Moving homes can be tough on the whole family. There are so many things to be done like packing, changing your address, bank and lawyer appointments; the list goes on! One thing we always want to make sure of is that our kids are as comfortable as possible because it can be really hard on them too. They have to change schools, leave their old friends, make new ones, leave a familiar space and their source of comfort.
That can be a lot to handle for a little one. Here are five ways to help get your kids on board with the move:
- Make moving fun. Let your kids help pack up their stuff and as a reward, tell them they can throw a moving party! They can invite their closest friends and have a pizza night before the big day so they have something to be excited about.
- Talk about the awesome things that are in their new neighbourhood and take them for a visit. This will help your kids warm up to the new area. Head to the closest park a few times before the move and have them introduce themselves to the other kids. This will help remove the fear of the unknown and show them how much fun the new neighbourhood can be.
- Get their friends’ contact information so they can stay in touch. Nobody wants to move away from a familiar place and their friends so ensuring that your kids can keep in contact with their buddies will help with their transition.
- Start preparing early to cut down on the stress of moving and so you have more time to spend with your kids. How do you do this? Create a
checklist and get organized. Slowly pack items you don’t use often to avoid last minute rushes. Hire movers rather than doing it all by yourself. You can set up your home insurance well in advance of the big move and even buy it directly online with Sonnet (Fun fact: if you’re already with Sonnet, you can just log in to your account online and change your address). The more you can plan, the more time you’ll have to focus on your kids and be present. - Make a scrapbook of their favourite memories from the old home and neighbourhood. Let them pick out photos to add, get some stickers, and let them pick up little items from the area like leaves. They'll love flipping through it and seeing all of the happy memories they made there and you can explain how many more they will have in their new home and neighbourhood.
These fun little ideas will help with your kids transition into their new home and hopefully it won't feel so overwhelming. More than anything staying organized and planning in advance will help you stay relaxed, which in turn makes it easier on your little ones.