbye
Moving is just as stressful on adults as children. Help your child to say goodbye to their old neighborhood and friends. Plan a special goodbye picnic in your favorite park. Help them exchange contact info with friends. Create a scrapbook of your home and community to help your child remember the home.
Keep a Routine
As challenging as it might be, having a predictable routine is important to children. It takes away fear and anxiety when children know what is happening next. This means sticking with weekly trips to the library or pool for as long as you can.
Have a Moving Day Plan
Depending on the age of your child, the plan will look different. If you are moving locally, then having someone watch your child in or out of the new home while you focus on unloading boxes makes sense. Long distance moves may not afford this luxury, so think about how to keep your child occupied during the long moving day. Older kids may be able to help. Younger children may need a special box of new toys (dollar stores are a great option) to keep them busy.
Be Patient
Adjusting to a new environment takes time. Be patient with your child as he deals with the move. Planning some fun activities in your new neighborhood immediately after moving in may help too.
Moving is a challenging, but these tips will help make it a more manageable transition.
