Guest Post: Small Tips and Tricks to Moving Home with Children

With home prices at their lowest rates in years, a move might be an attractive option for many. In America houses for sale are competitively priced at the present time, offering the opportunity for homeowners to pursue new job opportunities, find better schools for the kids or move to a nicer neighborhood; all of which are great reasons for moving house. Relocating is never easy, things can go wrong, items sometimes get lost in the move and leaving behind familiar places, friends and family can be difficult to deal with.

Involving the children

Moving house with children can be even more difficult, but there are ways to make the process easier for everyone. Depending on their ages, parents should consider holding a family meeting to announce the move and address the emotions children may have about moving. Young children may express anxiety about leaving friends and family, while older children may even become angry about the move. Addressing these concerns early on and allowing children to express their feelings will help them process and accept the upcoming change.

Helping children transition is a process and parents should not expect it to happen all at once or after just one conversation. In the days leading up to the move, acknowledging the importance of existing relationships is important. It may be helpful to create a photo album of favorite places and friends. Parents should also be sure to collect contact information from their children’s friends, so that relationships may be maintained through telephone, letters or e-mail, minimizing the loss children feel in a move.

Having the children do as much packing of their personal possessions as possible will help them feel as though they have real involvement in the move, rather than being victims of the change. Since clutter reduction is often a part of moving, parents should consider holding a moving sale to reduce the cost of the move and build finances toward new furniture and items for the new home. Allowing children to help sort through unused items for the sale will increase their sense of ownership in the move.

It’s important to remember that children often equate their possessions, toys, familiar blankets and so on, with security. Traveling with children, especially if the move is to a distant location, can be nerve-wracking. Allowing the kids to choose a few toys or personal items to carry with them may ease their anxiety over making the actual journey.

Once the move is completed, the transition has not ended. Children should be allowed to unpack their things as soon as possible and depending on their ages, to set up their new space. There will be a new neighborhood to explore, new friends to meet and new places to discover. Taking time to ‘play tourist’ in the new neighborhood can help children feel more at ease in their new surroundings. They will start to learn the route to their new school, discover parks and playgrounds in their new neighborhood and perhaps meet some new friends. Before long, the new community will begin to feel like home