Making a move can be difficult for children, help ease the transition. Advice for comforting a child when changing location.
You just found out that you have to relocate to keep your job. Or perhaps you choose to move into a new city or larger home. Either way, the transition from the familiar to the unfamiliar is going to be hard on your kids.
There are ways to make the transition easier, but that means you will have to include your kids every step of the way. From the moment you find out that you have to move, sit down and talk to your kids about it. Whether they are five or fifteen, you can talk to your kids. The important thing to keep in mind is that you must relate to them at their level of understanding.
a. Tell them why you are moving.
b. Let them know your pros and cons about moving.
c. Let them know your fears.
d. Tell them about the things that excite you about the move.
e. Ask them how they feel about the move.
f. Listen to what they have to say without trying to find a solution to their concerns.
g. Let them know that they can still keep in touch with their friends through phone calls, letter writing, and emails. You may also suggest that their friends be allowed to spend the night once you are all settled in.
If you are moving out of state, go to the library and borrow books that talk about the city and state you will be moving to. If you have the internet, just type in the city and state in the search engine and see what comes up.
Contact the local chamber of commerce and get some information on local businesses. Contact their local tourist office and ask them to send some brochures on the attractions in that area; then once this information arrives in the mail, sit down and look them over with your kids. Find things to become excited about and ask your children what they find exciting about the information just received. Whatever you do, make this an adventure the kids will never forget and you can turn something that seems negative into something more positive and exciting.
Let the kids help you pack by having a packing party with some of their friends. You can pack for a few hours, while listening to their favorite bands, then break for pizza, soda, and a movie. During this time, you can give each friend a small going away package that includes pens, paper, and pre-stamped, pre-addressed envelopes. Take some pictures of the kids hanging out together with a Polaroid camera, so they can each leave with a picture of each other.
Let your children help you choose the house that you will be sharing as well as the decorating of their bedrooms. Listen to their concerns and if they are valid enough to not move into a certain home, let them know that you agree and will keep looking for another place. There is nothing worse than moving into a house that you hate, when you did not want to move in the first place.
