Moving With Kids

Moving is a tough job for the entire family. It is a lot of work, and it can become very stressful. From packing up all of your belongings, to hiring a moving company, to unpacking and settling in, the whole process can be very demanding on every person in the family. For children, moving can be a very scary situation. Most children have only ever lived in one house, so the thought of having to live in a “strange” new house might seem a little scary to them. That is where parents will have to step up to the plate and offer some reassurance that everything is going to be just fine. This can be a very difficult thing for the parents to do when they are already stressed out from the move. Here are some tips that will make the whole moving experience much easier for parents and children.

No surprises!

Children love surprises, but they will not like the idea of moving if you spring it on them at the last minute. Sit down with them and explain exactly what is going to happen. It is your job as a parent to make them feel comfortable with the move. You are the only ones that they can look up to, and laying everything out on the table and explaining every aspect of the move will help them greatly.

Give them a tour of the new place before you move in

For a lot of children, the most frightening part of moving is going to a strange new place. If you have young ones, you can expect them to be uneasy about sleeping in a strange new room. If you can, take them to the new house or apartment before you move in. Give them a guided tour. Try to make it fun. Tell them that it will be an adventure. If you have the time, take a tent to the new place, and camp out with them at night. Make them feel comfortable with their new environment, and pretty soon they will forget all about where they used to live.

 Don’t pack all of their things

For most kids the idea of packing up all of their toys is frightening. Sit down with them, and let them pick out their favorite toys to take with them. These special toys will not get packed away. It is also a good idea to not pack their pillows and blanket. Even short moves can be easier when a child has their own pillow and blanket. Once you arrive at the new destination, you won’t have to scramble to find the box that has their pillow and blanket in it, because it was never packed away in the first place.

Make it an adventure!

Depending on the age of your children, you could turn the whole experience into a fun game that will encourage them to want to move. Kids love adventures, and if you play your cards right, you could turn the move into a great adventure that will make moving fun.

Moving does not have to be hard, and with these tips, moving with children can be much easier than you think.