Moving is a very stressful event for all involved and parents can often take the impact that moving to a new home can have on their kids for granted. Talking to your kids and letting them be involved in each step in the process can turn the stress into an enjoyable experience for the entire family. Five reasons that you should get your kids involved in the move include:
1. Prepare Them For The Move
Kids, especially young children, often have difficulty asking the right questions and expressing their feelings. Keep the lines of communication open and prepare them for a relocation right from the start and include them in the planning stage. Take them to the new house and explain to them how the process will work. Let them know that a removal team will arrive and pack all the household goods into a van or truck and then take it to the new home.
2. Address Concerns About Their Belongings
Children can get very distressed about their belongings going missing during a move. Give them a few boxes and allow them to pack up their own belongings. A little supervision for younger children is advisable to ensure that items are packed securely and the boxes are closed up properly. Let them mark the box as their own – their name or a drawing is perfect – so that they can easily recognize it when they get to the new house. Allow them to see the goods being packed onto the removal van and follow the van to your new address.
3. Let Them Assist
Kids can either add to the stress of your move or be a helping hand depending on how you handle the situation. Let them help you pack up the rest of the house. They can bring small items that need to be packed into boxes and older children can even be given instructions to pack up boxes on their own. This will give them a sense of independence as well as let them feel as if they are part of the move and not simply being dragged along with the rest of your belongings.
4. Decision Making
Allow your kids to make some decisions about the move and ask for their input. Instead of telling them what to do, ask them whether it is a good idea. On your visit to your new home, let them have a choice of bedroom and where their furniture and other belongings will be placed.
5. Get Excited
Get them excited about the move by making the experience enjoyable. Eat at their favorite restaurant the night before moving day and get their favorite take-out food on their first night after their move. Buy a cake and get a candle to celebrate the first night in the new house. Also give them a gift to reward them for all their help.
Taking the time to make moving a great experience for your kids can go a long way to relieving your own stress by occupying your mind with their needs rather than the many factors involved with your relocation.