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Are you moving to a new place with children? If yes, get ready for some teenage drama or toddler tantrums. Moving is a challenging task, and kids do not make it easy for you at all! It may be harder for them if you think it is hard for you. Given the chaos and stress of moving, can you really blame them? However, fear not, for we have got your back! In this blog, MPR Movers will provide nine tips to make your move with children go much more smoothly.
Here are the top nine tips for a smooth moving experience with children.
You may have heard of the proverb ‘honesty is the best policy.’ Well, this is high time to apply it practically. Our first advice to you will be to be completely transparent and honest with your kids. Moving is going to be a significant change in their lives, so you might as well open up wholly. Answer their questions about why you are moving: perhaps to pursue a better work opportunity or to be near your extended family.
Clarify all the relevant factors that are involved in the decision-making process. Engage with them using easy and simple language so the message gets across quickly. At this stage, you are likely to face the onset of anxious teenagers or clingy toddlers. Family drama is inevitable, and that is completely fine. Expect them to understand your choices later. Give your kids some time to absorb the news. Once you feel like they are ready to listen further without showing whiny behavior, you can dive into the details of the new place or house.
Instead of getting angry at your children for the seemingly never-ending whining or constant tantrums, try to be empathetic. Understand that moving to a new place can be more daunting for them. Leaving behind familiar faces of friends, families, and neighbors is demanding. Especially if you have a teenager, it can be a nightmare for them. At an age when they are so young and vulnerable, they would be worried about fitting in new schools and being around new people. Even more so, leaving romantic interests at this time may feel like the end of the world for them. So instead of reprimanding them for these feelings, help your children navigate them. Give them time to process these new thoughts and ideas. A healthy and heartfelt conversation can do wonders for them. It can certainly go a long way.
Amidst the chaos of moving and packing, children become disturbed mentally. It is hard for them to cope with so many things at once. To give them a little sense of stability, involve them in the moving process. Sudden relocation is not only physically but also emotionally challenging. Inform them about your plans months beforehand. Keeping them busy will help them get through the tough times.
Make your children feel like they are involved. Trust them and keep them in the loop. You can ask for their advice on moving and packing matters. In this way, you show them some credibility. They will also know their opinions matter and their voices hold some weight. Ask your kids to cooperate with you; you can help them organize by packing their things. Being busy will keep their mind off other things for at least some time. However, be mindful that keeping them engaged is not ideal for coping with emotions. There should be a balance of everything. It is pretty okay if they are sad for some time. Just make sure it does not metamorphose into melancholy.
Bribing kids is something many parents will not agree to; however, as Gen Z says, ‘modern problems require modern solutions.’ Ask yourself if bribing them just for a short time is even worse. We say the answer is no. Bribe your kids with treats, toys, or new Barbies. Promise them a pool in the new house or a separate playroom. Get them anything they want as long it makes them happy, and it is feasible for you. Allow them to stay up past bedtime and have snacks at midnight. Pamper them a little bit during these stressful times. The good news is that spoiling them during a move will only be for a short time so that no unwanted habits will form.
We know that change is inevitable and moving day will come one way or another. Your kids probably know this too. However, let the familiarity play out a little more in the chaos. Give your children as much time as possible in their old home. Pack their things at the last so they do not feel dejected soon. Leave out their favorite toys, bears, or blankets to provide emotional support. It is true, especially for infants who cry a lot without their favorite stuffed toys. During packing, label and organize their belongings neatly. Label the boxes with their names and contents so their stuff is preserved. Doing so will make it much easy to find their things once you start unpacking.
Make it a rule of moving with kids: pack their things at last and unpack them first! If you want to ensure they accept the new home as soon as possible, unpack their things and set up their rooms. You can also ask them to decorate their new rooms as they like. This presents an opportunity to have fun, be creative, and experiment. They can select a color scheme, add multiple bookshelves (as if that is not every reader’s dream!), and do DIY projects for the décor. The possibilities are endless.
As we all know, kids have a knack for causing trouble at any place, with anything. If you have infants or toddlers, consider baby-proofing your move. Take all the necessary safety procedures during the packing stage. Handle glass objects yourself so they do not shatter or harm your kids. Manhandling broken glass is quite risky.
