The idea of moving may be exciting for your kids until they have moved. After the move, they soon realize their lives are forever changed, which can be devastating.
The most impact a move has on a child is having to start building friendships again and moving into a new school. The good news is that you can make their experience bearable with the right approach.
Here are a few tips that you can apply as you prepare the move to make it less disruptive.
Table of Contents
Start the Conversation Early
Rarely will any person wake up and decide to move cities, especially if they have kids. This means there is always time to prepare your child for the move. The earlier you prepare them, the better they will cope with the impact of the move.
However, informing them about the move is not enough. You want to ensure that you talk about it often.
This way, you can identify their concerns about the move and address them before the due date. If there isn’t much you can do to address their concerns, you will need to help them understand why the move is a price worth paying.
Document Memories from the Old Home and School
Leaving a lifetime of memories can be devastating to any person.
While you may involve your kids in decision-making, they may not have much control over whether to move or stay. After all, their livelihood depends on your ability to earn a living.
Unfortunately, earning a living can necessitate moving to a new city or even a country. The best you can do for them is to help them document their memories in whatever way they deem fit.
For example, you can help them create a scrapbook where they can keep photographs, certificates, high grades, etc.
You could also allow them to hold a party with friends before they leave and document their experience. That way, they will have fond memories to look back to when coping with their move.
Visit Their New School
The first day in the new school is the worst. Not only will your kids not have any friends, but they also may not know the way around. So, it can help to plan a visit to the school before the reporting date.
But you will need to ask the school administration if a visit is okay.
If it is, choose a day that feels best for you and your kids, for example, when no students are around. This way, your child will feel free walking around without feeling out of place.
Some places you want to pay attention to include your kid’s class, the nearest bathrooms, cafeteria, gym, homeroom etc. you do not have to wait until you move cities to check out the school.
You could pick a day before your moving date and take a trip to help your child familiarize themselves with the location beforehand.
However, this is especially possible when your move is to a city not too far from where you currently live.
For example, if you are planning to move from Los Angeles to San Francisco, the cost of traveling may not be too high and is worth paying as it will help your child have an easy time during the transition.
Cut Yourself and Your Child Some Slack
No level of preparation will make the moving experience 100% stress-free, so do not be too hard on yourself or your child when you get stressed.
While you could cope with your stress better, your child may not do as well.
Therefore you will need to be the one to help them cope. Seek to find out how they are doing, the challenges they are experiencing, and how they feel, and keep reassuring them that it will be okay.
If the effect of the move surpasses the levels you anticipated, it’s okay to get help from a professional.
