When it comes to moving house, everybody tends to get extremely stressed out – and nobody gets more stressed out than your kids. It’s hard for them when they feel as though they don’t fully understand and they don’t have any control over the situation that they’re in. They may feel nervous about leaving a house that they have spent their entire life in, or a neighbourhood full of friends that they care about. But there are luckily a few things you can do that will help your children handle moving house.
Keep Talking
First and foremost, you need to keep talking. Expecting your kids to come to you to tell you how they feel isn’t going to work – no matter how busy you are with the move yourself, you need to talk to your kids to ask them exactly what they’re thinking. You may not have thought about what they’re worrying about, so you need to ask them what is on their minds. Maybe they’re worried about how Santa will find them next year, or they haven’t figured out that they aren’t moving too far away. If you talk to them, you’ll be able to assuage their worries and fears.
Show Them Their New Neighborhood
If you’re moving to an area that isn’t too far from where you already live, it’s a good idea to drive over there to show your kids what it’s going to be like. Make sure that you take them to places that they’re going to enjoy – show them the local pool and library, and go to grab lunch at a local cafe that you think they may like. If they’re going to a new school, you could also stop outside and take a look at it so it’s a little less scary for them on their first day.
Enlist Babysitters
When it comes to moving day itself, let’s face it: your kids won’t be of much help. It’s a good idea to hire a babysitter who your kids know and like, or to ask a good friend or family member to take care of them on moving day itself and maybe even over the following couple of days when you’re getting your new home straightened out. It may also be a good idea to put any pets in boarding over this time or to ask friends to look after them – don’t forget that they’ll also find it a confusing and stressful time.
Prioritize Their Rooms
Finally, remember to prioritize your kids’ rooms when it comes to unpacking. Of course, you also need to make sure that you have a kitchen and a bathroom that you can use, but other than that, remember that your kids’ bedrooms are very important. They need to feel that they have their own space in their new house and that they’re going to be happy and comfortable there. Make sure that you carefully label boxes so your movers – companies like Bekins Moving Solution will be very sensitive of situations like this – know exactly where to put your kids’ possessions.
Moving can be tough both physically and emotionally, so make sure that you keep communicating with and prioritizing your kids, and you’ll all get through it just fine.