Prepare Your Child to Move

Children are naturally resistant to change. Familiar places make children feel secure and safe. Making a move is a challenging time for kids of all ages but for some families moving is necessary. The prospect of leaving their friends, school will naturally be upsetting to most kids. Prepare your child to move by following these tips for getting kids involved in the moving process.

Talk About It

Surprising children with a major event like moving is unfair. It is a parent's job to put a positive spin on a tough situation. Lead the way with a good attitude. As soon as you can muster a happy face, let kids know what your plans are. Talk about the move and allow kids to voice their opinions, even the unhappy ones. Be prepared to be patient with kids, especially teenagers who may be resistant to moving.

Involve Your Kids

Involve your kids, even the reluctant ones, in finding your new home. Ultimately, the decision of choosing a home will be yours and your spouses. However, involving kids in suggestions may lead them to being more open about a change of scenery.

Stay Connected

Prepare your child to move by helping him set up ties with friends back home. Social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace allow kids to chat and catch up. Surprise your child with an address book and instruct her to collect the addresses of her friends. A set of postcards or note cards make a nice gift to use when corresponding with her loved ones.

Keep the Furniture

It may be tempting to buy new furniture when you get a new home or have a home with a different style. Kids may find this practice to be disconcerting. Kids need familiarity like their favorite comforter, bed and curtains. Prepare your child to move by organizing and packing the room together. Let your child draw on the boxes to help mark them properly.

Stay on Schedule

Moving makes keeping a schedule tricky but kids need a regular agenda. Do your best to keep a regular schedule. Serve meals and have bedtime at the same times if possible. This is especially true when moving young children. Older kids are more flexible with wakeup and bedtimes.

Moving day should be a happy adventure, not the end of the world. Help your kids prepare for the adjustments that moving will bring by starting early to make a smooth transition.