Everyone knows that the process of moving can be a little bit stress-inducing, to say the least; however, this is especially true if you have kids. It’s important to remember that whatever stress you’re feeling about your upcoming move, odds are your kids are feeling it as well. In fact, they may be even more stressed out at the thought of leaving their old home as well as their old friends and school if you’re moving long distance.
The following are a few tips that you should follow to help get your kids more involved in the move, thereby allowing them to feel like they are playing a part in the process, which can help give them some semblance of control over their situation.
- Tell your kids when you’re moving – Tell your kids as soon as you’ve made the decision to move. A lot of parents make the mistake of not telling their kids soon enough because they’re afraid they can’t handle it. However, the moving process will be a lot more stressful if they don’t know about it until only a few days or weeks before the big move. Give them time to come to terms with the fact that they are going to move.
- Allow them to make choices – Take them to your new home and show them their new room. Allow them to make their own choices for how they want to set up their bedroom or what color they want the walls to be painted in. By allowing them to make their own personal choices, they’ll be more excited about the move.
- Get them to sort through their things – Ask them to sort through their things and pick out what they don’t need anymore. You can donate or give these things away. They may be more willing to sort if they know that the things that they don’t want will be going to a good cause. Organizing their clothes and toys will also make them feel like they have more control over the situation, just don’t force them to get rid of things that they want to keep!
- Get them involved in the packing process – Depending on how old your kids are, they can help pack certain things in boxes. They could also simply help you label the boxes by writing the name of each room the box belongs to on the side.
- Throw a goodbye party – Give your kids a chance to say goodbye to everyone by throwing a party at your old home. Invite all of their friends, family members, and neighbors. Not only are you giving them some closure by allowing them to say goodbye to everyone, but you’re helping create one last happy memory in your old home. Get your kids involved in the planning of the party by helping you figure out who to invite, writing invitations and planning what kind of food and treats you want to serve.
- Give them a gift – Promise your kids a gift for helping out and making the move easier for you. While most kids will certainly appreciate a gift for any reason, they’ll feel like they earned it if you’ve promised it to them in return for helping you throughout the process.
Making sure that your kids aren’t stressed out as a result of your move is very important. These tips will help to get your kids involved with the moving process, thereby reducing any stress that they have about the move and getting them onboard.
To plan a move to or from the Charlotte area, contact us online or give us a call at 704-620-2154!