Moving With Kids— Ace Relocation Helpful Tips
Adults are often familiar with what a move entails, but have you considered the impact on children and young adults? At Ace Relocation, we know that a move goes beyond just packing boxes— so we’ve put together a helpful guide on how to best prepare your child for a move.
How Does Moving Affect Kids?
Anticipating how a move might affect your children is entirely dependent upon their age and development. While younger children may be unaware of the life changes unfolding around them, older children and teenagers have stronger emotional attachments to their home and surroundings.
Toddlers
While toddlers may not understand the changes that accompany a move, they are still sensitive to parent’s emotions and environment shifts. Toddlers often thrive on routine and familiarity, so it’s important to stick to similar schedules— nap time, meals, and bedtime routines— as much as possible during the move. You can use books or stories to help explain the move beforehand. Playing with boxes and visiting the new home ahead of time can make the moving process feel like an exciting adventure. To encourage a sense of familiarity, we recommend packing their favorite toys last and unpacking them immediately upon arrival to your new home.
School Age
A school age child is old enough to understand some of the complexities of a move. Depending on distance being traveled, this can mean more than just a new home— it can also mean a new school, friends and way of life. It’s important to use honest, simple, and direct language with school age children when explaining the move. Tell them as soon as plans allow, and explain the “why”, “where”, and “when” behind the move. Make sure to ask about any emotions and feelings they are having during this time. It can also be helpful to have the child visualize the move beforehand– show them photos of the new home, school and neighborhood to reduce any anxiety of the unknown. Additionally, involving the child in decisions such as decorating their new room or how they might want furniture arranged can shift their mindset from anxious to excited.
Teenagers
Teenagers can encounter the most challenges during a move as they’ve established long term social connections beyond their immediate family. Since they are mature enough to understand the complexities of a move, it is important to involve them in the decision-making process as much as possible. Make sure to communicate the move during the initial phases so they have plenty of time to process. Explain the “why” behind the move and highlight any positives such as a better school, a larger room, or fun things they can experience in their new hometown. Allow them to be involved in the house searching process and encourage them to preemptively sign up for local clubs or sports to build a new sense of belonging. Reassure them they can stay in touch with old friends and schedule return visits in the future. Most importantly, be sure to validate and acknowledge their feelings surrounding this major life change.
Moving Forward
Preparing a child for a move beforehand can help reduce anxiety, build trust, and allow them time to acclimate to their new life. Ultimately, the child will adjust to their new home and routine with time, but it’s important to help ease the process as much as possible. By following these tips on how to make a move easier on children, it can help your relocation process be smoother and less stressful for everyone involved.
Curious about how to move with your fur children? Check out our blog on What to do with your Pets on Moving Day.