How To Move With Young Children
Author: Kyle Thomas Haley

Moving can upset children of any age. It frequently causes them
to feel apprehensive and insecure. But, don't despair; there are
many things you can do to make the moving experience less scary
for your children.

Involve Them from the Very Beginning.

Tell your children as soon as you know you're moving; don't
spring it on them at the last minute. Explain why you're moving
in terms they can understand. Do you need more room? Are you
relocating because of a new job? Be sure to explain what will
happen so they'll know what to expect. This will remove a lot
of the fear and confusion they may be feeling. Tell them when
the move will take place and how their things will get from the
old house to the new house. Be sure and answer their questions
as fully as you can. Remember that your attitude about the move
will rub off on them, so stay upbeat and positive. To help
prepare them further, you canchoose from among many children's
books available on moving. Just a couple of these are
"Berenstain Bear's Moving Day" by Sam Berenstain and "Goodbye
House" by Frank Asch. Check your local library for more.

Make the Move an Adventure.

If you approach the coming move as an exciting adventure for
the entire family, it will help to calm your children's fears.
The more positive you are about the move, the more positive
they will be. Make sure they understand they won't be left
behind. Ask for their suggestions and involve them in the
plans. If it's possible, show them the new house and let them
spend some time exploring it. Show them where their rooms will
be. Help them visualize where their furniture and toys will go.
Show them the yard and help them imagine all the fun they will
have there. If it's impossible for them to visit the new house,
take tons of photos so they'll know what it looks like and can
become familiar with it. Talk about all the fun things the
family will do there.

Let Them Help.

If you give your children an active role in the move they are
much more likely to accept it and even grow excited about it.
Let them pack some of their own belongings, even if you have to
go back and repack them later. This will help them feel a part
of the move. If there are old toys you don't plan to take, let
the kids help decide which of them should be given away for
other children to use and which should be discarded.

What to Do on Moving Day.

The best plan is to have the children stay with a family member
or trusted friend on the day of the move. If this isn't
possible, be sure and involve them in the moving activities. If
you have a moving company, introduce your children to the
workers so they'll know who's taking their stuff away. You can
give them a box of their own to pack. This could be the box of
special belongings you're taking in the car with you. It should
include all the things your children can't live without ~
favorite stuffed animals, that special blanket, maybe their
favorite pajamas. This will accomplish three things. It will
keep the children occupied and feeling useful and it will also
ensure that you know exactly where these special items are. You
would never want to arrive at your new home not knowing where to
locate Susie's scruffy old bear or Johnny's favorite action
figure! It will also help the children feel secure since they
have their most important belongings with them.

You're on Your Way to Your New Home.

If you're driving to your new home, make the trip exciting! If
the kids can relate the move to family fun, they'll enjoy it so
much more. If it's a long drive, be sure and have lots of games
or books to keep the children occupied. Maybe each person could
tell their own story about what they think living in the new
house will be like. You'll arrive happy and anxious to start
this new phase of your lives.


About The Author: Kyle Thomas Haley has been helping people
relocate on the Internet since 1999 with Apartment and
Relocation Websites: http://www.apartment-rental.net
http://www.relocation-guide.net/Moving/ Copyright 1999 – 2005
STANZEEKAY Inc. You have permission to publish this article
free of charge, as long as the bylines are included and none of
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