How Can You Reduce the Stress of Moving Home for Your Children?

How to Make Moving Easier for Your Children

Moving home can be an exciting chapter for adults, but it can be the other way around for children.

With studies suggesting the importance of housing in the development and well-being of children, uprooting them from the home that they’re used to can be quite stressful for the little ones.

So aside from fulfilling your moving checklist and hiring the best removalists in Logan, it’s also very important to follow these tips to make moving homes less stressful for your children:

Never make the move a surprise to your children

The moment you decide to move home, make it a priority to tell your children about this decision because like you, they also need time to process this huge change in their lives.

A lot of parents put off telling the news to their kids until the last minute, and it can trigger a lot of stress, anxiety and even depression in children.

If you don’t want that to happen, it’s very important to be honest about your decision to move and even explain the reasons behind it.

Encourage your children to ask questions and answer them in ways that are easier for them to understand.

You should also highlight the positive things that they can get from this move, like being in a bigger neighbourhood, living near a huge park or having a bigger house where they can have their own rooms.

Get your children involved in the moving process

Moving can be so overwhelming that you’ll need as many hands as possible.

So why not involve your children in the process? A month before your actual move date, allow them to go through their things and decide what they should keep or give away.

This will not only make decluttering a lot easier for you, but it also teaches them the value of keeping only the things they need and love while letting go of those that won’t have a space in the new home.

If you’re renovating the new home, this is also a great time to get them involved in designing and decorating their new rooms.

Ask for their input in choosing paint colours, wallpapers and decor, so they’ll feel that this is really their own space, which can be quite exciting for them.

Create a game plan with your children

Time is the most important thing that you need when moving home, especially when you have kids.

Remember that children thrive with routine and won’t do well when that routine is disrupted. So if you want to avoid any tantrums, anxiety and stress, it’s best to create a game plan with your children on how you would go about your move.

Make sure to give them a timeframe to declutter and start packing so everything is ready on the day of your move.

It’s also very important to maintain their routine as much as possible, sticking to bedtime rituals and giving them a sense of normalcy even when you’re in the middle of moving.

Since moving day can be quite chaotic, it’s best to arrange for childcare so you can focus on moving without having to worry about where your children will stay.

You can let them stay with a family member or book a hotel for a day or two so they can avoid the chaos and allow you to focus all your energy on moving everything into your new home.

Have an “essentials” box ready

You can’t expect to unpack everything in just a few days, and all that chaos in your house on top of adjusting to a new space can be quite stressful to your children.

So if you want to avoid that, it’s very important to pack an “essentials” box containing all the things that you and your kids will need right away, like their toiletries, drinks, snacks and even toys.

You can even unpack their rooms first and have their beds ready, so they can start settling in while you unpack the rest of your house.

You can even prepare little welcome home gift baskets with all their favourite treats inside so they can feel extra special during your move.

Of course, you can never go wrong with having a fully stocked fridge since kids find a lot of comfort in food.

Don’t force your children to adjust right away

If you’re adjusting to the move, your children need more time to process this huge step in their young lives.

So never force them to adjust to their surroundings right away.

Instead, give them time to go around the house, explore the neighbourhood and feel that this is their new community.

Being patient and understanding during this time will make the transition a lot easier for you and the children, and you can settle in faster together.

The bottomline

Moving home is a huge step for the entire family.

This is why you can expect some tantrums and a lot of anxiety in your children.

But if you follow these tips and give yourself time to process everything, you can go through your move smoother and finally feel like you’re home in your new place.