When a family decides to move, and especially when a family decides to move far away (such as cross country or to a new country), this can signal great excitement and potential. It can also signal worry, anxiety and sometimes fear. While we may have planned ownership of a new house, or even if we’re moving to be closer to people we know already, any change of where we call home can feel intensive to deal with, and requires us to focus on our present moment with care.
This is especially true when arranging things for our children. They tend to be the most affected by heavy change like this, because they have little experience to base it on. This means that one big house move can seem like the most cataclysmic event they’ve ever known.
In this post, we’ll discuss a few methods you can use so that they don’t feel as worried as they otherwise might when going through the process with you. This, in turn, might relax you as well.
Sit With Them, And Go Over The Plan
It’s good to talk to your children about why you hope to move, what’s waiting for you, what you imagine life will be like there, and how and when you plan to travel, including what that will involve. You can use pictures to show the new house, or a map to show how far you’ll be driving, tracing it with your finger. A child might not be able to take in or remember all this information, of course, but they will feel more comfortable knowing your plans in advance, allowing their excitement to overcome their anxiety.
Come Up With A Travel Schedule
It can be healthy to plan a worthwhile travel schedule that makes sense for your family. Perhaps you’ll spend a night or two in a hotel while the best cross country moving service heads to the new location, then you’ll take a flight over and rest in the new house to meet them. Maybe you’ll drive and stop off each night in a bed and breakfast. Breaking up the journey into a comfortable and less stressful approach will ultimately help reduce the fatigue of your child, allowing them to enjoy the process more than you had imagined.
Introduce Them To The New Place & Area
If you have the time to, then heading to the new home with your child before the big moving day can be helpful. This way, they’ll see where they’re going to be moving to, what bedroom they’ll be taking over, and what the neighborhood looks like before going. In a child’s mind, being able to see and remember something like this can make the endeavor seem much less scary, because now the possibilities have been reduced to one element they can rely on, rather than many that they’re unsure of.
With this advice, you’re certain to explain a long-distance house move to your child, helping them get on board with excitement and (hopefully) less trouble during the journey.
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