Are you thinking about or getting ready to move? Purchasing a new home can be an exciting time, albeit a bit stressful. When children are in the picture, they and we face additional stress.
Not every child will have feelings of excitement about moving. As parents, we think of moving into a new home or community as a fun adventure for our little ones. What we often forget, though, is that even children become nervous about the unknown.
When Leawood mom Kamille Konold and her husband told their two young boys about the family’s upcoming move, the boys weren’t very excited.
“They were not at all happy about moving when we first told them! They loved our house, and they also couldn't quite understand (at 3 and 5 years old) that we would be taking everything in it with us,” Konold says. “We had to keep reassuring them that their beloved items would all be at the new house.”
Independence mom Vickylyn Acuna says that moving from California to Missouri excited her three children because it was something new. “My teenager, however, had the most trouble at first, because she didn’t want to leave her friends behind. It took time for them to get adjusted; Missouri is so different.”
Acuna took the time to familiarize her children with the new area. “When we came out to find a home, we took pictures for them of the house, the schools they would be attending and the surrounding area,” Acuna says. “We told them all about what there is to do here, and the fact that we have family here in Missouri really helped. That’s important to them.”
Konold says, “It helped to get our boys excited about their new rooms. They got to pick out the paint colors, and they both needed new beds. We then had a sleepover the week before we actually moved. By the time moving day came, they were actually excited.”
Here are some other helpful tips from the experts to guide you along the way.
- Have a family meeting. No matter what the reason for your move, gather everyone together, order pizza and talk about it. Let your children know how you feel about the move, and allow them to express their feelings, too.
- Make a wish list. During your family meeting, allow everyone to add their “new-home wishes” to the list. Perhaps you want a larger kitchen, your spouse would like a finished basement and your children each want a big backyard and their own bedrooms. Write it all down and have fun with it! You could even make two lists: one that is realistic and one that is a dream list.
- Include everyone during the house hunt. That’s right—bring the kids along! Ask them to tell you their three favorite things about each house that you see. If that’s not doable, house hunt online together. This makes everyone feel included and more comfortable during the search.
- Let them map out their rooms. Bring your children along to visit the new home and let them choose their own bedrooms.
- Throw a good-bye party. Help your child say good-bye to friends by throwing a party. Invite friends, family and neighbors, and be sure to take a lot of photos! Your children will appreciate those taken with their special friends they’re leaving behind.
- Visit their favorite places. Visit your favorite neighborhood and community spots before the move. Whether it’s a favorite park, library or certain people, make it a memorable day for all.
- Make a memory book. Let your children fill it with their favorite photos and memories of your home and their friends.
- Say good-bye to your home. During dinner, ask each family member to share a favorite memory in the old house.
Moving with children can definitely be stressful, but it can also be fun! Involve the entire family from beginning to end, and it’ll ease anxieties and bring about positivity and excitement instead.
Liberty mom and author Gina Klein experienced a move with her own family this past summer. Her two daughters, 7 and 10, loved looking at all of the houses and being involved in the entire moving process.