Make Moving Easier on Your Kids with These 6 Tips

Moving is stressful for adults. However, it is especially stressful for children. Their lives are disrupted, schedules ignored, and the home that they are comfortable in and know is gone. Now they are in a space that they do not know, with boxes and chaos all around.

There are ways to make moving easier – here are our top 6 tips to help you limit the stress on your children (and hopefully reduce the moving meltdowns).

6 Tips for Making a Move Easier on Children 

1.  Have the Children Help and Play an Active Role: The more involved your kids are in the moving process, the better. While they may not pack their clothes in the boxes the way you want, let them do it anyway. The more they feel as though they are “helping,” the easier the transition will be. Children act out because they need some power of their own. When you let a child do things that they can do themselves, it empowers them. You might also notice the tantrums, whining, and frustrations about moving go away when your child feels as though they have decision-making power on the move.
2. Research the New Area and Find Exciting Opportunities: To get your kids excited about where they are moving, involve them in neighborhood shopping. Visit the area and see what type of parks, restaurants, or fun activities are nearby. Drive by your child’s new school, or even take a tour of the school so that he or she can see where they will be attending. Make a list of nearby attractions, too, and then discuss which ones your child wants to see first.
3. Ask Your Child How He or She Feels: Your child should be allowed to express his or her feelings about the move. If you are stressed, be open with your kids. Making them aware that it is okay to feel stressed or sad about relocating will make them more inclined to speak up. Tell your children that you want them to discuss their concerns, then reassure them that you and your spouse are doing everything you can to make it easy and fun for the entire family.
4. Make Moving Exciting: Moving should not appear as a dreaded task. Instead, your children should feel excited about the new adventure. Make it fun and intriguing. Talk about what you will do at the new house, which room each child gets, and let them make it their own by starting to talk about decorating their rooms or painting.
5. Get Some Help with the Moving Process: Whether you have five children or just one rambunctious toddler, sometimes having extra hands on deck can help with the moving process. Consider hiring a professional that can help you with every aspect of moving, from packing to loading and unloading. Not only will this give you more time with your children, but it will reduce your stress which, in turn, will also reduce the stress your children might feel about moving, too.
6. Host a Goodbye Party Give your kids the chance to say goodbye to friends they have made in school, the neighborhood, and those nearby with a party. All children appreciate celebrations, and this can be a creative way to transform the move into something that is exciting and positive.

If you’re worried about moving with your children, reach out to us at Two Small Men and let us tell you how we can help.