Moving house can be overwhelming on its own and with the addition of children; you reach your wits end if you don’t know how to accommodate them. This article, therefore, provides you with advice to follow when moving with children. Be sure to make sure you hire the right removalist in Sydney for the job!
Tell Them Early On
By having your child well-informed from the beginning, you will lessen the shock when they realize that their lives may be different from what they were used to. So, tell your children early on that you are planning to move house and explain to them what they might be leaving behind but also what exciting things lay ahead of them.
Understand Their Emotions
Children easily form emotional connections, so express understanding when they display any reluctance to move. In addition, children have probably watched movies of families having to move so they might have their preconceived fears based upon what they’ve seen.
Make Them Feel Involved
By contributing to any process, children will feel a sense of accomplishment and pride. So, ensure that you involve them in home tours, packing, or choosing paint colour selections (if you plan to redo your home). This will help them in overcoming any fears when they are involved in the process.
Reading
Stories have huge benefits in helping children overcome mental battles. When children read about a character who is experiencing what they are, it is as if they have overcome their challenges as well. So, by reading stories with characters who face change, it will help the child face this unknown situation. Keep in mind that the stories you choose should have a positive message of moving if you don’t want to contribute to their fear of all that could go wrong.
No End to Friendships
If children are reluctant to leave, it may be that they don’t want to lose connection with their friends. So, as the parent, you should take it upon yourself to assure your child that this is not the end of their friendships. To be proactive about this, you could ask the parents of your child’s friend(s) for their contact details and later on invite them on outings.
Making Memories
Moving can be seen as an adventure, so make sure you capture the memories. By making it memorable, you allow your child to remember good memories about the moving process when they look back at the pictures that were taken.
Visit the Neighbourhood Together
Take your children to visit restaurants, amusement parks, and shopping centres before settling into your new home. This goes a long way in easing your child into their new neighbourhood. Also, plan a visit to your child’s new school and have them meet their teachers and school staff.
Kid-Friendly Activities
Before moving to your new neighbourhood, make sure you have researched kid-friendly places for you and your child to explore together. Consider their hobbies like soccer or karate and find out where you will be able to send your child for these extramural activities.
Farewell for Now
As you have kept the parents’ email addresses and phone numbers, have a ‘goodbye for now’ party for your child and their friends. This is a good way to make the experience happy, so take pictures along the way too.
When following this simple advice, the experience of moving for your child will not be as scary as what they might have thought it to be.