Relocating your whole family is both an exciting and stressful activity. Even when you move due to positive reasons, that change into a new environment takes time. Parents must support their kids throughout the transition period. Try the following tips to help your kids adjust to a new address.
Talk Things Over
Involving your children in the transition will make them more confident and confident about it. Explain to them about your decision to relocate, the new environment and also new school. Tell your kids you are fully committed to helping and supporting them to find balance.
Children are often worried about the failure to get new friends. Encourage them to communicate their feelings. Respond to all their concerns with lots of empathy. Also, try to ease specific worries and fears.
Organise a Trip
The next thing you have to do is organise a familiarisation trip with your children ahead of the move. Explore the new area while noting down important landmarks, buildings or parks. Look out for kid-friendly landmarks like toy stores, skate parks or a pizza place that will assist in reducing their anxiety.
If you’re relocating to different climates, then there might be opportunities to try out new activities. It could be skiing or ice skating in colder climates or playing outdoors more often in warmer areas. You want to eliminate most of their fear of the unknown during this initial trip.
Honour Grief
It is okay for children to feel sad about leaving their old home and friends. Encourage them to express this grief as it makes for easier adjustment to the new environment.
Ensure to visit their friends to say goodbye, take photos and exchange addresses. Writing thank you and goodbye letters also helps kids to process their sadness. The family can even talk about things they will miss regarding their current home and what they’re looking forward to the experience in the new area.
Give Your Children Some Control
Allow your child to take part in more decisions regarding the new home. That includes the choice of colors in their rooms and also where to place the toys or furniture. Give your older kids a budget where they can decorate their rooms.
While moving is the ideal time to get rid of clutter, avoid forcing kids to give away their things. Doing so may add to their overall sense of loss. Instead, offer them the opportunity of leaving certain things behind, but do not force it.
Try to Maintain the Same Schedule
The other way to help your children to adjust to the new address is to maintain a few of your routines. Practicing the same habits such as game night and family meals helps to build more consistency. That continuity is reassuring for kids.
Children love familiarity and will adjust better when there is more consistency. Avoid introducing more changes to your kids at this time. For example, let the bedtime routines remain the same.
Conclusion
Finally, as a parent, you should take care of yourself first. Get enough rest after the move so that you are more patient when dealing with your kids.