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Moving with Children - Easing the Transition
Planning a move with children can be a trying event. Their short attention span and the unwillingness for change can create a harder transition than adults. Just like you they are going to begin over with a new school, new friends and a new life.
There are ways to ease the transition. Give the child sufficient time when telling them about the move. Many children will be uneasy, or nervous about the move. These are natural thoughts, as adults we experience these same thoughts about moving. To a child these feelings are more pronounced, and should be encouraged to be spoken about.
If the children are old enough to participate in the decision making they will feel like they are involved and it will help them gain control over the situation. It is helpful to let the child participate within regards to choosing a new home, or a new school or which activity to enrol in upon arrival. As with every new beginning, some things must be let go. Have the child participate in a garage sale, allow the children to pack their own belongings into moving boxes and even using moving supplies to pack things up. This allows the child to decide what to pack, and what to put into the trash, or sell. Allowing the child to specially mark the moving boxes will allow for an easier time finding them upon arrival at the new home.
If it is possible the parents should plan a trip to the destination. This will decrease stress and nervousness about moving there. Parents should make an effort to show the child the good things about their new home. Highlights could be the schools, clubs or attractions within the city. If it is possible to meet people from the new city than a meeting could ease the stress level of the children, knowing that they are going to know someone from the new city could cause them to breathe a sigh of relief!
Fun Tip: Drawing pictures on moving boxes can be a fun activity for children and can make packing boxes more fun. Also it will help your child find their cardboard boxes easier when unpacking. There are lots of fun and informative books your can read with your children to help then understand moving process.
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