How to Move Your Family
While much information can be found on how to pack and move your stuff, not so much is written about moving your family. For little children, a move into a strange house can be scary, especially the first few nights. Children of any age are always affected by the moods of their parents, so if you are stressed out and irritable they will pick up on this and may become badly behaved as a result.
Here are some tips on how to move your family without going crazy:
- Make sure you explain to children about the move. If they have to move schools and lose friends, they may be very unhappy. Give them a way of keeping in touch – phone calls, exchanging email addresses or street addresses, whatever is appropriate to their age.
- When packing their toys and room, leave out their favourite one or two toys to take in the car and have with them when they arrive. Little children should keep their favourite soft toy.
- Don’t get rid of their stuff without their permission – or at least, their knowledge.
- Get them involved in the moving and packing process. Having jobs to do makes them feel important.
- Get older children to research the new area and find out what they can do and where things are – the schools, public library, skate park, swimming pool, whatever they are interested in.
