How to prepare your children for a house move

In our previous blog post we discussed that communication is key, and now we are going to dive deeper into how communication and other tips could help you prepare your children for a house move.

1.)    Communicate to them that you are all moving to a new house

This can often be a step that is overlooked, and you will often find that the child would only find out days before the move or even on the day of the move! Start communicating with your child about the move at least once you reach halfway through the process of making everything official, this will allow your child time to process the move and this will allow you to show-up for your child emotionally and work through it together.

2.)    Monitor their emotions on the days that follow you have broken the news to them

You might get so caught up with finalizing everything for the big day that you might not even notice how your child is feeling, do not neglect them during this time, as this is when they need your comfort even more, if you do not have enough time to cater to their every need then it would be a great alternative to have someone babysit, preferably a relative or someone your child feels comfortable around.

3.)    Write letters to the friends they are leaving behind

If your child is particularly upset about leaving their friends behind, then suggest writing letters to each one of their friends (this might take some time but if you inform your child about the move way in advance then this would save you some time.) this would be a goodbye letter and could include your mobile number so that your child’s friend knows where to reach them.

4.)    Masked and Sanitized

If your child will be present during the move then make sure that when people come to visit the house, that your child is always at a distance, either with a mask on or in an open area. When the movers arrive to pack the boxes and furniture, make sure your child is always close to you and preferably wearing a mask as well (Depending on their age), keep hand sanitizer close by and if in the event your child touches something, make sure that they wash their hands thoroughly, you could practice the safety protocols way in advance so that your child knows what is expected on the day of the move.

5.)    Have them pack their belongings

This would help your child build independence, and for them to feel they have responsibilities, children are not always too keen on the idea of packing anything, so packing for a move might take a bit of convincing for them to warm up to the idea. You could pack the heavier items, the clothes, furniture, etc… and your child can pack their smaller items, toys, stationary and such items.