Moving with Kids – Make it easy

One of my clients thought that their 45 minute move across townships would be easy. It was for her 15 year old son, who connected with new friends on Facebook even before they moved. But her 8 year old daughter did not have the same experience. You’d have thought they moved to a different country, they way her daughter reacted.

Moving is considered to be in the top five most stressful events in a person’s life and even more so for kids. Here are some tips to help ease the transition;

Involve your children in as much of the planning as possible. Help them find local web sites so they can learn about the schools, sports teams and other activities in the new community. You want to increase their familiarity and build excitement for the area.

Communicate. Take time to speak with them about the move and in particular, about their fears or concerns.

When possible, allow the kids to pick their own bedrooms. This makes it fun and exciting. Let them decorate as well, no matter how different their choices are from yours.

Keep a few special possessions out of the boxes. Familiar items, such as a blanket or stuffed animal, bring comfort to skittish kids.

Encourage them to make new friends. Introduce them to children in the neighborhood. Invite one of their classmates over for a play date early on. Or throw a kiddie housewarming party!

Seek help from professionals. A knowledgeable real estate agent can help you learn the area, give you leads on local children’s activities and make the whole move go more smoothly.