Moving house can be difficult for children, and each child will understand and experience moving differently. For some children, the idea of their own bedroom will be enough to have them ready to go, whereas others will feel unsettled and frightened of a new school and leaving their friends. Whichever kind of child you have, there are some ways you can prepare them for a big move. 

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Have A Family Meeting

Holding a family meeting well in advance of you needing to move is a good way to avoid surprises unsettling your children. Start with some basic rules for the meeting, and allow each of your children to share their thoughts. Try to hold these meetings with these rules:

• Be truthful and thorough with the information that you give your kids. Allow them to have space to ask what they need to. Give honest answers.

• Don’t make any false promises.

• Encourage them to be involved with the planning. You could ask for ideas on decorating the new house, for example. 

• Try not to let them see your stress. Children need emotional guidance from their parents. If you’re nervous or upset about moving, they will be too. 

Avoid Additional Stress

Some children will benefit from distractions, but for many kids, a big move is not the ideal time to start an activity that is outside of their normal routine. If you can, hold off anything new until you’re settled into the new house. This gives the children time to adapt and feel at home again. Talk to your movers if your kids are worried. A good removal firm, like North American Van Lines, will be able to adapt their work to minimize stress to unsettled kids. 

Explore The New Neighborhood

Most of us don’t go on holiday without looking at a travel brochure, magazine, or website first. It shouldn’t be any different for moving with kids. Show them pictures of the new house, and the area that you will be living in. if you live close enough, you could take them to the new area for a visit, so they can become familiar with their new home and feel less worried. 

Let Your Child Be Involved In The Moving Process

• Talk to your children about their possessions. What will they need in the new house? What will fit in their new bedroom? What can you buy when you get there? 

• Give them some reasonable freedom to go through their favorite things. Even if their favorite toys are going to be impractical to move, try to accommodate them, so they don’t feel punished by the move and as though they have to leave their most beloved things behind. 

• If you have a clear-out with a garage sale, you could give the kids pocket money from the sale of their unwanted things. 

  
  

Give children time to prepare for a move and keep talking them throughout, so they understand what is happening and why. This will help them to feel more settled and accepting of the change.