Sooner or later, almost every family in New York City faces the prospect of moving. But when you move with children, everything needs some extra planning and careful decision making. As soon as your decision is final, and the list of potential homes has been narrowed down, choose the moment to tell your children. They are going to need some time and attention, but first things first. If you’re wondering how to move with kids, the tips below will be really useful.
Explain Every Detail And Be Positive
Most probably, it wasn’t your kid or kids who have decided to move. This can make them feel really small and powerless. That’s why the explanation is so necessary.
Tell them about the big step at the perfect time to break the news. Order their favorite pizza and talk about casual things. Choose the right moment and tell them. Your children should know at least a month before the move as they need time to process the information. Keep in mind that when you move with kids, weighing every word is crucial.
This news is huge for your kids. They can be afraid and begin to cry, or even throw a tantrum. It’s okay. Accept this and hear them out. Listening and talking are crucial here.
Be honest, and stay on the positive side. Tell the pros and cons of moving, and mention the bright side of every possible trifle. Don’t think that your child is too small to understand some things. They are smarter than you think! Tell your child what to expect before, during, and after the move. Ask them about their feelings and concerns. Your answers should be complete and true. Do your best to give them as mush information as possible.
Children always know what we really feel. If you’re absolutely positive about the move, so will be your child or children. Tell them all this moving process is a lot of fun and a great adventure for your family.
Plan Together
If you haven’t found the perfect place to move to, consider everything carefully. What are the benefits for your kids? How close is the school or daycare? Is there a park in the neighborhood? What’s the community like? Having a detailed plan adds to the sense of security for everyone.
You kids will be really grateful if you involve them in the planning process. They will feel like participants of the dream-house hunt or the search of the best school in the world. They shouldn’t feel that the decision about the move has been forced on them.
In case you’re planning to change the neighborhood, take your family to the one you’re planning to move to, and explore it together. Consider their comments carefully, and discuss everything. Your children should know that you take their thoughts into consideration before making the final choice.
Allow your kid to choose how he or she wants the bedroom to be painted. Maybe there will be lots of stars on the ceiling?
Keep Your Routines
You already know that your kids feel more comfortable when there is some routine and consistency in their life. To ease the adjustment, try your best to keep the rituals and stick to the usual schedule. Maintain wake-up and bedtime rituals the same way. The last thing your kid wants is more unexpected changes. Big changes are coming, but you’re together, so everything is going to be fine. When you’re wondering how to move with kids, everything is about being calm and full of love.
Important Tasks
Depending on the age of your children, the tasks can vary, but they can still help you a lot. Make a checklist and let everyone do their jobs. Let the process of moving with your children be uniting.
- It’s time to get rid of unnecessary things. Look through children’s books. Ask your kids to answer the following question: “Do you read them often? Do they teach you something good? Do you really like them?” If they answer no, suggest that it’s time to give some of the books away. Do the same with toys. Go room by room, so that only really necessary items would accompany you to the new home. Make “sell”, “donate”, and “keep” boxes with different things. Organize a moving sale, and ask your kids to price and tag their stuff.
- Ask your kids to pack some of their own things. Children need to feel they are more in control of the process.
- Give them some cleaning projects, small or big.
- Draw a detailed plan of what they want to see in the new home.
Have A Goodbye Party
It’s hard to say goodbye to your friends, so your children will most likely feel sad to leave the old home. To ease the moving process a little bit, make a Goodbye Party and let your kids invite all their friends. Let your children decide how the party will go.
Make sure that it’s a sort of a see-you-soon party, too. Exchange contact information with everyone and take a lot of photos to remember this day. Keep in mind that your children should be able to communicate with their old friends after the move.
Read Books
It’s important to let your children hear useful thoughts about the entire moving process not only from you but also from other friendly sources. Here are some useful books to help you ease everything when you want to know how to move with kids:
The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day
Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move.
Henry and Mudge and Annie’s Good Move
We’ve tried to give you some tips and explain how to move with kids. As soon as everything is ready, you will find decent NYC movers and start a new life in a new home. You will have plenty of things to take care of, but just for now, there’s just you and your kids. Good luck!
