Moving into a new home is just as challenging and exciting for children as it is for adults.
Although every child is different there are things that you can do to help the move go as smoothly as possible for your children.
Before You Move
- Involve your children from the start. People often assume that the less time children have to think or worry about moving the better but this isn’t the case. Children need time to get used to the idea of moving, so don’t put off telling them.
- Take your children with you when you view properties wherever possible, ask them for their opinions and views and where possible try to include these in the final decision. It is important that your children feel that they are part of the decision making process.
- If you can’t take them with you, take photos of the house, the garden, and the local area so that you can show your children and talk about the move.
- You could ask them to research the new area on the internet and talk about what they have found, this is a good way to gauge how they are feeling, if they are excited or apprehensive about moving.
- If you are moving to a new area do some research, find out about local facilities for children, schools and the benefits of living there. It is important to be positive about the move. Children will pick up on your emotions and feelings towards moving.
- Make sure that your children feel involved, give them a moving checklist or plans for the design and furniture layout of their bedrooms so that they feel part of the move.
Leaving Your Old Home
- Encourage your children to tell their friends that they are moving and help collect email addresses and phone numbers so that they can keep in touch with friends once they have moved.
- Your children will probably feel a mixture of emotions leaving their old home, it’s good to let them know that you feel the same way too. Show them that you understand how they feel, excited to be going somewhere new but sad to be leaving your old home and friends behind.
- A few weeks before you leave, if you have a favourite park or restaurant you could make a special trip one last time before you leave.
Moving Day
- Get younger children to make moving labels and stick them on the boxes with their toys and clothes in so that they can recognise their boxes in the new home.
- If you have very young children consider asking a friend to look after them to keep them out of the way of the removal men. You can bring them back to say goodbye to the house when it is all packed up.
- Pack one box with the essentials that you will need right away, pack it last so it is first off the van. Include things like a kettle, towels, bedding, favourite toys, toiletries, toilet paper and some food.
- Find out where the nearest supermarket or restaurant is to your new home and the opening hours so that you know where to go to get some food when you arrive.
- Once your property has been emptied take a final walk through with your children and compare how it feels now to how it felt with all your furniture and belongings. This can help your children understand that what makes a home is the family and all your personal belongings, books, pictures, toys and furniture.
Moving In
- When you arrive at your new home it is tempting to try and unpack everything all at once. Try and unpack your children’s rooms first so that they can have familiar items around them. Then unpack the rooms you use most like the living room and kitchen.
- Although there will be disruption when you move try and re-establish family routines like bed times and meal times as soon as possible. Young children in particular benefit from routines and it will help them to settle in. It also sends a clear message that you are still the same family and the same rules still apply, you are just in a new home.
- If possible allow your children some input into the setting up of their bedrooms, this is their space in the new house.
- Children can have problems sleeping in new rooms so take some time to talk to them about how this room is different from their old room. Perhaps there were things that they didn’t like about their old room like a creaky floorboard, help them see the good things about their new room.