Moving from one place to another is an adjustment for young and old alike. If you’re the parent or guardian of a child, there are some things you can do to help your child cope with “the move.”
Before moving, take time to tour the old neighborhood, take some photos, and perhaps have a “going away” party. Ask children about their favorite memories that happened there. Explain to them the reasons for moving to a new place, and how it’s going to be an “adventure” where they’ll have a new bedroom to decorate, a new school and new friends. Assure them that they can still keep their old friends, too, and that you’ll make an effort to visit the old friends (or have them visit you).
Empower the child so he or she feels “part of the move,” making some decisions, which could be, for instance, the color of their new bedroom walls or choosing the house they like best—as long as you agree and can afford it!
Involve the child in the move, giving them work to do like packing boxes or making snacks for moving day. Decide to make a “special suitcase” of all their favorite things, so they have something to cling to on the trip to the new place, as well as while they’re settling into the new home. Things like their favorite stuffed animal or toy should go in the “special suitcase.”
Once at the new home, the first day or two can be treated like a camping trip—you may not have exactly everything when and where you want it, so make it fun for the kids, playing an indoor game of hide-and-seek among the boxes, or sleeping together in one room on the floor the first night. Since moving day will be stressful, try and take some time to just chill out (take a break), and perhaps walk or drive to a nearby restaurant or park for an hour or two to avoid being overwhelmed.
Moving has a way of disrupting a child’s daily routine. Do your best, as the parent or guardian, to maintain some sort of routine during the moving process, such as reading your child a favorite book right before bedtime.
Remember, children notice (and mimic) how adults look and feel about things—if you embrace the move with a positive, adventurous attitude, they will too.
Post by Alexis Hlady
