Moving house is an incredibly stressful time for parents. But, with the chaos of trying to organise packing, travelling and moving in it can be easy to forget that the upheaval can be just as difficult for children.<\/p>\n
To help ease the stress of moving, ReallyMoving.com has advice for parents to make the transition as smooth for children as possible.<\/p>\n
Before the move:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1. Keep your children informed – As soon as you know that relocation is a possibility, tell them.\u00a0 Children, especially older children, resent being left out of important family information.\u00a0 Discuss the move and the reasons behind it over a family dinner.\u00a0 Share personal stories from your own moving experiences to help them relate and adjust to the idea of moving. Moving house is an incredibly stressful time for parents. But, with the chaos of trying to organise packing, travelling and<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"colormag_page_container_layout":"default_layout","colormag_page_sidebar_layout":"default_layout","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bristol-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\n2. Involve your children in the moving process \u2013 Show them you value their opinion by taking them along to view properties or have them look at pictures of potential new homes.\u00a0 Further excite your child about the new house by letting them decorate their own new bedroom.\u00a0 Let them have as much say in the layout and d\u00e9cor of their room as possible.
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\n3. Plan a going away party \u2013 Invite your children\u2019s friends and the neighbours.\u00a0 Play games and eat sweets.\u00a0 To lessen the severity of the move, refer to the party as a \u2018see you soon\u2019 party rather than a \u2018goodbye\u2019 party.\u00a0
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\nDuring the move:
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\n4.\u00a0 Let them pack their own small suitcase \u2013 Allow your children to pack a small suitcase or backpack filled with their essentials, even if the items they choose seem random or unnecessary.\u00a0 Children find comfort in having a sense of control over the move.
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\n5. Arrange for childcare of young children \u2013 During the final pack-up and preparation for the move, leave young children with a babysitter, preferably with somebody familiar to them.\u00a0 This will help smooth the overall moving process and also prevent potential bumps, bruises and other harm to your child. \u00a0
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\n6. Let them pop the bubble wrap \u2013 No matter how much it annoys you.\u00a0 It\u2019s an activity universally loved by children.\u00a0 They put up with all your stress leading up to the move; now let them have this reward.
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\nAfter the move:
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\n7. Explore your new town together \u2013 Discover all the fun activities to do in your new town.\u00a0 Make a special visit to nearby parks and sweet shops.\u00a0 Find out what extra-curricular activities are available for your children.
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\n8. Visit your children\u2019s new school \u2013 If possible, get to know the other children and teachers in their future classes and gain a feel for the school layout.\u00a0 Also check with the administration for the necessary forms and vaccines required to enrol in the school.
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\n9.\u00a0 Maintain the same daily routine \u2013 Continue your children\u2019s schedule as similarly as possible from their old home to keep a sense of familiarity.\u00a0 Moving is a huge transition; don\u2019t overwhelm your children with a new daily routine as well.
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\n10. Set realistic expectations \u2013 Don\u2019t expect your children to adjust to their new surroundings overnight.\u00a0 Usually children take around 6 weeks to feel comfortable in their new home and school.\u00a0 Do not rush adjustment and be aware of warning signs, such as lack of appetite, difficulty sleeping or a change in personality, that they are having a difficult time adjusting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"