Nowadays it’s not uncommon for a family to move house. Facing the prospect of moving may seem daunting for you as an adult, but you need to think about what it may mean for your children.
Image by Paul Brennan from Pixabay
They may not always be a part of the decision and not fully understand it. Children need to have some special attention and time during the transition, and children of different ages will react differently. Learning how to deal with this and support your children before the move will make the process much less stressful for everyone involved.
Choosing To Move
Many children thrive on routine and familiarity. So, once you have found the perfect house from all the Homes For Sale and have weighed up the benefits against the disruptions, it’s time to tell your children. You may even consider telling them when you are house shopping as including them in this process could help to ease the transition.
Of course, the decision to move may be out of your control, may for financial reasons, or because of a change in career. Even if you aren’t too happy about the move, you need to try and remain positive. During times of changes, a parent’s mood can affect children, who are going to be looking for how to react themselves.
No matter what the circumstances, it’s important to talk about the move with your children, depending on their age you can explain the reasons why. Most importantly you need to talk to them about the new place they will live, go to school, the activities they can do in the new area, and how they can still keep in touch with friends and family. They need to understand as much as possible.
How To Tackle Toddlers And Preschoolers.
Children who are younger than six are possibly the easiest to move, this is because they may not understand the changes that are involved. Nonetheless, your guidance is still critical.
- Make sure your explanations are simple and clear.
- Try using a story to explain the move such as using a truck to show a moving truck.
- Explain why you are packing their belongings into boxes.
- If your new home is empty and nearby, maybe go and visit and leave a few toys each time you go.
- Keep the old bedroom furniture, as this may make them more comfortable in their new home. Try to layout the room in the same way too.
- Try to minimize any other changes such as moving from a crib to a bed or potty training until the move has settled down.
- Arrange child care for the day of the move.
How To Tackle School-Age Kids
Kids in elementary school might be a little more open to a move, but still, they need serious consideration and some help throughout the transition.
There are often two ways you can move. You may want to move in the summer so you aren’t disrupting the school year, however, other people say that midyear is better because it enables them to make friends before the summer instead of feeling left out and isolated during the holidays. The ‘right time’ to move is ultimately going to be down to your personal circumstances.
How To Tackle Teens
It’s not uncommon to have teens rebel against a house move, This is because it is likely they have invested a lot of time into their social group, and could possibly be romantically involved in a relationship. Moving away from their school could mean they miss long-awaited year events such as the prom.
It is important to speak to your teens like they are adults and listen to their concerns respectfully. You need to make them aware that you hear their concerns but also let them know that this move could help them become familiar with changes for the future such as a new job, or college.
If you, see if you can arrange for a visit back to the old neighborhood. And if it’s allowed to see if they are able to attend events like homecoming or prom, this could greatly ease the idea of moving.
If you are moving mid-school year, you may want to consider allowing older teens to stay with family or friends so they can finish their school year first.
A house move can present an array of different challenges, however, good can also come from these types of changes, you just need to allow time for the changes to settle. You may even find that your family feels closer after supporting each other through something like this.
Kori
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