Moving house is often described as one of the most stressful things that people choose to go through. The whole process, including buying or renting a new place and trying to arrange moving days so that you don’t end up between houses for a while, is a nightmare. But if it’s so stressful for parents, it can be even harder for children.
For children, they don’t have much say in where they move. A long-distance house move might take them away from their friends and their routines. Even if you know it’s better in the long run, they might not understand. Young children can find the moving day very difficult.
So, what can we do to manage the move, our children, and prevent any disasters along the way?
Talk To Your Children
One of the best things you can do is to communicate. Rather than blindsiding your kids, let them know in advance that your family is moving. Try to help them see the upsides of the move.
If possible, take them to the house viewings so they have an input. Try to introduce them to people in the new area and the neighborhood so they can make friends. If you’re moving near family, make sure they know these upsides.
Pack in Advance
The less you have to do during the moving day, the better. So once you know when you’re going to move, you should start packing. Pack non-essential items first and make sure to use the right packing materials to keep everything safe. Label your boxes so it’s easier to unpack them in the new property.
If your children are old enough, they can help with the packing by packing up their own rooms. Do a little a day, get them involved, and try to make it seem less like a chore.
You can then move your packed boxes, as well as furniture you don’t need yet, to a storage facility near to the new house. This way, you can move quickly and in fewer trips.
During the Move
When you’re actually moving, there are a few things you can do to make things easier for yourself and your children. While older kids can help with the move, younger children might get in the way, get hurt, and get stressed. You also can’t give them the attention they need.
In this case, it’s often better to get your children to stay elsewhere during the move itself. They might be able to be in school or nursery while you move house, depending on how you time the move, or you might have to ask family or friends to look after them while you move.
Speaking of getting other people to help, it’s often worthwhile to hire a moving company. They can provide the vehicles and equipment you need to safely move your belongings, as well as expert movers who can use their experience to safely and efficiently move your things.
