4 Tips for Preparing Your Kids for Your Move

Moving is a process most families will go through at some point. Maybe you got a new job that requires you to move across the country. Maybe you are moving somewhere to be closer to family. Or maybe you just want a change of scenery. Regardless, moving is an exciting yet stressful experience. You have to go through the process of selling your current home, looking for a new place to live, packing up everything you own, and transporting it all to your new house.

And with all the stresses of planning out your move, it is easy to forget who might be most impacted by it: your kids. Moving is a huge deal for children as they have to uproot the only home they have ever known and move somewhere brand new. That means a new room, new friends, and a new routine. It is important to take your kids into consideration during the entire moving process, so follow these 4 tips to preparing your kids for your move.

Tell Them Ahead of Time

You might be tempted to prolong breaking the news to your kids because you do not want to make them upset, but telling them as soon as possible is ideal. When exactly to tell your kids depends on your specific circumstance, but aim for at least a month before you leave to break the news. Just whatever you do, do not leave telling them to the last minute. That is only going to worsen the heartbreak for your child.

Plan Out the Move with Them

If you tell your kids ahead of time, there is a good chance they will want to be involved in the moving process. Rather than letting your kids go about with their lives while you pack up the entire house, ask them for help. This will help them feel like they are contributing to the move, which would be beneficial for both you and them. You will likely need to hire professionals to assist with the move—trust me, this will make the process go so much smoother, no matter where you live. For example, if you live in Florida, Orlando moving services can assist in your relocation experience and help you move anywhere in the world. Any way you can lessen the stress of your move is highly recommended.

Practice What You Are Going to Say

In order for breaking the news to go as smoothly as possible, you need to plan out exactly what you are going to say. Be honest and give them as much information as possible about the move and the new house. They will probably have a lot of questions, so be prepared with answers. Do not leave anything out, even if you think they do not want to hear it. To smooth over the experience, have some photos of your new house ready to show them. If you want to get them really excited, put the photos together in a scrapbook with ideas on how they can decorate their new room. If anything will soften the blow of the news, it’s the fact that they can decorate a new room however they like.

Allow Them to Be Upset

It is unlikely that any kid would take the news that they are moving well. Kids don’t like change, and moving means a whole lot of that. So, make sure you allow your kids to be upset. Let me scream and cry and deny the whole thing. Let them be angry and sad and whatever emotions they may feel. To ease their angst and get them excited, give them a gift of something that they can put in their new room, like a stuffed animal or new book.

This might be a little extra, but if your move is far off, you might even plan a weekend getaway to Houston (or wherever you’re moving to get them excited about their new home town).

Moving is a tough experience for everyone involved, especially your kids. But, following these simple tips will hopefully make the process a little bit easier. Tell your kids about all the exciting things that will happen with your move, and soon enough, they will look forward to their life in a new home.