Moving with kids – how to prepare

Moving house can get complicated enough on its own, but when you’re moving with kids, it’s a completely different story. Relocating an entire family takes a lot of preparation, time, and patience, to be honest. Not only do you have to balance packing, moving, and figuring out your new house, but you also have children to take care of. What then? Luckily for you, we’ve got a guide to help you out. Keep on reading and note some tips and tricks from professionals at Big Heart Moving that can help you in your upcoming moving process.

Why is moving with kids so much more difficult? 

Nobody wants their relocation to turn into chaos and a nightmare. This is supposed to be a fun adventure, and something that you should look forward to. In order to make moving with kids smooth and easy, there are a few things you should do. First things first, you should seek our reliable residential movers to give you a hand.  Not only will you have more time to focus on your family, but you won’t get stressed out when planning this move. A good moving company will handle everything from start to finish for you, so you don’t have to worry about a thing. Having more time to spend with your kids during this transition will be extremely helpful. 

Imagine how stressful handling a relocation must be for you. Well, if you’re already uncomfortable, know that this will be doubled for your kids. There is even a study in a journal of psychology stating that moving house affects children more than adults and that the effect can sometimes be seen even into their adulthood. This is the case especially with children who are introverted and who don’t make friends as easily. The older the kids are when you’re moving, the more it can affect them. 

What can you do to make this relocation easier on them? 

The answer to this question depends on a few factors. First of all, are you moving with infants, toddlers, puberty-age children, or teens? The way you will help them during the moving process will differ greatly depending on their age. Let’s talk about the little ones first. When you’re moving with infants or toddlers, the emotional support won’t be as crucial as it would for older kids.  What’s more important for these kiddos is to keep their routine as intact as possible. Their sleep and meal schedule should remain the same, no matter how busy the moving process gets. This is what’s going to keep them calm – and calm babies mean happy parents, right?

One more important thing to remember when moving with young kids is that you should keep an essentials bag close by. With a bunch of moving boxes and bins laying around, it might be hard to find something that you need for the baby. In this bag, you should have enough diapers, cloths, a change of clothes, wipes, food as well as their favorite toys. Having everything you need on hand will make the first few days in the new house stress-free and less chaotic. 

Moving with older kids – how to cope 

Now, when it comes to moving with puberty-age kids and up, you’ll need to be more tactful. These kids need less preparation when it comes to specific items and a strict schedule. What they need is emotional support. Older children have already made a lot of friends, know their teachers and their school pretty well. When it’s time to move long distance, they see it as the end of an era. Making new friends and adjusting to a new environment will be much harder on them than it will be for you. This time, it’s crucial you are there for them and available to answer any question they might throw at you. 

You can expect a lot of fussing and negative feelings from kids who take this relocation particularly hard. It’s important to try and explain the benefits of this move and why it is important for your family. They will be old enough to understand at least a part of it, and that might just be enough. On top of it all, it’s crucial you are honest with them and not lie about anything. Kids are smart – they’ll see right through you.

Include them in your moving process as much as possible 

Feeling included in something important is what every kid wants. They see adults packing for the relocation, and they will come to peace with it if they get excited enough about the whole thing. What you can do it let them help if they can! By packing away their toys, books, clothes, and various items, they will feel like they are contributing to your relocation process. On the other hand, if you want to avoid the hassle of packing by yourself, you can always opt for professional packing services. They can save you a lot of time and energy down the road.

Of course, you have to find a bit of humor in this kind of situation to help you get through it all. We all know how stressful and mind-boggling moving can be. If you’re worried that you can’t handle moving on your own with your kids in tow, give us a call! We’ll gladly help you relocate and ease the stress of your moving process.