Whether you are relocating to a nearby town or across the country, whether for a career opportunity, or the of a marriage or relationship, a move can be quite difficult on children. They have to leave their school and friends and may have difficulty adjusting at first. As a parent, it’s important to tell your kids about the move in the most gentle way possible and reassure them that everything will be fine. Here are some tips on how to tell your kids about a move:
Inform Your Kids About the Move As Early As Possible
The last thing you want to do is tell your children about the move just a week before the event. This won’t get them enough time to prepare for the move and may result in a lot of whining, resentment and tears. For example, if your job tells you that they want to relocate you in three months, tell your children as soon as you find out the news. That way, they will have enough time to come to terms with the move and deal with it easier.
Provide Your Kids With Detailed Information
When you tell your kids about the move, be sure to give them as much information as possible, including where you will be moving, how soon you are moving and why you are moving. The more they know about the move, the more comfortable they will feel.
Allow Your Kids to Ask Questions
Even after you provide your children with information about the move, they will still probably have questions. Give them the opportunity to ask as many questions as they want. Moving is a huge ordeal and they’re probably curious about several different matters.
Explain How They Can Keep in Touch With Friends
One of the most difficult aspects of moving for children is leaving friends behind. They may worry that they will never speak to these friends again. That’s why it’s important to assure your kids that there are ways to keep in contact with their friends, such as emailing, phone calls and Skype. If you aren’t moving too far away, you can even tell your kids that they can come back for visits with their friends. If your children know that they won’t lose contact with their friends, they will feel better about the move.
Be Positive
To get your children excited for the move, tell them several good things that will come from it. For example, if you are moving to a town with a lot of parks, tell your kids about that. They may love the idea of getting to go to more parks and become thrilled about the move.
Don’t be alarmed if it takes your kids a while to get adjusted to the new home. It can take some children several weeks or months to get used to living in a new place. Just always be there for your children when they need to talk and explore the new neighborhood together.
Eliminate Excess Stress
Adding stress to an already emotionally charged situation can exacerbate negative consequences of a move. Hiring a moving crew can help eliminate situations that add stress to a move. Professionals, like trusted Washington DC movers, can take care of the heavy lifting and keep you on schedule so that your move goes as smoothly as possible.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Suburban Solutions for their insight into moving.