How To Move House with Small Children

Young children like routines, and they like their lives to stay consistent. In that sense, they are similar to many adults. Therefore, a house move can be extremely upsetting for a child, particularly if they have never lived somewhere else and are concerned about leaving their own home. Add to these feelings the thrill of moving and having a new bedroom and yard to enjoy, and their moods might be erratic, to say the least.

It’s a good idea to prepare ahead of time for the days and weeks leading up to the move, as well as the days and weeks afterward. If you have planned ahead of time, you will know how to make things better for your children, whether they are scared, upset, or over-excited. Here are some suggestions on what should be included in that strategy.

Say Goodbye Properly

One of the first things you should consider is how to say goodbye to your previous home properly. Will it be completed before or after the house is wholly emptied? What are your thoughts? There is no right or wrong answer, so the choice is yours. Of course, you know your child best, so you can decide what is best for them, but saying farewell is a good idea.

If you don’t do this, after the excitement wears off, the children could feel disappointed that they didn’t have a chance to pay their respects to their old home, especially if you’ve moved far away and you can’t quickly go back. So, one thing that you can do is to take a photo of the whole family outside the old property as a keepsake.

Allow Them to Help

Packing is a laborious task, and the more hands you have to help you, the better. This is also true for your children’s hands; encourage them to help where they can. They will be less concerned about leaving anything behind if they can pack their own toys, books, and belongings (and you can always check to make sure nothing is left). Plus, if they are engaged, they will feel much more in control of the situation. You could even introduce them to your movers ahead of time so that they feel less shy about asking if they can help there too.

Make a ‘first night box’ for them as well. This should include all of their necessities, such as favorite toys, books, bedding, a nightlight, and so on. If they have these items for their first night, they should be able to relax and settle in much faster.

Allow Them to See Their New Home

Ideally, you’ll have your child with you when you view properties, but if your child has not yet seen their new house, take them after everything has been decided. If the property isn’t empty, the present owner should be open to the idea, and you won’t be staying long. You can use this time to show your child where they will be living, what their room will look like, where they will eat, and so on. You may also walk from your new home to the local stores and look for a playground. If they are changing schools, you should take a look at where that is as well.

Highlight everything good about the location they’ll be living in and help them feel enthusiastic about it. Imagine having to leave a place where you felt secure and go to a place you’d never seen before – it simply wouldn’t work. So, show them everything you can and make them enthusiastic about the move; it will seem much more like a great adventure.