According to a Harvard study, around 40 million Americans move yearly, and the CPS attributed this to many reasons, including housing, family, and job-related issues. If you are a part of this group, you probably know how stressful that can be, especially when you have young kids. It is natural for your children to be sad about leaving their home and friends behind. You can consider the tips below to help them quickly settle into the new place.
- Acknowledge their emotions
Moving can be an emotional experience for all parties involved. Even if the change is in the best interest of your kids. They may still experience grief or even anger, a normal stress reaction. It is best to allow them to express a range of emotions in a healthy way. Please encourage them to speak up instead of a constant pep talk. This way, you can best understand the source of their emotions and help them resolve the problem. You can also verbally acknowledge your own introspective emotions, demonstrating that it is okay for everyone to express their true feelings instead of burying them.
- Create a distraction
Organizing a playdate for them or buying them something new, like a new toy, book, or learning aid can help them feel better. This is an excellent technique to divert your child’s attention, and creative play, gaming, and reading are all helpful stress relievers. Creating a distraction doesn’t only keep kids entertained while you unpack or settle in your home. It can also keep them calm throughout the frenzy.
- Moving day should be as peaceful as possible
Moving day can be physically and emotionally taxing for everyone. Therefore consider sending the kids to their grandparents or relatives for a day if possible. Keeping them away during moving-in day can help you enjoy peace of mind, especially when your new home is not child-proofed and you need to haul heavy stuff like furniture. It may not be practical to get somebody to watch the young ones if you are long distance moving. In such cases, you can hire some assistance or movers to help you settle into the new home as quickly as possible.
- Get them excited
Despite your personal concerns about moving somewhere new, you’ll want to do everything you can to get your kids happy about the changes. The capacity to adapt to changes is a crucial life skill, and moving into a new home can be a learning opportunity for them to polish that ability. Talk to them about meeting exciting new acquaintances, inviting old friends over to play, discovering new areas to explore, and enjoying fun days out. Consider all the exciting things you can think of to enable your kids to enjoy their new home. You can make it about the new school, the local park nearby or the neighborhood.
Moving isn’t always the easiest for adults; it can be tougher for kids. Consider the tips above to help your kids get through the process and settle in their new homes more quickly.
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