Hints and Tips for Moving With Young Children
Help is the normal cry from parents who have made the decision to move with young kids.
Pulling your hair out, not knowing where to start or what to do tend to follow too.
Is this how you feel? Are you uprooting the family to a new home but not sure how to begin the exciting journey? Let's see if we can help, here are a few hints and tips for the bravest decision of your life.
First things first, have you chosen the right house for you and your family? Yes! That's great!But if you are not sure then why not take the kids to a number of viewings.
It may be a challenge but it will be worthwhile in the end.
If you decide to do this then make sure you explain to the children what you are doing and why.
The best thing to do when making the decision to move is to get the children involved right from the beginning; this will make the whole process easier as they will accept the change better.
Here are a few steps, not in any particular order, which may be of use to any parents moving home with young children, many I have picked up on the way.
Step 1 As mentioned above, prepare the kids; help them to understand what is happening and that moving is a good thing.
They may not understand the term 'moving' depending on their age so make sure you explain to them exactly what it involves and what impact it will have on them.
But make it fun, use pictures of the new house and describe the adventure that they will have because of the move.
Step 2 We all hate packing whether it's to go on holiday, for a weekend away or packing up the whole house; but it's something which the kids would love.
If you children are old enough, why not let them help you pack up their clothes and toys, they could even decorate the boxes and make them look like little homes for all their toys.
It gives them the chance to get involved and makes the whole task of pacing up their room a little more enjoyable.
Or if you really cannot bear the idea of packing then there is the option of a packing service.
But don't pack all of the toys up first otherwise you will have some very bored children on your hands.
Step 3 To keep the excitement flowing; why not have a goodbye party.
Everyone loves a party, a chance to celebrate with a good drink and a boogie, and it will give the kids a chance to say goodbye to everyone they love.
If you are moving far away it is even more important for the kids to say goodbye to their friends and it is a great opportunity for you to say goodbye to yours too, but it also puts a positive spin on it all.
Even if you are not moving far away it gives you an occasion to have everyone in the same room to celebrate your new exciting adventure.
Step 4 If you are moving far away, maybe even somewhere abroad, there is a chance that you will be leaving not only friends but close family behind.
A great way to have fun with the kids and create something for the new home, which will remind you of everyone and everything that has happened in your old home, is by making a memory board.
Kids love something creative to do and by making a memory board your children have the chance to make something special which will remind you all of the fun times you had in your old home.
Use pictures of the people you will miss and the things you used to do in the house, like making tents in the living room, and general fun days.
Why not put objects on it too like a stone or some presses flowers from the bottom of the garden.
It can be a collection of all the things that you will miss, all the things that will remind you of the days you had and all the people who are special too you; something that you will be able to look at every day.
Step 5 It can be hard trying to get anything down with young children around, especially the task of packing, so don't rush.
Give your family plenty of time to plan and make your move into the new home.
Make a plan and don't worry if you don't stick to it but just by having it in mind will help.
Booking a removal service may take a little pressure off as after all, packing with kids who are likely to unpack the boxes quicker than you can pack them, is going to be a task in itself.
Keep calm and keep then entertained by it all and you will be fine.
Step 6 Sometimes you cannot decide when you want to move, either a job is waiting for you in a different location and you need to move by a certain time or just have to be out of you current home by a certain date.
But if you can take control of when you move, try to choose a time which will cause the least disruption to your children.
This is definitely easier said than done when children are involved, but if you are planning on potty training your child, for example, choosing to wait until you have moved into your new home and letting them become familiar with their new surroundings is a good idea.
If you are not lucky enough to be able to do this, and potty training has already started, having a vast supply of pull-ups and extra clothes just in case for the journey to the new home is a great idea just in case you cannot find a bathroom in time or your kids are just too nervous to use a public toilet.
Step 7 Just as if you are going on holiday, your children will always want to have some of their favourite toys or even a blanket with them.
A good idea is to buy a new rucksack or bag which can become their special travelling bag, especially if it is likely that you are to move again in the next few years.
This allows your children to keep their special toys and items with them whilst they are travelling.
It may be an idea to also include some toys which they can play with such as cards for a game of snap so that they don't get too bored on their travels.
It's all about making the journey from old to new as exciting as possible.
Step 8 If you are using a removal company or removal service then it is important to label everything very clearly.
Otherwise, you may come into some trouble when you arrive at your new home, and your child wants a certain teddy or particular toy to play with as soon as you arrive.
