Stressed about moving with kids?

5 Tips to Ease the Pain

Moving is near the top of the list of life’s stressful events. The good news is that there are practical ways to help your kids adjust!

Here are 5 tips to get you started on making relocation a fun family adventure:

Team spirit

One of the best ways to transform stress into an opportunity is to view it as a challenge. And, a powerful way to overcome challenges is teamwork. Every family member is moving, so get everyone invested in the process. For example, let the kids choose how they want to help. Depending on their ages, they could be in charge of planning moving parties with friends, packing their rooms, downsizing activities, online searches about their schools and the destination, and/or mapping the route.

Keeping in touch

Leaving friends is one of the most stressful parts of moving for kids. Be sure to have a gathering or two where your children get to invite whomever they choose, and make it easy for them to stay in touch afterward. For example, throw a pizza party, ice cream party, cookout, or other event in plenty of time before the day of departure. Create a way to gather all the contact information of your kids’ friends including cell phone numbers, emails, and snail mail addresses. Old style address books work well for this just in case their electronics fail.

Packing personal treasures

Children often worry about their belongings during a move. They live with their treasures surrounding them at home, and soon those items will “disappear” into boxes that ride away in a moving truck. You can help with this stress by buying a special “my stuff” bag at the beginning of your moving plans. Nylon gym bags are a good option. Let your kids plan what to pack in them. Let the kids carry this bag with them during the actual move. It will give them comfort.

Helping others

Downsizing will be a key element to an easier move. Get the kids involved in sorting through their belongings; and make donation projects with items they no long want. Let them go with you on trips to local donation organizations, and encourage them to pass along toys as gifts to their friends.

New horizons

If possible, take a day trip to your new hometown. Conduct a bit of research, or have the kids do this, in search of interesting sites and events, as well as their new school. Familiarity makes everyone more comfortable; and actually seeing the area will reduce stress of the unknown.

Help your children

defeat their stress!

Grab a copy of Moving with Kids Made Easy.

Only $2.99

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“I thought Angela’s book was just amazing! Who would have thought to involve the children in so many creative , constructive ways…” C.L.

“I read this book in one sitting… There were excellent and insightful ideas about how to engage children in the moving process…” B.L.