Making Foreclosure Moving Easier on Kids

Increasing numbers of family's losing their homes due to foreclosure are becoming so common that it is easy to glance over the stories covering the effects on the family. When it is your family however, it is hard to miss . What is not being talked about as much is what happens after foreclosure, the frantic moving of stuff and desperately trying to find somewhere to live. These are all very stressful things to go through, especially for parents who can see in the eyes of their confused children how surreal it all really is from their perspective. Here is what we can do to help them get use to their new home.

Ask For Help
Kids will require some more attention than usual during hard times like this. Asking friends and family members to help with things like packing, unpacking, food, and participating in some of the other tips mentioned in this article will help you and your child immensely. Also asking for help will strengthen the bonds with the people you are asking help from as well as making the moving environment more comfortable with familiar faces around.

Walking Around
One easy way to get a child comfortable in a new place is to grab a ball, scooter, or other preferred outdoor toy and walk around. It will help to get everyone some exercise too which will naturally increase the endorphins as well as help prevent other health problems. Walking around is especially important with the small kids who can often get more overwhelmed by the process of packing and unpacking their things. Helping them escape that part of the process and instead giving them some happy memories to reflect on will help everyone form some fond memories of these hard times and getting through them together.

Staying Connected
Children who have made lots of friends in their past neighborhood will have a harder time adjusting to a new place where there are less familiar faces. Scheduling a few play dates with old neighborhood and school friends is one way to ensure them that even though it won't be as convenient, it is still possible to stay in touch with old friends just the same. Writing letters is another way they can stay in touch if you are moving far away from the old neighborhood if the child is old enough to write. If you child is not old enough to write then of course they will need your help writing but they can certainly draw a picture to include with the letter or story you write together.

Finding Local Playgrounds & Play Groups
Fortunately most neighborhoods have a playground somewhere near them, if it is within walking distance all the better. Going regularly to the playground increases the odds of making some friends who go to the same park. Also these days there are usually email lists, groups, or even online communities for the neighborhoods so getting involved with those can lead to some friendships. These sources are also good for obtaining any useful information about the area you might have otherwise been unaware of.

Make New Friends
While you are visiting the park and exploring the online presence in the neighborhood you have become a part of be sure to talk to people. Kids are actually better at this part oftentimes than the parents are! If parents can make a point to talk to the other parents, facilitate new connections and more it will make things much easier. If you can become friends with a parent of another child your child is fond of it will absolutely be the best way to make the move a fun one.

Family Routine
Family's all have their routines, be it dinnertime, movie night, game night, or saying their prayers. Be sure that these are maintained to bring some normalcy to the situation that is otherwise very foreign to the kids. Keeping some of the routine will comfort them and believe that it is all okay things are just going to be a little bit different than they were before.

Our Response is Our Choice
So yes, once a new home is found, usually in a new neighborhood, there are a lot of things that parents can do to ease this transition. Despite the depressing situations that led to the move, it can even be fun if we choose to make it so! We all create our own experience of life, and as parents we influence the experiences of our children as well, so let's make it an experience that is as positive as possible!

Sources:
MayoClinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/HQ01676

New York Times
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/f/foreclosures/index.html?scp=1-spot&sq=foreclosure&st=cse