Trust me, the frustration of having to rummage through a million boxes to keep your screaming youngster happy, whilst you unpack everything else, will make the move so stressful you will never want to do it again.
So, include as much detail on the box as possible, even if it is something silly like pink ballerina with blonde hair, you will thank me for it later.
It's the same with all of your other belongings too.
If you arrive to your new home late at night and all you want is a few plates, forks and glasses to enjoy your first dinner in your new home, you will want to know exactly which box has all of those in.
Step 9 When packing up your old house and even unpacking in your new home, you will need to find something to entertain the kids with.
Yes they can help you unpack their belongings into their new room, but things like unpacking the plates and kitchen stuff is something which your young child is not going to be able to do.
A great way to keep them entertained is with the memory board, as mentioned above, a DVD or even with the help of a babysitter.
It gives you the chance to get your packing or unpacking done stress free.
But don't be in a hurry to unpack, unpacking all the boxes as quickly as possible will create chaos and mess, something which will stress you and the kids out even more.
And once you have done all the unpacking, keep the empty boxes for as long as possible, kids love to play with boxes and make hide outs and forts, so they will get great joy from all the empty boxes which are left behind.
Step 10 When your kids move home they can lose the sense of security which they had with the old house.
One way to help with this and the big change that they are about to face, is the constant reassurance that you are going to be there.
Something else which will help with this is by keeping up with the normal family routines.
Yes moving can be a big change and can disrupt the usual day but keeping the normal routine going is the best thing to do.
Don't let packing and unpacking in the new home affect things like bath and bed time or meal times and nap times, these are the things which need to stay the same in order for a smooth transition from old to new.
Step 11 One thing is for sure, and the most important tip I can give, is to make it an adventure! Let your kids get involved and do the things that they normally wouldn't, like helping you pack and pick out dinner for that day, even if it is a pizza from the local takeaway.
The journey there, play car games like Eye Spy to keep the excitement going, when you arrive, forget about the boxes and go and explore the new area.
Take them to the park, into the woods, do something with them which you couldn't do in the old house.
And when it is time to unpack make that exciting to, let them chose where they want their toys to live and where they want their bed to be.
But make sure it feels like home, put the memory board up and the pictures of loved ones on mantle piece, because when they wake up the next morning it needs to feel like home.
Step 12 Enjoy it.
After all, you are moving too.
Pulling your hair out, not knowing where to start or what to do tend to follow too.
Is this how you feel? Are you uprooting the family to a new home but not sure how to begin the exciting journey? Let's see if we can help, here are a few hints and tips for the bravest decision of your life.
First things first, have you chosen the right house for you and your family? Yes! That's great!But if you are not sure then why not take the kids to a number of viewings.
It may be a challenge but it will be worthwhile in the end.
If you decide to do this then make sure you explain to the children what you are doing and why.
The best thing to do when making the decision to move is to get the children involved right from the beginning; this will make the whole process easier as they will accept the change better.
Here are a few steps, not in any particular order, which may be of use to any parents moving home with young children, many I have picked up on the way.
Step 1 As mentioned above, prepare the kids; help them to understand what is happening and that moving is a good thing.
They may not understand the term 'moving' depending on their age so make sure you explain to them exactly what it involves and what impact it will have on them.
But make it fun, use pictures of the new house and describe the adventure that they will have because of the move.
Step 2 We all hate packing whether it's to go on holiday, for a weekend away or packing up the whole house; but it's something which the kids would love.
If you children are old enough, why not let them help you pack up their clothes and toys, they could even decorate the boxes and make them look like little homes for all their toys.
It gives them the chance to get involved and makes the whole task of pacing up their room a little more enjoyable.
Or if you really cannot bear the idea of packing then there is the option of a packing service.
But don't pack all of the toys up first otherwise you will have some very bored children on your hands.
Step 3 To keep the excitement flowing; why not have a goodbye party.
Everyone loves a party, a chance to celebrate with a good drink and a boogie, and it will give the kids a chance to say goodbye to everyone they love.
If you are moving far away it is even more important for the kids to say goodbye to their friends and it is a great opportunity for you to say goodbye to yours too, but it also puts a positive spin on it all.
Even if you are not moving far away it gives you an occasion to have everyone in the same room to celebrate your new exciting adventure.
Step 4 If you are moving far away, maybe even somewhere abroad, there is a chance that you will be leaving not only friends but close family behind.
A great way to have fun with the kids and create something for the new home, which will remind you of everyone and everything that has happened in your old home, is by making a memory board.
