Grownups find relocation stressful, and imagine how it affects the little ones. Helping kids cope with moving is something you need to think about as a parent. It is important to know such things, especially if you consider that an average American, once turning 18, moves a household every 5 to 7 years. Now, if you’ve experienced a relocation, you know how tricky it can be for your mental health. A move can affect the little one’s social and emotional well-being, as well.
Handling the relocation stress isn’t the easiest thing to do, especially if you’re doing it for the first time. However, we all want to have the best possible experience for our youngsters and us. So, to make that happen, you’ll have to change some parenting strategies. The reasons for a move are many, and once you decide when it’s the best moment to move, you need to start preparing for the big day. Relocating with little ones might take some extra steps, but it will be worth it because the whole family will feel much more comfortable about the change.
Once you choose a relocation company and all the long-distance moving services are arranged, from auto transport to maybe some additional packing service if needed, you should answer one simple question – how does moving a lot affect a child? The biggest reason is that moves are frequently seen as something bad (a divorce or a job loss, for example.) Making the whole relocation efficient, no matter why you’re relocating, will aid your little ones in overcoming and adjusting to that fact.
Another very important reason why your youngster might not react well to the relocation (depending, of course, on how old they are) is that they won’t be near their family and friends.
Unfortunately, there’s no single proven approach that will make your little ones realize all the benefits of the move. In that situation, the best thing you can do is tell your children right away about what is happening. Still, breaking this kind of news calls for the right approach, too. So, it’s not just about letting your kid know about the biggest change in their life – it’s about the way you’ll do it. Ensure you and the other parent are together as a family when breaking the news. And if you let them think they know about the relocation before other loved ones, they will feel more secure.
There are many worries parents need to solve once they’ve picked a city to live in. When it comes to the little ones, give them as much information as they need and help them understand why you have to change a house. Even though you think children can’t understand everything regarding the relocation process, you’ll be surprised how well they can handle the information.
So, give them the basic one about a new home – if a kid is already going to school, start from the name of the school and the address where the future school will be. This way, they will feel as though they’re in the loop.
Relocating to a new state can be a stress-free process when you start planning it at least three months before the relocation day. That’s why you should avoid a last-minute move – imagine how your worries or dissatisfaction can reflect on the youngsters. Relocation stress can accentuate different aspects of your child’s personality, and you as a parent should do everything in your power to avoid it. So, between organizing the move and preventing the relocation mistakes, let your little ones be included in the whole process.
Like the grownups, the little ones want to be involved in most things of everyday life. Parenting isn’t the easiest thing you have to do, especially when preparing for the big move. From gathering all house hunting tips to deciding which relocation essentials you’ll need to pack, your kid can get a feeling of being neglected.
If you don’t talk adequately with a child about the relocation, the only thing that will be clear is the leaving part – all the good things left behind: schools, neighborhood, grandparents, the special places, and restaurants. That’s why you need to include them and put their wishes and wants into consideration. Even though you’ve already found and arranged everything – from state, city, house where you’re relocating – let your little one be a part of it.
Another great way that a parent can help a child is to let them decorate their new room. Imagine how the possibility of choosing the color of the room affects their mood. It’s practically the same for grownups – we like to have the possibility to choose something.
If you’re wondering, “how do I talk to my 5 years old about moving,” the essential thing is the first contact you make with the youngsters. Cross-country moving can cause many positive and negative feelings in both grownups and little ones. That’s why the best way of avoiding anxiety about relocation is to talk about the bright topics this change will bring.
Staying positive in this whole process can be tricky, but if you have your relocation to-do list that will keep you updated and help you prepare for the long-distance movers near me, you’ll see it will be a breeze.
Making a child excited about the new home and surroundings is quite a task. So, if you see that your kid is struggling with it, you can take some time to rev up the excitement. For example, suppose you’re relocating to a different climate. In that case, you can point out all the new stuff that your little one will see and experience (different climate means different flora and fauna, which can be a great way to show youngsters that relocating can be something they will actually like.)
Take advantage of the seasons – if relocating in the summer, find interesting places and things you can do together in the hot summer days. Check if there is a pool or a park where you can find some refreshment or a shadow where to spend pleasant noon. The same stands if you’re relocating in winter.
Maybe the biggest mistake in parenting when it comes to relocation is not throwing a farewell party. Yes, the youngsters should be making friends in a new state, but you shouldn’t deny to them a possible great way to say goodbye to the rest of the family and friends. It could be painful, but if you keep in contact with the people in your old place, the adjustment will be much easier.
Knowing that they’ll stay in contact with all the people they love from the old home, for some children, won’t necessarily mean they’ll beat the sad feelings and maybe relocation depression. You need to be extremely careful in that period and give your little ones all the care and love you can. Leaving the house they loved and the everyday activities they’re used to can be very stressful for one youngster.
Depending on the age, the youngest ones could whine more, which will make you more nervous. And you maybe had a different view of helping your kid, but you could try the following things that could come quite in handy when it comes to comfort them:
Managing things before the move can be very difficult, whether you’re relocating for the first time or you’ve done it several times. However, one of the crucial things you need to do is organize the relocation day. The whole chaos of tasks and planning all the services with cross-country movers could mean you neglected your kid and its feelings. Don’t let these tasks overwhelm you, and spend as many moments with your little one. That way, you’ll be sure if it’s a good idea to involve them in the relocation process.
If your youngsters like their routine and see that this relocation will take some of those away, you should do some planning and keep things straight as much as possible. So, if you’re gathering your first apartment tips, be aware your little ones still need your attention, but also their daily routines (feeding, sleeping, and playing.) However, we all know that sometimes things aren’t going as planned. So, if you need a helping hand, don’t hesitate to ask your loved ones to pack your fragile items and perform other tasks you can’t.
Hopefully, your kid will miss most of the relocation day because it can become crowded when the professional movers come. The best way is to leave them with the grandparents, but this doesn’t solve the rest of the relocation process. So, if you have a moody teenager who’s sad about leaving their companions, you can leave them in charge of thinking of some creative storage ideas.
Watch the video below for some fantastic ideas you can pass onto your teenagers for storage.
If you both are working parents, and as employees, you won’t have too many free moments to watch about your little ones during the whole relocation process, then you should consider some of the following steps:
Sometimes, your little ones can’t think about anything else but the sadness and the change they weren’t looking for. In that case, the best thing to do is to turn to a professional. There’s no one better who will understand your youngsters better, but in this case, it’s better to seek a helping hand and prevent further issues that can even lead to depression at that young age.
There’s no better way to have a smooth relocation than to hire a reliable cross-country relocation company that will offer you all the services you’ll need. So, if you opt for storage facilities where you can keep your items for some time or just want a helping hand with packing all those books, then efficient movers are something you should consider. Not only you’ll be more relieved, but you’ll have more free moments to be with your youngsters and present them the change in the best possible light.
