How to Make Moving Easier for Your Child

In order to learn a few tricks on how to make moving easy for your child, you should take a step back and start seeing the world through their eyes. When we’re little, the surrounding world and people taking part in our lives are our safe place. Our parents and other family members, school, friends, our room – all of it makes us feel secure. And while local moving won’t have a huge impact on a child’s life, long-distance moving is quite different.

How Do You Make Moving Less Difficult for Your Child and Avoid a Stressful Episode? Talk to Them Openly

Let’s be honest – relocating with children is in almost every way different from relocating to another state alone. Being single means that you can either prepare a thorough plan for the move or simply toss everything into boxes and bags and move at the last minute, and it will be of little difference. On the other hand, having a family makes relocations far more complex.

First of all, you will have to think about what is the best time of the year to move. People with kids usually move in the summer because the school’s out, and it will be easier to transfer school records while your children aren’t skipping any classes.

However, one of the things you should be most concerned about is – how do you make moving enjoyable for your young ones? The starting point is simple – talk to them openly as soon as you start thinking about changing your address. Keep one thing in mind – you shouldn’t simply start packing boxes with their stuff without preparing them mentally and emotionally.

Visit the Place You’re Relocating to Before the Move-Out Date

Once you start talking about the upcoming move, your child will likely ask you a ton of questions. They will wonder when you plan to leave your current place, where you will go, what your new hometown will look like, and whether you’re relocating to a small town or a big city. So, before your planned cross-country moving date approaches, ensure that you plan a weekend trip to your new home.

It’s one of those relocation tips that can be applied both to you and your child. Visiting the city or town you plan to move to is beneficial in many ways. It will allow you to scout out the neighborhoods and feel the atmosphere of the place in person. As for your child, you will ensure that the great unknown is a bit more familiar and let them learn a thing or two about their future home. Check for fun things to do with your kids, where the parks, malls, and schools are located.

Ensure Everything About the Move Is Straightforward

In order to avoid any relocation stress when you plan a move with kids, start your preparations on time. According to the US Census Bureau, if a family had a child under the age of six, they were more likely to relocate than those with older kids. But no matter how old your child is, if you stay organized, the whole process will be stress-free and will require less effort.

How Do You Pack and Move Fast? Involve the Children in the Packing Process, but Don’t Let Them Lift Anything Heavy

Packing boxes full of your belongings is perhaps the most daunting task in the relocation process. When you plan to move from your apartment to a house across the country, the most logical thing to do is to pay for long-distance moving services and have the cross-country movers handle everything. However, your child will feel more included in the relocation if you let them wrap and organize at least a box or two of their own belongings.

You can print some colorful labels together because labeling is not something that can only benefit you. It can also allow your child to unpack with ease on their own and find things they need right away. Prepare separate boxes for everything – a box for plushies, one for their Lego sets, and a box where they can place books. It will also allow unpacking to be swift and also to be one of the more fun things to do after the move.

Are You Taking Your Pets? Let Your Child Take Care of Them

Most families that relocate do so with their pets. Taking care of your furry companions while handling the kids won’t be an easy feat. But depending on the age of your children, you can leave them in charge of the pet, or at least lay some of the responsibilities on them. They can take care of the furry friend before the move approaches by taking them for a walk and making sure they are regularly fed and brushed. They can be the ones to pick the carrier for the cat or dog, so it can travel safely.

How Can I Make Moving Less Stressful for My Child? Here Are Some Awesome Tips

You should take some time to explain every step of the process to your child and how the people working for a long-distance moving company will take care of each packed box. But you should also help your kid in making some memorabilia and planning other things that will help them overcome sadness and anxiety about leaving.

Create a Memoir About Your Previous Hometown

One of the things that will be the hardest for your children is the fact that they will be relocating away from friends. However, you can explain to them that long-distance friendships can work. They can FaceTime each other and even organize sleepovers when they are on holiday. But one of the most precious things you can help your child create is a memoir of their hometown.

Use photos and contact information, along with some memorabilia, like tickets and souvenirs from trips. From a simple notebook, by adding some glue, clips, photos, and colored pencils, you will create a memoir that can become a valuable possession for your child.

Ensure You Have Time to Say Proper Goodbyes

While you’re probably positive that your child will be making friends in a new city with ease, you should ensure they have said proper goodbyes to everyone they care about. The best way to do this is to throw a going-away party and invite all their friends and family. If the weather is great, you can throw a BBQ party in the yard or order pizzas and buy some sodas for a movie night or a slumber party.

Once You Move, Let Them Unpack and Decorate by Themselves

One of the best tips for moving out of state with your child is to let them plan out their room in the new home. They can pick the color of the walls and some new furnishings. Picking new bedding and a colorful carpet is one of the things that will help alleviate some of the built-up anxiety and give them something to look forward to.

How Do I Make a Moving Day Easier? Pack Some Boxes With Things for the Road

So, how do you make moving enjoyable if you’re traveling with kids? Besides packing a box of the relocation essentials, you should prepare everything you think your kids will need during the trip. Here are some ideas:

• Fill a container with lots of healthy snacks,
• Sneak in a chocolate bar or two to bribe them,
• Add some boxes of juice,
• Don’t forget to prepare lots of water bottles,
• If you’re relocating with a newborn, bring enough diapers,
• Bring the formula for the baby to feed it regularly,
• Whether the kids are older or younger, fold and bring a change of clothes,
• Add a sanitary package that contains wet wipes, disinfectants, and other products you might need during the trip.

Additionally, you should wrap up the essentials package for your children by packing a bundle of things to keep them preoccupied, like iPad, books, music, and their favorite toys. And if you want some advice on how to prepare a lunchbox full of healthy snacks, watch the following video.

If You Learn How to Make Moving Easier for Your Children, Everything Will Go More Smoothly

While the best way for the relocation process to be as effortless as it can get is to contact reliable long-distance movers and invest in their cross-country moving services, relocating with your young ones requires additional effort on your part. But if you take things slow, start preparing on time, and talk to your kids regularly and openly about everything, there will be no place for stress whatsoever.

Include them in every step of the move, and let them make some important decisions on their own. Additionally, plan the unpacking process, and talk about what you can do with all the boxes and other packing materials after you arrive. You can use cardboard as a great material for costumes, and planning Halloween in your future home can be one of the things they look forward to.