Moving home can be upsetting for some children, especially if they are young and have always lived in one place. We offer top tips on moving home with children to help you explore ways you can ease the transition for your kids.
Breaking the news
Some children find it difficult to hear that they're moving home. It's important to try and make it an exciting experience. It can help to get the whole family around the dinner table with the kids' favourite food, keep it casual and gradually steer it round to the move. If you're moving due to a new job or a promotion, explain why you're excited about it and how it will positively impact the family. Encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings on it. It can help to make them feel like they are involved in the whole process.
Get their input on the new house
Allow your children to be involved in choosing your new house. You could show them pictures or even take them to viewings once you've narrowed it down slightly. Ask for their feedback on each one and let them know that you'll take their views into account when deciding which house to buy. Keep them posted throughout and have a little celebration once you make your final decieion.
Decluttering before you move
We all keep things we no longer need and kids are no different. Get them to help you go through the house and decide what to keep and what to get rid of. When it comes to their possessions, let them know that it's alright to keep certain things that hold special memories, but that things that are no longer used should be considered for throwing away. You can always offer to donate them, so that another boy or girl gets to play with a toy yours no longer uses.
Find out about your new neighbourhood
If you're moving to a new area, try find out about the community. Encourage your kids to do their own research. With your help, they can go online and look up things to do in the area. You'll be able to learn about different organisations and groups, school events and sports, and other social activities.
Plan their new rooms
To get your children excited about the new house, get them to help plan some of the rooms. You don't have to limit them to their rooms only. If they're interested in helping arrange and decorate other rooms in the house, let them. Take a trip to a DIY store to look at different paint colours. If you're going to purchase new furniture and the kids are interested, take them with you. For teenagers, set a budget and let them tackle their own rooms.
Visit in advance
If you're can, take the kids to the new place for a visit before you move in. If you're just moving across town, plan to spend the day doing a walk-through of the house and a tour of the new neighbourhood. If you're moving a great distance away, you might still be able to do this, even if it just means beating the movers by a couple of days and staying in a local hotel.
Saying goodbye to friends
Saying goodbye to friends is one of the hardest things for a child, so a goodbye party might be slightly overwhelming. Instead make sure they get the chance to see their friends in a calm setting before your move. Video calling, texting and social media makes it easier for kids to stay in touch with old friends while adjusting to their new surroundings and starting to make new friends.
Take a day trip
Once you've started to settle into the new house, start to explore your surroundings. Showing your kids what their new community has to offer will help to settle them in. If you can, try plan some outings to see local tourist attractions and other places of interest. If they've made friends already, encourage them to bring a friend along to really help cement that relationship.