Top 10 Tips for Moving with Children

Kids are resilient and can love new experiences, but moving can also be a big challenge for them.  Here are some recommendations—practical and psychological—for how to make your move easier for you and your kids.

Tips for Moving with Kids

1. Hold periodic family meetings.  Involve your children in the process of moving.  If they’re old enough to understand their own feelings, use these meetings to reassure them and answer questions.  If they’re not yet old enough for such complex conversations, use the meetings to involve them in the process and help get them excited about this new chapter.
2. Project your positive attitude with a countdown to the move. Once the decision has been made, tick off the days on a calendar and help your kids understand that this is an exciting change and everything will be not only okay, but even better.
3. Solicit your kids’ feedback on your new home.  If you have multiple choices for where you’ll live, your kids’ feedback can be valuable to you and to them.  If your choices are limited, solicit feedback from your children about how to make the best use of the choices you do have.
4. Do lots of research on your new home and surrounding area.  Learn about the neighborhood you’re moving into, the school system, public transportation, museums, and other aspects of your new location so that you start with a good understanding of the community.
5. Get your kids involved in determining which rooms will be used for what purpose.  This is especially helpful with their bedrooms, which functions as their own personal space.  But they can also be involved in how you set up other rooms, like offices or play rooms.
6. Visit your new location with your children before you move.  This will mean that the newness of the move will be mixed with some familiarity, which can be of great comfort to them.
7. Plot points on the map to your new home.  If you’re driving to your new community, especially if it’s a long drive, make an adventure out of the trip by visiting interesting and new places along the way.  Your kids will take that sense of adventure to the new place with them.
8. Have a See-You-Later party, instead of a Goodbye party.  If goodbyes communicate finality, sadness is likely to be the prevailing feeling for your kids.  But if you set it up as a See-You-Soon party, your family’s friends as well as your kids will likely view it as an opportunity to visit you in a new location, allowing friendships to continue.
9. Keep your routine intact: Try to give your kids stability, even during a move with established bedtimes, mealtimes, etc.
10. Help your kids find new friends:  Even though you are busy getting settled, invest time in meeting new neighbors and finding other kids who might be new playmates.

Contact Brooks Transfer & Storage for More Information

Brooks Transfer & Storage is interested in your whole moving experience, not just in filling boxes and loading moving vans.  Give us a call at either 800-544-1265 or 757-427-9500 and we’ll be happy to help you.