Preparing Children For A Move

Regardless of age, no child is prepared for the news that they will be relocating. A multitude of emotions can quickly overwhelm the child and perhaps concerns arise regarding their future. Below are some simple ways to help your child adjust to the news and become involved in the move.

Months - Weeks Before Moving Day

• Inform your children of the impending move as soon as the decision has been made. Like adults, they need time to think things through.
• Establish times for the family to get together to share individual aspirations and concerns about the upcoming move.
• Provide informational materials, such as books and videos, that pertain to moving. Such products emphasize the positive aspects of relocation.
• As a family, look over pamphlets, brochures and maps of your new city and/or state or country. In addition, look at the areas you will travel through to reach your destination and allow your children to choose one or two places to visit along the way.
• Take the children with you to visit the new neighborhood. Children will feel less frightened if they are able to familiarize themselves with the area before the move.
• When visiting, take your children to the local playground and/or school and visit with future neighbors so that they may make new friends prior to the relocation.
• Recognize the importance of their current friendships as well. Provide them with their own address book and encourage future visitations (depending on age and distance) once settled in your new home.
• Depending on the age of the child, give them the opportunity to plan ho w they will decorate their bedroom and perhaps incorporate some of their ideas for other areas of the new home as well.
• If a garage or yard sale is planned, give the children various responsibilities. For instance, each could decide which of their own toys and belongings will be sold and label each item with a price sticker.

Weeks Before - Moving Day

• As appropriate, allow each child to pack his or her own belongings. Remind them to put aside the items they will need as soon as they get to t he new home; place those items in a separate suitcase/box that will be taken with them in the family vehicle (not on the moving van).
• Allow the children to help make checklists of things to do before the move.
• Have the children pack the snacks/lunches that will be taken along for the trip.
• Assign each child a certain area or room of the house to clean once all of the packing has been completed.
   

Try to include your children in all aspects of the relocation process. Moving is, after all, a family endeavor and even small children need to f eel that they have contributed a vital role to the family's relocation.

Tips for Parents of School-Age Children

• When packing important papers and documents for the move, don't forget the necessary paperwork that your children's new teachers will nee d.
• Check with your children's new teachers after the first month of their attendance at the new school. This information will enable you to help your children overcome any difficulties that they may be experiencing, before they become overwhelming problems.