For mom and dad, moving can be a lot of fun. It represents new opportunities and experiences. But for children, moving means leaving their home and their friends and going to a new place and a new school. All kids know what it means to be the ‘new kid,’ and no one wants to experience that. However, there are a few ways you can make moving fun and exciting for your children, rather than a traumatic experience.
1. Don’t just forget about the old house. Honor it!
Take your kids and explain to them what the move means to you. Tell them you understand that they’re sad, and make a list of all the things you’ll miss about the old houses. However, once that’s done, turn things around and make a list of all the things you’re excited about and want to do in the new house. If you had a great relationship with your old neighbors, have your kids write thank you notes to them and give them your new address. This will help the children find emotional closure and be more excited for the move.
2. Decorate the moving boxes.
Those big, clunky, brown moving boxes are iconic whenever someone relocates. They’re also not the most pleasing things to look at. Have your kids fix that. Buy them a pack of markers and tell them to decorate the moving boxes. If it’s a box full of sweaters, have your children draw brightly colored sweaters all over the box and color it in. Doing this before you pack it will make the task easier and give you something fun to look at.
3. Include the kids in the packing process.
It’s easy for parents to forget that children want to help, too. Children, especially very young children, sometimes worry their favorite toys will be lost during a move. Give your kids a checklist and let them take part in the packing. Give them a special box to put their most important belongings in. This will help them feel better about the move and give them a sense of control over the changes in their life.
4. Get your kids’ input for decorating their new room.
One of the easiest ways to settle into a new location is to decorate it completely differently than the old one. Talk with your children and find out how they want their room to look. Give them a bit of control, and they’ll be much more likely to welcome their new home with open arms.
Moving is never easy, and children can make it much more difficult. However, by taking these four strategies and implementing them, you can make your move that much easier — both physically and emotionally.