Moving Consequences Affecting Kids
Picking out a moving company can be challenging enough, moving with a family might be even more difficult. There are a lot of changes occurring for you and your family. That’s why it is vital to spend some time helping your children manage the changes happening around them. The advice set forth below will help your move go more easily.
When to Move School Age Children
If your kids are school age, you may be tempted to plan your move to occur during the school vacations. In reality, this can make matters more distressing for your kids. School is most likely the first place your kids can be sure of making friends. So, moving during school vacations puts your child in strange and new surroundings at a time when their opportunities of making friends are lower.
- When school resumes, your kid may feel even more left out. As the first day return to school is awash with the excitement and hustle and bustle that takes place after a vacation, your child may feel like a stranger.
- When you schedule your move during the class year, it allows your kids to go from one social scene to another.
- The teacher and the other children will be more prepared to show your child some extra attention when they are the only new person.
Settling In
Understand that there may be a grieving period for youngsters after a big move; it may last a few weeks, maybe even a couple of months. Here are a few good things you can do to make moving more soothing for your youngsters.
- Enquire and explore your new city together. Look for new and challenging things.
- Go to your child’s new school with them beforehand and walk around the new school together to aid them to find their bearings.
- Go with your kids on their path to school until they are comfortable traveling on their own.
- Check out after-school activities where your kids can make new friends with similar interests.
- Don’t forget to encourage them to keep in touch with old friends.
Keeping an Eye Out for Early Warning Signs
A big change is certainly very rough for a child. Even the most well adjusted youngster can have difficulty dealing with moving.
Be alert, it is important to pick up on early warning signs that your youngster may need special help dealing with his or her new environs.
Here are some signals to be alert to
- Reserved behavior
- Loss of appetite
- Problems sleeping, or regular nightmares
- Outbursts of anger or tears
- Reluctance to stray far from the house or family
- Difficulty making new friends
Additional Moving Resources
- Google Knol advice on picking movers
- Squidoo Lens on preparing for your move
- NY Times article on avoiding moving scams
