As exciting and exhilarating as it can be, everyone knows that moving house is one of the most chaotic and stressful things a person can put themselves through. Unfortunately, when moving house with children, this process only ever gets more challenging. Even a relatively calm day with your kids can sometimes get overwhelming, so it should be no surprise that this huge change can cause some problems. To make your life easier, here are six tips you should know.
Let Them Know ASAP
As soon as you know that you’re definitely moving, you need to go and tell your children. Many parents leave this until the last minute, in an attempt to reduce stress and spare upset, but doing this actually makes things worse, as it doesn’t give your kids enough time to get used to the idea. Your kids will also likely figure out that something is wrong, which will cause stress anyway.
Involve Them In Decisions
Whether moving house was something you decided to do or have to do for one reason or another, you need to remember that it affects your kids too. Regardless of their age, this is a big change for them and is one that they might not be too happy about. To make them more comfortable, you should involve them in the decisions and let them view properties with you.
Stick To Your Routine
One of the reasons why moving is so stressful for little ones is that it disrupts their routine. With that in mind, you should try to stick to your regular patterns as much as you can. Make sure your packing and cleaning doesn’t affect their meal or bedtimes, or hire a removal company, like Grange Removals to do this for you. Also avoid moving during stressful times, like exam season.
Stay Calm And Positive
The few weeks before you move is understandably going to be pretty stressful for you too, but it’s crucial that you don’t let this show, as this will work up your children. Instead, remain as calm and positive as you can, and constantly remind your kids of all of the good things that are going to come from moving. For example, they might be able to get a dog or a bigger bedroom.
Help Them Say Goodbye
Like you, your children are going to have a lot of people to say goodbye to when they move, so make sure that you help and support them through this. You could help them pick out small gifts for their closest friends and invite them around for dinner a few days before you leave. You could also let them take pictures of whatever they want to and help them put together a scrapbook.
Ask For Some Help
With so much to pack, plan, and prepare, you might not have the time or energy to do all of this and keep a close eye on your kids. Because of this, you may want to ask a friend or family member to take care of your little ones, especially the day you move. This way, your kids are out of the house and won’t get hurt when the movers start to collect your things.
Moving house can be incredibly stressful for children, but, with these tips, you should be able to make the process a lot easier for them.