How to Help Your Kids Adjust to Life in a New City

Moving can be tough for everyone in the family, especially kids. No matter their age, kids can experience sadness, bitterness, and anxiety about relocating to a new place. Very often, parents would underestimate the power of their kid’s feelings, convincing themselves that they’re just kids. However, the situation can get pretty serious, causing them trouble with accepting new environments. This can lead to problems in further socializing, school performance, etc. Luckily, there’s a way to avoid these issues with your little ones. You just need to learn how to prepare them for the big event, and also know how to help your kids adjust to life in a new city. Make this relocation an exciting adventure instead of a nightmare, and make it enjoyable for the whole family. 

Give them time 

Time is your true friend when it comes to moving to a new city. If you use it wisely, it can not only help everyone adjust better, but it can make your move as smooth as possible. Make sure you talk about the move on time, long before the big day. Even though this conversation is not always pleasant for parents, don’t postpone it. Inform your little ones about the relocation and be honest about your plans and further steps in the process. Also, expect your kids to feel confused, and excited but also it’s possible for them to have a negative reaction. Teenagers can feel especially hurt, as you’re making a huge decision and they can’t have about it. However, try to explain why you’re moving and be clear about the whole process. 

Talk about the new place before you arrive

Get to know the new city together by doing some online exploring or visiting the place. If you’re moving long-distance and it’s not possible to go before the moving day, use all powers of the internet to your advantage. Explore maps, and top sightseeing locations, and find out some fun places you’ll visit together after you relocate. This will help your kids be more excited about the move, and also help them adjust to life in a new city. 

Try to imagine new city together and explore it even before you arrive. 

Alt-tag: help kids adjust to life in a new city by introducing them to the new environment 

Include them in the move

One of the ways for your kids to accept the change is to involve them in the process. This could be making decisions related to their new room, packing, decluttering, and more. Try to make these tasks fun, and let them know their opinion matters. Kids often feel hurt as they need to move from their old school and friends, so it would help them feel valued throughout the moving process. 

Remember: make sure you differentiate kid-friendly activities from serious moving tasks. One of them is choosing the right mover to handle this relocation. Spyder Moving specialists have a lot of experience with family relocation, and they stress the importance of thorough research of reliable moving teams. Don’t let this exciting family adventure turn into a moving nightmare, so choose a team you can trust. 

Include your kids whenever possible. 

Alt-tag: a family of three packing for moving to a new city 

Make settling down fun

After you explore the city online, it’s time to do it in reality. Make sure you keep your promises and visit all the fun spots you found on the internet. Try to make city exploration a game, where learning more about the city would be an achievement. It’s important for your kids to see all the great things about the new place, to make it easier for them to get used to it. Explore the new neighborhood, find a local grocery store to shop for some new snacks, and see the best playgrounds in the area. 

Let your kids decorate their rooms

One way to help your kids adjust to life in a new city is to let them feel confident in their living space. Letting your kids choose décor style for their room is another way of valuing their opinion, but also ensuring they create a space where they would feel comfortable. This promotes healthy self-esteem and lets them know parents respect their decisions and want them to feel good about the new home. Finally, showing respect for their choice of colors and décor ensures they know you’ll be there for them through the process of settling into a new home and making it a safe family space together. Feeling good at your new home is your mutual goal, so it’s important to work together towards it. 

Socialize together

It can be tough for everyone to fit into new social circles and find friends. That’s why it’s great to socialize together as a family at first. Take walks around the new neighborhood, go to a local park, visit restaurants, and more. This will be an opportunity for both adults and kids to meet someone their age and start accepting the new life chapter with ease. Also, try to get everyone involved in more free time activities than usual. These could include sports, language classes, and hobbies – all of these present amazing opportunities to get to know new people and learn more about the city you just moved to. 

See what your new neighborhood offers – together! 

Alt-tag: a family of three playing on the street 

Keep your favorite routines even after the move

Maybe the city you moved to is new, but the family and home are something that should stay familiar and feel secure. Spend more quality family time together in the days after the move, and try to stick to old routines and habits. These may include family dinners, bedtime stories, etc. These simple things help kids feel safe in their own homes no matter where is that home located. Maintaining a predictable, safe routine at home will make it easier for them to deal with all the changes outside the home. Emphasize that being together as a family is way more important than the location of your apartment or house. 

Visit the new school together

Don’t let your kid face the new school on their own unless they explicitly say otherwise. Firstly, do some research on the school, and find out some fun facts about it. It will be more interesting for your kid to go to a new school they have some cool knowledge about. Also, visit the place together, meet the teachers and check all the sections or extracurricular activities they can attend. Do as much as possible for your kid to be confident on their first day among new classmates and teachers. 

Be patient

The most important part of this process is for parents to be patient. It can take a while before your kids adjust to life in a new city. Expect different phases and emotions, until they finally settle and fall in love with the new environment. And let’s not forget adults needs some time to process all the changes, so it’s best to take it slow and have patience with your loved ones. 

 Meta: moving with kids can be quite challenging. Learn how to help your kids adjust to life in a new city and make the transition as smooth as possible.