How To Involve Your Children
| It's time to move. There are tons of arrangements to make and a long list of "things to do." In all of the hustle and bustle, parents occasionally overlook people that are often very concerned about the upcoming move, the children. Children have feelings too. Parents, not friends or relatives, should be the first to inform the children they are moving. Once they have been told of the relocation, they should be given the opportunity to ask questions and to express their feelings. If small children have difficulty understanding what is happening in the world around them, parents might consider reading storybooks or colorbooks with moving related topics. Getting the children active in the move preparation can help ease some of their tensions . Here are some suggestions for concerned parents. |
A Family Affair |
| We feel moving should be a family affair. It is important to get every family member involved in the move from the beginning. Encourage the family to start with a viewing of the "Let's Get A Move On" video, a kid’s video guide to a family move, available from your Bekins Moving Consultant. After everyone has seen the program and has a better idea of what to expect during the moving process, we suggest asking questions to find out what the children are thinking and feeling. Ask your Bekins Moving Consultant for any additional procedural information the family may need. We also feel that learning more about the new city can stir some excitement about moving. |
Selecting the New Residence |
| Allowing the children to assist, or at least participate in the selection of the new home is another positive step. Encourage the children to make a list of their ideal home (eg. by school, by a park, room to myself, big yard with a swimming pool, etc.) in the new city. Of course, you can't promise the children will get everything on their "wish list", but it does give some indication of what would help them to adjust to the new environment much quicker . When the budget permits, it wouldn't hurt to take the children along for the final house-hunting trip to see where they are going to be living. When the budget doesn't permit such a trip, take pictures of the home for the children. One final suggestion regarding the new home is to draw a floor plan of each of the children's rooms and let them start deciding where they want to place their belongings when they get there. |
Preparing to Move |
| A lot of preparation must occur before the actual move takes place. Assign the children some responsibilities so that they feel needed during the rush. Some of the duties might include sorting out old toys or clothes; assisting with a garage sale; writing out change of address cards, mailing cards to old friends with the new address; and getting the pets ready to move, just to name a few. |
Maintaining and Establishing Friendships |
| Good friends, in children's eyes are hard to come by. All too often a child doesn't want to move because he or she is afraid of losing their only friends in the world. Parents can help reduce this anxiety with a few simple steps. First, make every effort to find at least one pen pal per child in the new city. Contact the school to find out who your child can write to get an insight into the school and the area. This activity also provides the child with an instant friend the first d ay of school. Next, let the children know that they can still write or call their friends and relatives in their old city even after they have moved. It may even be reassuring for the children to know they can visit the old neighborhood friends or relatives each summer. And finally, permit the children to have a party with their friends before they move and encourage a neighborhood "get together" with the new friends once they get to the new home. There is nothing worse for children than to feel alone. By taking steps to overcome this fear, parents will find that the children adjust to the new environment much quicker. |
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