Moving And Life: Impact On Your Kids

The experience of moving can impact your life and the lives of your family in significant ways.  We talked about trailing spouse syndrome in our last post. This time, we are focusing on the impact a move has on children. Relocation can be particularly hard on

them. Relocating in the summer is ideal but life doesn’t always work out that way. The goal is to take some steps before a relocation to help alleviate children’s fear or apprehension. We pulled together some ideas for talking with your kids of any age about your upcoming move.  

  1. Plan a time to sit down for a family discussion well in advance of your move. Every member of the family deserves fair warning if a relocation is being considered. Children have to be given the most time to adjust to the idea. Be honest and don’t try to hide the subject.
  2. Look for ways to get the family excited about the move. Take time to list the positive aspects of a relocation for every member of the family.  Have photos of the potential new home and spend time online looking for fun and interesting facts about the new town or city.  Focus on things that will capture their attention, like amusement parks, outdoor and kids activities or sporting attractions.
  3. Do plenty of research on your future location so you too, can have a sense of familiarity and comfort knowing what the area has to offer.
  4. If possible, let your children know they will be able to come back to visit their friends. Set a tentative date or month to make it real for them and help ease any separation anxiety they might be feeling.
  5. Plan a field trip to your new city or town. An introduction to the new surroundings could make dealing with the move easier on them, especially if you make it fun. Check out points of interest like schools, neighborhoods and parks they will become familiar with once you relocate.
  6. Arrange a visit or orientation at their new school to tour the facility and meet teachers. Help them prepare so they have a better chance of feeling like they fit in. Encourage your children to scope out the basics while visiting, like the typical clothing styles or favorite after-school hangouts.
  7. Be sure to answer your children’s questions honestly, putting a positive spin on things when it makes sense.   

Moving can be a great adventure and time to start fresh. Give your entire family the chance to participate in the process through lots of discussion and exploration. And give us a call when you are ready to make your move.

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