Few things are as daunting for a young parent as the prospect of moving with small children. Even for grown adults, moving involves juggling a lot of different tasks and may involve a certain feeling of loss, and these experiences can challenging when you have a five-year-old in tow.
If you're facing a move and want to make it go as smoothly as possible for your little ones, here are six tips that can make the process easier.
1. Tell Them as Soon as Possible
The last thing you want to do is spring a sudden change on your child. Telling them early on that you will be moving to a new home, talking through what this means and how it will impact them, and giving them a chance to get used to the idea, will help them prepare mentally.
Though this may not be possible with long distance moves, if you can show them the new property before the move date this can help them visualize what their new life will look like.
2. Involve Them in the Packing Process
When something big is going on around them, children want to feel active and involved. Identify ways they can help you with things like boxing up a room. This will give them a sense of ownership over the process, and can even generate excitement for this new adventure.
3. Let Your Kids Bring Beloved Toys with Them During the Move
Even at the best of times, it can be hard to know what to pack when. But tempting as it might be to put everything in the boxes as quickly as possible, letting your kids pick out a few toys that they will bring with them during the move can help create a sense of continuity and stability during a disruptive process.
4. Hire Movers
Every move involves expenses, and it can be tempted to try to economize by handling parts of the process on your own. But a professional moving company is not a corner you want to cut if you are moving with small children.
Hiring a company like Metropolitan Movers to take care of the heavy lifting will free you up to take care of the kids during what is sure to be a stressful and discombobulating time.
5. Let Them Grieve
The hardest part about moving with kids often comes not with the move itself, but in the days following, when the realization that they will not be returning to their former home really starts to sink in.
Especially for younger children, this move does represent a major loss. Remember, they're entire world up until now has revolved around your former apartment or house! Giving them a chance to grieve is essential.
6. Explore Your New Neighborhood Together
One thing that can help speed the grieving process is the excitement of having a whole new neighborhood to explore. Being intentional about identifying nearby points of interest, parks, playgrounds, and swimming pools is a great way to show your children that moving isn't just about loss - it's also about discovering something new.
Any parent who has gone through a move with little ones in tow is sure to have a story or two about tears, tantrums, and trials. Even under the best conditions, moving with kids will take more planning and more work than moving solo does.
But with enough preparation and the right approach, you can minimize the disruptiveness of even a long distance move.
