Any change big or small can be hard for a little one to comprehend. While our move was local and it didn’t disrupt my kid’s school life, it was still an adjustment for them.
Here are 6 tips that helped that transition go smoothly for us…
- Let the kids pack – As an activity we had Caroline help pack a box of her toys in her bedroom and the basement. That helped her feel involved with the process and understand why there were boxes all over our house.
- Visit the house – This is obviously dependent on your situation. For my real estate clients I always request two house visits prior to closing. We brought the kids during one of those visits, which was so fun! We let them “pick” their rooms and run around. Leading up to closing day we drove past our house an embarrassing amount of times to wave hi. I think that helped get the kids excited about the transition!
- Books to prep – I always love teaching and reinforcing things to my kids through books. A few to try – Moving Day,New House, Same Underwear and Moving to the Neighborhood.
- Have childcare on moving day – Moving is stressful as-is and you don’t need your little ones to add to the chaos. Find a family member, friend or babysitter who will take your kids for the day.
- Prep their room first – Bringing familiarity immediately into this new space will help kids feel relaxed and safe. Try hanging up their wall decor or putting their favorite stuffed animals on the bed right away to create a room that feels like home for them.
- A special treat for bedtime – We gifted Caroline a Star Belly Dream Lite unicorn stuffed animal which doubles as nightlight. She loved watching the fun shapes project onto her new walls and ceiling. I think that helped ease her transition into a new room. It’s still a fan favorite and she sleeps with it every night.
The day we closed on our new house (prior to actually moving) we had a pizza party on our kitchen floor and let the kids toast with Martinellis to celebrate! Kids tend to pick up on our emotions, so if you’re excited it’ll be contagious and they’ll feel it too!
And if all else fails a housewarming gift always helps, right?
