When moving with young children, it can be an overwhelming experience. It is best to focus on stability and shedding as much stuff as possible, but it is important to do so without sacrificing your child’s comfort. When possible, let your child keep certain items they’ve grown accustomed to. You can also act out the explanation of the move with toys. It is important to stay neutral and listen to your child’s concerns.
Talk to your Kids
The biggest step to ensure a smooth transition is to talk to your kids. When it comes to moving, children don’t understand what’s going on and they may express their frustrations and fears through play. By talking to your child and letting them express their emotions, you will help them process their feelings and prepare them for the new location. Involving them in the move is a great way to create excitement and minimize anxiety.
Make School Transition Easy
Before the move, make sure your child has time to adjust to the new school. Children will be more easily transitioned if the new school is near their current school, however this may not always be the case. Visit the school before the move so you can meet the teachers and principal. If your child is frightened of the change, consider inviting them to attend a tour of the new school before moving. Another way to make the transition easier for your children is to hold a “goodbye” party with his class before moving. Planning a get-together will ensure that the children have a good time saying goodbye to their old community.
Get them involved in the packing process
When moving with young kids there may be plenty of things on your to-do list but that doesn’t mean you may have to sort and pack everything yourself, get the kids involved in the moving process. Packing can be stressful for both parents and children, so make sure to have an organized system in place. Make it fun and give them responsibilities to sort toys and books in their own box. Get them to help label boxes and have them organize their own emergency box where they have access to things they quickly need on moving day, such as comforters, toiletries, change of clothes, colouring books, toys, etc. By allowing your children to sort their items and take part in the experience, you will avoid a stressful moving experience.
Organize a baby sitter on moving day
One of the best ways to make moving day go smoothly is to have someone else care for your children. I don’t think your local Melbourne removalists would appreciate young kids running around when furniture is being moved, it could become a hazard for children and the moving company wouldn’t want to be legally liable for any injuries should they occur. Another reason why is to allow you and your partner to focus on the move without having to worry about entertaining your kids, this would certainly speed up the process and might save you a decent amount in moving costs. If you don’t have family or friends who can help, consider hiring a professional babysitter for the day, make sure you organize this well in advance to ensure the children are taken care of.
Moving home is never a walk in the park let alone moving your family, it can be filled with stress and emotion. Making it as comfortable for young children as it possibly can make the experience more bearable for everyone. Hopefully, these tips will make moving day go a little bit smoother and take some of the stress away.
