Moving House: How To Make It Easy On Your Kids
Slowly Introduce Them To The Idea
Not much disconcerts a child like a sudden change in their life that they were unprepared for. There’s no point in pulling the rug from under their feet and upsetting them so do your best to start introducing them to the idea of moving house as soon as you can. Show them pictures of your new house and of their new rooms so that they can contribute ideas on how to decorate, and feel as though the move is partly their idea as well as yours. If you’re moving away make sure to reassure them if they’re nervous about moving away from friends and family members by explaining that you can visit and use Skype to keep in touch.
Spend Plenty Of Time With Them During The Move
When you’re preoccupied it’s easy to assume that your kids will just get on and do their normal thing but you should make sure that you still spend as much time as you can with them while you’re moving house. Hire professional movers to sort out moving and storage so that you don’t have to spend too much time on the practicalities and you can focus on what really matters, which is of course the happiness of your family.
Show Them Your New Neighbourhood
Make sure they’re excited about your new location by showing them around your new neighborhood. Go and greet your new neighbors together, and take a walk around the block to look at what’s there. Even simple outings like visiting the local grocery store and park will be reassuring for your kids because their new lives will become a lot less scary and new to them. If they’re changing schools then drive past them to show them the new school – you could even try to make an appointment to introduce them to their new class teacher so they don’t feel too nervous before their first days.
Prioritize Their Bedrooms First
No one’s saying that you have to paint their bedrooms and make them completely perfect before you have a functioning bathroom, but it is important to make sure that they feel secure and that they have somewhere to sleep along with all their favorite and most loved toys and possessions. It’ll help them feel happier and more secure immediately, thus preventing any tantrums and bad behavior. Make sure that they have space to play and to draw so that they’re occupied while you’re unpacking the rest of the house.
Keep Their Routines The Same
As a parent, you’ll know that there is no one on this planet who’s crankier than a hungry or sleepy child, other than a child who’s hungry and sleepy at the same time. As such, it makes sense that you should do your absolute best to keep their schedules and routines as similar to the norm as you possibly can – provide healthy food even if it’s mostly cherry tomatoes, sandwiches, carrot sticks and cucumber slices, and make sure that their bedtimes are the same as usual.
