Moving with Children: How to Prepare Your Kids for a Move

Whether you’re moving one neighborhood over or across the country, moves can be very difficult for families.

Sometimes, the circumstances surrounding the move aren’t ideal: a death in the family, the loss of a job, etc.

Other times, the move is for a positive reason, but it also means uprooting your children from their hometown and lives.

Moving with children is just another layer of difficulty on top of the whole transition. Today, we’re going to show you how to prepare your kids for a move!

Involve Children in the Decision to Move

As a parent, the move may be out of your control. It might be the case that this move is happening regardless of whether or not you or your children want to. However, it’s still crucial that you involve your kids in the decision-making process.

Ask for their input, weigh the pros and cons with them, and talk about the decision process as a whole family. Don’t try to take it all on yourself.

This process is essential for children over the age of six, especially teenagers. Older children likely already have an established life where they are.

Therefore, they may rebel, whine, pout, or have tantrums, but you need to allow them to express their emotions. Changing a young person’s life so suddenly can be difficult, and it’s essential to enable them to work through these changes.

Even if the move is going to happen with their consent or not, your kids will appreciate being “in the know” and involved.

Make it easier on them and yourself!

Helping Younger Children Understand

For children under the age of six, they may not be involved with the decision-making process as much. It can be difficult moving with toddlers, for example, merely because they may not understand what’s going on.

With younger children, be sure to make it a smooth transition for them by explaining the move in simple, short sentences. Before the move, use toys and storybooks to prep them for the concept of moving.

Children’s books on moving can help adjust them to what’s coming. Be sure to read books like these before bedtime for a while leading up to the move.

Packing and Moving With Children

We’ve covered involving your children in the decision-making process and helping them understand the move itself, but about the logistics?

Most of the common sense measures for packing your house applies to children as well.

Go through the packing process with your children. Don’t just tell them what to pack or what to do, but show them how to do it and do it with them.

Again, you’re keeping them involved in the process.

After moving kids, once you’re in your new location, be sure to help your children unpack right away. It’s essential that they keep a sense of normalcy in the beginning. Having their room set up the way they remember before is a great first step.

Getting Help Moving the Whole Family

Moves can be fun, sad, challenging, or easy. There are lots of variables involved in a move, but moving with children is another piece of the puzzle to consider.

All in all, it’s crucial to involve them in the process from the decision to move right down to packing boxes.

If you’d like to hear more advice about moving with your family or want to see how Community Moving & Storage can help out, then contact us right away!