Moving out to a new home can be an exciting venture; more so, if you’ve spent several years in your old home. However, the process can be disconcerting for your children with all the attachments and friends involved. To help ease the transition, we shed some ways to make moving out with children an effective and smooth process.
Discuss the Possibility of Moving With Your Children
Assuming that your child is old enough to communicate, you should tell them about moving as soon as you can. Prepare your kid well to prevent any setbacks and help them mentally readjust to the new house and its environs. To make the transition smoother, consider discussing your options with your child by understanding the following
Letting go of old found friends will be tough, but reassure your children they can make more friends in the new house. Furthermore, if possible they can meet up with their old friends when the opportunity presents itself.
Talk to your kid about their room preferences and help them design their new room. This will give them something to look forward to and get them excited about moving.
Conveying your current situation can be difficult for a child to grasp. Try integrating the news with a story involving their favorite character to let them understand better.
Encourage them that their cherished toys and possessions will not be left behind.
As you speak, reduce your volume and speech rate. This will allow your children to take you seriously and pay attention.
You can also motivate your child by associating moving out with a reward like ice-cream, food, or toys to trigger the brain’s reward system, which will give them the feeling of pleasure, joy, and excitement.
After discussing your thoughts and moving plans, you need to begin packing. Involving your children in the packing process is an excellent way to keep them busy instead of sidelining them, which will only result in them feeling ignored. Besides, it can cut down on your packing time drastically.
Toys, clothes, books, shoes, and products can be organized neatly and put into different cartons. Fragile items should be wrapped, while heavy objects need to be placed at the bottom to prevent it from crushing any other items.
Step into their room once in a while to check up on things. Ensure that they’re packing well and not carrying clutter. All worn-out objects, papers, plastics, and wrappers can be dumped to alleviate unnecessary space.
You can remove things that your kids can’t reach like curtains, lightbulbs, nets, and leave the dismantling of beds and other items to the professionals. Consider employing the services of expert movers near you for ease of access. If you live in Florida, you can search for moving companies in South Florida to easily find reputable movers within your area.
During the Move
Don’t underestimate the energy toll moving out has on your kids. After extensively packing, organize a nice full meal, preferably their favorite food to replenish their energy stores and keep them happy.
When the movers arrive, take the opportunity to show your children where their items will be stored. Aside from giving them a sense of security, young boys especially will awe in the large trucks. This can keep them excited about moving and take their minds off any woes. As the moving begins, your currently distracted kids will not hinder the professionals from heavy lifting. When everything is all loaded, let your children have one last time to say goodbye to their cherished friends and old home.
During the move, you can give your family an insightful tour regarding the new neighborhood. Mention activities and attractions that will spike your kid’s interests like swimming pools, skate parks, ice creams parlors, etc. This will help them look forward to adapting to their new home as well as give them a chance to get involved in new hobbies.
Moving out can be a stressful event for your child. If not kept in the loop, things will only worsen. So, it’s essential to keep your kids up-to-date. Breakdown the news of moving out in a clear way to help them understand their situation. By utilizing some of the tips mentioned, you can make moving out an efficient process for both you and your children.
