What You Can Do To Make An Upcoming Move Easier On Your Children
Moving can be an exciting time of life. There is the prospect of a new beginning, new friends and a new life. But for many people, especially children and teens, moving can be traumatic. The unknown can be scary, which can make many children resistant to moving. If you are contemplating moving there are some things that you can do to help make the transition easier on your children. Here are a couple suggestions.
1. Visit and Involve The Kids In The Search For A New Home
Even though it is ultimately the parent's decision where you relocate, the more you involve your children, the better. If you can visit the area where you plan to move and let them look at houses with you, perhaps visit schools, parks, churches, museums and so forth, it will be easier for the child. They need to visualize themselves in their new home. If it is completely unknown it will be much harder. In addition, it might be hard for your child or teen to trust that their new home has benefits, so it is important to let them be involved in finding somewhere they would like to live.
2. Give Them Plenty Of Time To Work Through The News That You Are Moving
One of the worst things you can do is spring the news that you are moving on your children. Young children won't have as hard of a time, but teenagers need time to work through those emotions. They need to be able to tie up loose ends and go through the stages of grief before they move. For example, you could tell the child in the middle of the school year that toward the end of the year you will be moving and next year they will have a new school. Although they may be upset in the beginning, the more time they have, the easier it will be when the moving day actually arrives.
3. Hire Movers To Help With The Move
One of the reasons that children feel so stressed during a move is that it is so much work. If you are preoccupied with packing boxes and moving the house, you are not able to address the emotional needs of your family. This is why it is better to have a moving company, like a.m.p.m. Movers, to help with all the hard labor so that you can focus on what is most important, your family.
By doing these things you can help to make a move easier on your children.