Moreover, be extra careful when it comes to packing kitchen things, such as forks and knives. Securely wrap them up and store or pack them away from the reach of your children. Be mindful of items with sharp edges. Unknowingly, they can harm you. Necessary packing materials like duct tape, scissors, or box cutters can be everywhere during packing. Ensure they do not end up in small kids’ hands, which can be disastrous.
Furthermore, even if kids use them jokingly, bubble wrap or plastic packaging materials can cause suffocation and choking. Make sure your kids stay out of the way when movers are at the place to lift heavy furniture or electronic objects. Seek assistance from experts in the field, like MPR Movers, who have the right lifting machinery and expertise. Several liquid materials like detergents or cleaning agents are hazardous. Handle these agents with great care and store them away during transport. You can also hire professional assistance for proper transportation. MPR Movers offer such professional services for an easy moving experience.
Plan your move so that you allow little breaks in between different activities. Children tend to tire out quickly. Their attention span is also short. They become bored with one task and move on to doing something else. Something that is probably less laborious. Keep an eye out for their signs of boredom. Take little breaks if you feel like their attention span is getting maxed out. Order a pizza or burger from their treasured restaurant. Make sure you do not forget the must-have for every little kid out there: ice cream! During breaks, you can also take them shopping. Buy whatever stuff you need for the move and let them feast on their favorite meal in a restaurant. Time management is the key here.
What your children need at this time is not only some extra time or understanding but also closure. Plan some fun time for your kids. For that reason, goodbye parties can no never go wrong! We have some cool and exciting ideas for your party bash with kids. Make reservations at the places or restaurants your kids love the most. Invite all of their close friends and extended family members. It would be a farewell visit to their favorite sites once before moving. Make sure to cherish these moments and create lots of fun memories. Remember to capture these moments through pictures, which you can later print out and put up in their rooms. People arrange housewarming parties when they move into a new place. Well, we advise you to throw a house-leaving party! A farewell fiesta your kids will be unable to forget for a long time. Call all the neighbors they love and have spent good times with.
You can arrange different snacks along with sodas, including chips, pastries, tarts, and cookies. Since most of your stuff will be packed in cardboard boxes, you can use disposable plates and glasses. It will also be easy to clean them up after the party. Ultimately, you can have cute, heartfelt moments of sharing good thoughts about your neighbors and friends. Take some time to tell them how grateful you are for their constant support and the cherished moments you have spent together. Life is too short anyways to keep these thoughts to ourselves. Your children will follow suit too.
Last but not least, after your move is completed and you are settled in your new home, make plans with your kids to explore the area. You want to ensure the kids like their new place. The sooner they get used to it, the easier it will be for the family. Make a mental checklist of their areas of interest. Ask the people around that is your new neighbors, or use the internet to find different places they may like. You can look for libraries, cafes, gaming zones, or shopping malls. A new place presents a plethora of opportunities waiting to be explored. Emphasize to your kids the good possibilities that await them or the new chances with endless potential. It will take them some time to tread the new yet unfamiliar paths. Understand the fact and give them some time to get used to it. Soon enough, they will also make new friends and acquaintances.
Moving with kids can be a nightmare; however, it does not have to be this difficult. With the tips MPR Movers has listed above, your moving process is bound to go much more smoothly. Be honest and completely transparent with your kids. Often, kids are more empathetic and understanding than we give them credit for. So treat them like adults and discuss why you are moving away. Make them understand why it is necessary and ask for their cooperation. Make sure they are involved in the moving process. Ask them to pack their things in an organized manner. You can help them navigate through the strain by keeping them busy and throwing out farewell parties for them. After all, who could say no to fun time and cake? You can spoil them a bit with treats or snacks. Bribing will work in the kid’s department! Lastly, explore the new area with them. Point out all the pros of the place and why moving was a favorable decision. Moving with kids adds a whole new dimension of problems to solve. Refrain from taking the extra stress of moving or packing. Leave the job to professional movers, such as MPR Movers. We make sure your move is effortless and goes on without any hurdles. Contact us today for more information!
Immensely passionate for literature, Arsh-E-Bareen is a freelance writer. She writes content for many renowned firms, including this one. In her spare time, she loves to write sonnets and short stories that touch and inspire people. You can contact her on LinkedIn