How to Move With Children
Got kids? Then this move is as much about them as it is about you. Maybe you’re changing abodes to give each of them their own room, put them in a better school district or offer them more outdoor space for playing. To minimize the inevitable stress of the transfer on your entire family, just follow these moving tips.
Start Early
If you wait until the last minute to tell the children about the move, don’t expect squeals of delight. If anything, they may be angry and afraid because you’re forcing them to leave the safety of their castle and head for an uncharted forest. To prevent complaints, involve them in your plans as soon possible. Even before you hunt for a new place, ask your kids what they don’t like about their current space and what they’d like to see in a new home. Then take them along on the house-hunt and ask for their opinions on what they’re seeing. They’ll feel like they have a hand in deciding where to go.
Visit the New Neighborhood
After you’ve found a new home, start taking the kids on field trips to the new neighborhood. Visit local parks, stores and attractions. Get permission from the principal of the new school for a site visit so your children get a preview of the classrooms. Sign them up for any activities, teams or clubs in the new location so they can get accustomed to the area and start making friends. Your kids can then look forward to something familiar as the moving date approaches.
Let Them Help
It’s typical to have older kids help with the packing, especially with their own stuff, but even the youngest tykes can participate. Give them a small box, preferably one similar to the moving boxes you intend on using, so they feel like part of the process. Ask them to put a few well-chosen favorite toys inside. Then, with your help and supervision, seal the box and label it with the child’s name. You can then either take the box with you in your car during the move or ask Student Movers to make this the first thing they unload at your new home.
Encourage Creativity
Allow older kids the chance to plan the decorating of their room. They can choose paint colors, window coverings, carpets or floor covering, lighting and furniture. While you may need to guide younger ones in making appropriate choices, give teens as much free rein as you can as long as you have veto power. Give those who are older and responsible a budget from which they can spend.
Keep Them Safe
Even though Student Movers takes a lot of care when unloading your precious possessions, you don’t want your toddlers to be underfoot when your furniture and boxes finally arrive at your new house. Have your spouse or an older child babysit your youngest ones at a nearby restaurant or playground just before your goods arrive at the new place. Then ask the movers to unpack the kids’ bedrooms first. When that’s done, you can ask the kids to come home. Confine them to their room and if necessary, and help them unpack the small box they made earlier. They then have their favorite toys to play with and can stay safely in their rooms as the rest of the house is being unloaded.
