Tips on Making Moving a Positive Experience

By Family & Relationships Last updated Thursday, June/06/2024

Moving can be a positive family experience.woman packing/unpacking boxes during a relocation. image by T.Tulic from Fotolia.com

Moving your family to a different home can be can be challenging. In some instances, a move is primarily a joyous event, such a move to newer, larger home that accommodates a growing family. In other instances, the move can be bittersweet, such as a job transfer that sends the family to a new location. In still others, a move may not be desired but necessary.

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With very young children, let them ask questions about what moving means and then answer. There are many children's books about moving. Reading aloud to them about what it means to move helps start the discussion. Older children and teenagers are bound to have concerns about leaving their friends and making new ones. Acknowledge the full gamut of their feelings. Give them time to work through emotions. Share the news about the move as early as you can.

If the new home is close, explore the new neighborhood with your children. Visit the community center where youth groups meet, the post office, supermarket, library, drug store and other places you will frequent. Visit the school grounds and buildings. Every community has its own style and culture. By walking or driving the route to school, you and your children gain familiarity and ease anxiety.

For teens, fear of not fitting in can be overwhelming. After teens have seen what their new peers wear, let them select a new outfit. It does not take an entire new wardrobe, but the kernel of a self-selected new look can help young people feel more at ease.

If the move takes you too far away to explore in person, visit via the Internet. There may be a web camera positioned where you can get a bird's-eye view of the town. If there are chain retail stores you frequent, find out if there are the same stores in your new neighborhood.

During the packing phase, try to keep up routines. If meals, naps, activities and bedtimes are usually structured, try to keep them that way. Take breaks. The time spent to reassure and play with a child will be well spent. When it comes to packing, harmony is served by keeping a beloved stuffed toy or blanket close at hand and not in packing boxes. Remember that children do not understand moving the way adults understand the concept. They will need to hear patient explanations several times.

A family move represents a life event and deserves acknowledgment. If possible, have photos of the new community and home on display so children can share their new life with their friends. Celebrating the change shifts the relocation from an idea into a reality.

Encourage children to get involved and interact in the new neighborhood. Share your successes with them by letting them know you are determined to make new friends. Attend events that promote community involvement. Connect with familiar organizations such as youth groups, youth sports or worship. Things that are familiar to you will help you transition into your new surroundings.