Relocating With Your Children

Moving to a new home is a crucial decision, whether you’re transferring to a house, an apartment or a condo. It’s even more difficult when children are involved; how do you tell them that they have to box up everything they own and move away from their friends? If you want to make sure that the change will be easier for them to handle, here are some suggestions.

1.       Call everyone in the family for a meeting – Remember that it’s a bad idea to spring something like a move only a few weeks before the day itself. Whether you’re moving because of financial difficulties or for job relocation, you have to tell them right away as soon as you know that you’ll have to move soon so they’ll have a lot of time to adjust to the thought of going away. Be sure that you’ve prepared a good explanation about why the family has to relocate, and invite them to express what they’re feeling about the whole thing.

2.       Tell them that you need their help – A lot of children realize their importance when parents ask them to help with ‘grown-up chores’, so don’t hesitate to get them involved with relocation preparations. Have them help out in putting items in the house, specifically their own things, in boxes. By getting them to participate in the entire process, you’re actually helping them get excited about the idea of having a new home to live in and explore.

3.       Organize a get-together for your kids and their friends – To your children, the most torturous thing about relocating to a new area is the idea of moving away from their school and their friends. Make the idea easier for them to handle by holding a going-away party for them, their friends and their classmates. While things are happening, ask your children and everyone else to write their addresses and phone numbers on a piece of paper (with your kids writing down their new contact details) and exchange with your kids so that it’ll be easier for them to communicate in the future.

4.       Take the kids to see the new place – Before the day of the move, be sure to take your kids to visit the place first. After doing a walk-through of the house and showing where they’ll be sleeping, take them on a grand tour of the community. In doing so, you’re introducing them to their new neighborhood and letting them know that it’s not as scary as they think.

Children don’t find it as easy as grown-ups to adjust to the idea if living in a new home, whether you’ve purchased a house or are transferring to a condo or apartment for rent. Children need reassurance that moving is a positive thing, and doing these suggestions will lessen their sadness about moving away.