Moving with Children?

Let's face it. Moving is a real pain, even with help. But what about those adorable little ankle-biters? They're going through this process right along with you and are going through their own relocation stress, but they're probably not talking about it. So what can we do to help make the moving adventure less stressful for our kids?

Here are 10 ways to prepare children for a move:

1. Talk about the move sooner rather than later. It's really easy to delay the conversation, because it's not fun and because it's sometimes difficult to predict how each child will react.

2. Honor their feelings. Kids may not know that it's normal to feel excited one minute and scared the next, curious one minute and angry the next. Encourage your kids to talk about their feelings and ask questions.

3. Be aware of your own feelings. Kids are very perceptive; if you're stressed, they probably sense something is going on. Think of five positive things about the move and go from there. The kids will feed off of your excitement and start getting excited themselves.

4. Read books about moving. Books educate through fun stories and illustrations, but also act as conversation-starters, especially for younger children. Visit your new home. Take the whole family on a field-trip to your new neighborhood.

5. Explore the area, including the high points like schools, parks, restaurants, and other local attractions. If you are moving too far to visit, explore the area virtually and make fun plans for the future.

6. Play with imagination. If you don't know what your house or neighborhood will look like, help your kids imagine what their new life will be like. How do they want to decorate their new rooms? What kinds of activities do they want to try?

7. Establish a routine. When faced with the daunting task of packing and unpacking box after box, keeping regular mealtimes and bedtimes might not be your top priority, but it’s important to try and establish a routine for your kids on both ends of this process.

8. Empower them. Find age-appropriate ways to get the kids involved in the moving process. Let them help you look at houses online. Encourage them to pack their own stuff. Even minor decisions like what color marker to use to label boxes can make a big difference in helping your children feel involved and have a little more control.

9. Pack a special backpack. Mover arrival times are rarely set in stone. Because you don't know when you'll see your possessions again, help your kids put aside those special must-haves they can't live or travel without. The familiarity of their favorite things will help them feel more secure in their new house and keep them occupied while traveling.

10. Give them a chance to say goodbye. This isn't just about farewells to friends. Visit their favorite restaurant one last time, drive around the neighborhood, stop by favorite parks. Take pictures!

Good luck with your move and go easy on yourself and your family. The state of chaos is only temporary. A little planning and intentional action will help make this process less of a chore and more of an adventure.