5 Tips If You Are Moving House with Children

We do not become averse to changes when we grow up. It’s a natural human instinct and is there in us since childhood. Toddlers love the idea of new toys but it should not come to them at the cost of old ones. 5-6 year-olds love their new school but the memory of kindergarten refuses to fade. If you are looking to move houses, do not overlook the stress it may cause to your child. After all, it may mean losing their bedroom, their neighbourhood, their friends and their happy life-routine for your children.

Having said this, here are 5 ways you can make the effort of moving house with children less stressful and perhaps even fun.

1. Keep talking about the big day with your child

Talk about it thoroughly with your children. Let them know why it is necessary and how it will pan out. Tell them why the new neighbourhood will be every bit worth it.

Do not pile information on them. Sometimes we mistakenly shove more information on our children than they can process at one time.

So make it a point to tell them things in small parcels- may be a couple of things about the house move every night, from a fortnight before the day of move.

2. Ask them to make a few decisions

Let them feel they have a hand in decision making and that they were not pushed around. In years to come, they would come to know how their parents fooled them into believing that they had a big say during the shift of house- that will however be a cheerful thought in future.

For now, let them choose the colour of their new bedroom, any special furniture that they may want and things like that. In the same vein, let your child tell you if there is something you should get rid of before leaving the house.

3. Plan a moving sale

Once they have suggested you a few things you should better get rid of, add to them your own list of do-aways. Plan a moving sale, make a note of inventories, price tag them and ask your children to count the profit from the sale themselves.

4. Engage them in the physical effort of moving home

Involve them in the physical effort of moving home. Let them know about the truck or the removalist van which will come to the doorstep to load things.

Tell them how the same vehicle will unload things at your new place. Let your children pack boxes, label them.

Seek advice from them from time to time even if you know you don’t need those- they don’t know it. That’s what matters.

5. Walk around your new neighbourhood with your child

Explore your new neighbourhood with your child a few days before you plan to move. You will do good to take your child to the nearest ice-cream parlour or children’s park.

This way, they will know their new home will not be short on fun. Knocking on a few prospective neighbours, especially those with children, and letting your child befriend them in advance may do the trick for you.

The affair may be worth reminiscing

On a later day, sometime in distant future, they won’t mind discussing the expedition with you over coffee. They may even feel good while narrating their experience to you.

Is there a tip you would like to share with us? I invite your tip.