Moving to a new location is a lot of work and it can be very difficult to say goodbye to the people that you already know. It can be even more difficult for your children to leave the only place they have known their entire life.
For children, it is very important that you have explained to them why you are moving and where. As a parent, it is very important that you are considerate of how your children are feeling and try to make the transition as easy as possible.
Start by making sure your children get to say a proper goodbye to all of their close friends and places.
Young children, preschoolers, or toddlers may not understand that when they move to the new home they will not be able to go to the same places or see the same people.
When they realize it may be too late for them to say goodbye, and they will feel mislead if you do not make sure they get the chance to say goodbye. Saying goodbye to people is often a given when moving, but many parents do not think of letting their children say goodbye to places.
Places children may want to say goodbye to may be their old school, the park they love to play at, the old home, their favorite hiding spot in the back yard, or their best friend’s house. They may even want to say good bye to the grocery store or their classroom at the church.
Ask them if there are any particular places or people they would like to say goodbye to. You may be surprised at where and who they come with.
The children may even have to say goodbye to a few toys or other items as the packing commences. Packing can be emotionally stressful for children as they see all of their things begin to disappear from the rooms.
Try to pack your children’s things last so that they can still play with things while you are packing other things. When you do pack their things have them help you so that they can see the things going into the box and not the trash.
Be sure to emphasize that the box will be sent to the new house and that they will be able to play with their things there. Moving is also very stressful on pets.
If a pet is exhibiting signs of severe anxiety it can add to a child’s stress and worry. Before you start moving the pet talk to you child about how the pet may react to the move.
This will prepare your child for the pets reaction and the child may even be able to let go of some of their worry as they try to reassure the pet that the move will be okay. When handled correctly the pet and child can reassure each other.
It will also be vital for older children to be able to say goodbye to their friends. A teenager may want to throw a going away party for their friends before leaving.
Even though you are probably feeling the stress of moving and that there are too many things to do, letting your teenager say good bye should become a top priority. This will alleviate a lot of future stress and tension in the home.
Your teenager can be a big help during the packing process. This is an ideal time to throw out things that are no longer needed and to create for more space in the home you will be moving to.
When sorting through your children’s toys you will need their opinion on what you can throw out. With their help sort the toys into three piles.
The first pile should be full of toys that will be taken to the new home. The second pile will be of things that are broken and need to be thrown out.
The third pile should consistent of toys that work, but that the children do not use. The toys in this pile may be too young for your children now or maybe your children have simply lost interest in them.
This pile can be given away to friends and second hand stores. Being aware of your children’s needs and involving them in the moving process can make the moving process much smoother.
Ronald Pedactor is a resident of Utah and has written hundreds of articles relating to tourism and real estate. He recommends (http://www.parksedgeparkcity.com) for your next condo in Park City.
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