Kids love something creative to do and by making a memory board your children have the chance to make something special which will remind you all of the fun times you had in your old home.
Use pictures of the people you will miss and the things you used to do in the house, like making tents in the living room, and general fun days.
Why not put objects on it too like a stone or some presses flowers from the bottom of the garden.
It can be a collection of all the things that you will miss, all the things that will remind you of the days you had and all the people who are special too you; something that you will be able to look at every day.
Step 5 It can be hard trying to get anything down with young children around, especially the task of packing, so don't rush.
Give your family plenty of time to plan and make your move into the new home.
Make a plan and don't worry if you don't stick to it but just by having it in mind will help.
Booking a removal service may take a little pressure off as after all, packing with kids who are likely to unpack the boxes quicker than you can pack them, is going to be a task in itself.
Keep calm and keep then entertained by it all and you will be fine.
Step 6 Sometimes you cannot decide when you want to move, either a job is waiting for you in a different location and you need to move by a certain time or just have to be out of you current home by a certain date.
But if you can take control of when you move, try to choose a time which will cause the least disruption to your children.
This is definitely easier said than done when children are involved, but if you are planning on potty training your child, for example, choosing to wait until you have moved into your new home and letting them become familiar with their new surroundings is a good idea.
If you are not lucky enough to be able to do this, and potty training has already started, having a vast supply of pull-ups and extra clothes just in case for the journey to the new home is a great idea just in case you cannot find a bathroom in time or your kids are just too nervous to use a public toilet.
Step 7 Just as if you are going on holiday, your children will always want to have some of their favourite toys or even a blanket with them.
A good idea is to buy a new rucksack or bag which can become their special travelling bag, especially if it is likely that you are to move again in the next few years.
This allows your children to keep their special toys and items with them whilst they are travelling.
It may be an idea to also include some toys which they can play with such as cards for a game of snap so that they don't get too bored on their travels.
It's all about making the journey from old to new as exciting as possible.
Step 8 If you are using a removal company or removal service then it is important to label everything very clearly.
Otherwise, you may come into some trouble when you arrive at your new home, and your child wants a certain teddy or particular toy to play with as soon as you arrive.
Trust me, the frustration of having to rummage through a million boxes to keep your screaming youngster happy, whilst you unpack everything else, will make the move so stressful you will never want to do it again.
So, include as much detail on the box as possible, even if it is something silly like pink ballerina with blonde hair, you will thank me for it later.
It's the same with all of your other belongings too.
If you arrive to your new home late at night and all you want is a few plates, forks and glasses to enjoy your first dinner in your new home, you will want to know exactly which box has all of those in.
Step 9 When packing up your old house and even unpacking in your new home, you will need to find something to entertain the kids with.
Yes they can help you unpack their belongings into their new room, but things like unpacking the plates and kitchen stuff is something which your young child is not going to be able to do.
A great way to keep them entertained is with the memory board, as mentioned above, a DVD or even with the help of a babysitter.
It gives you the chance to get your packing or unpacking done stress free.
But don't be in a hurry to unpack, unpacking all the boxes as quickly as possible will create chaos and mess, something which will stress you and the kids out even more.
And once you have done all the unpacking, keep the empty boxes for as long as possible, kids love to play with boxes and make hide outs and forts, so they will get great joy from all the empty boxes which are left behind.
Step 10 When your kids move home they can lose the sense of security which they had with the old house.
One way to help with this and the big change that they are about to face, is the constant reassurance that you are going to be there.
Something else which will help with this is by keeping up with the normal family routines.
Yes moving can be a big change and can disrupt the usual day but keeping the normal routine going is the best thing to do.
Don't let packing and unpacking in the new home affect things like bath and bed time or meal times and nap times, these are the things which need to stay the same in order for a smooth transition from old to new.
Step 11 One thing is for sure, and the most important tip I can give, is to make it an adventure! Let your kids get involved and do the things that they normally wouldn't, like helping you pack and pick out dinner for that day, even if it is a pizza from the local takeaway.
The journey there, play car games like Eye Spy to keep the excitement going, when you arrive, forget about the boxes and go and explore the new area.
Take them to the park, into the woods, do something with them which you couldn't do in the old house.
And when it is time to unpack make that exciting to, let them chose where they want their toys to live and where they want their bed to be.
But make sure it feels like home, put the memory board up and the pictures of loved ones on mantle piece, because when they wake up the next morning it needs to feel like home.
Step 12 Enjoy it.
After all, you are moving too.