Moving With Kids Raise Extra Stress? It Doesn't Have To With These 4 Tips
Moving is stressful enough as it is, but when you have kids, it can be even more so. However, there are a few ways that you can reduce the stress by keeping your children happy and upbeat about the move. Here are a few tips:
1. Let Your Child House Hunt With You.
You may be the adult, but your child is being uprooted from everything they know, so it is important that you take this into consideration and let them tag along when house hunting. However, there is a time for this. For example, if you're going to head out on a Saturday and look at dozens of houses for the entire day, it's probably best to leave your child at home with a babysitter. You need to first narrow down the list of choices to just a few. Once this has been done, your child can go with you to take a look.
2. Let Your Child Take Pictures During Viewings.
When you go to tour a home, give your child a camera to take pictures. You can have them take pictures of the entire house or just of their room. When you get back home, your child can use these pictures to start planning the way that they would like their new room to be. You could even go to the store to pick up some paint swatches.
3. Host a Going Away Party.
You can do this several ways. You can throw two separate parties: one for you (the adults) and one for your child. Alternatively, you could throw a going away party just for your child and not worry about yourself. Or you can throw a party together where your friends and their friends come to a single party to see goodbye and bid farewell. Regardless of how you do it, make sure you set up a little photo booth for your child to take pictures with their friends. And make sure your child gets their friends' addresses so they can write back and forth. Before the party, encourage your child's friends to bring a small memento that your child can take with them to help remember their friends.
4. Create a Memory Book.
You know those pictures from the photo book that were taken at the going away party? Use them to create a memory book. You can let your child do this on their own or you can help them. It is a great way for them to find some closure in leaving their friends behind. This is something that your child can keep with them next to their bed as they adjust to their new home, school and neighborhood. Eventually, they'll become comfortable with their surroundings and tuck it away (though they'll never forget their old friends!).
To reduce your stress even more, consider hiring a local moving service to handle the move for you. You can still pack and unpack your stuff, but they'll do the heavy-lifting for you.