Moving home can be an upheaval for all members of your family. The upheaval won’t be so great if you are moving locally as this means that most other things in your life won’t change. You and your family’s social activities won’t be affected by the move, and new friends don’t have to be made. Moving can particularly be hard for Children, to help them feel involved in the process there are a number of things you could consider.
View your new property as a family
If possible, make sure your child views the property before you move in. For older children, make sure that they feel included in the decision making process. By allowing your child to view the new property before you move you can help ease the worries of the unknown. They can also start getting excited about the new adventure.
Explore the area around your new property
If you are moving locally, you may already know the area well. Either way it will be good for you to get out and explore this area as a family. Go to your new ‘local’ park and playing fields, this will help make the children familiar with the area and get excited about moving. Explore any attractions which you may not have frequently visited, e.g. are you closer to the beach or some woods now?
Let your children find the interior designer within
Ask your children for their ideas on decorating their bedrooms. For younger children this may be as simple as choosing the colour or theme (e.g. princess theme) for the bedroom. For older children they can help with the decorating and positioning of furniture in the room. If you are planning on buying new furniture, ask their opinion/preferences.
Arrange a Party
Arrange a moving in party once you are settled into your new home. Let your children invite their friends over; they can show off their new bedroom and home. This party should be for all your friends and family, not just for the children. Moving is a stressful time for all involved, so you all deserve a party to celebrate your new home.
On the Moving Day
On the moving day (and maybe the days surrounding it) it will be manic, normally you have to pack up the removal van in the morning, and unpack into your new home in the afternoon. If you have young Children it might be a good idea to get another member of the family or a friend to look after them during this process. Older children might be able to help by packing up their own room and unpacking their rooms the other side.
It’s good to remember that children can be affected by the stress of moving and this may present itself with an unusually grumpy and unhappy child. When the move is all over and you have settled into your new home, your child will be quickly back to normal behaviour.
Bill Weston writes on a number of subjects including home removal tips. For tips for moving with Children view this guide http://residential.bishopsmove.com/moving-house-with-kids/index.htm