Moving to a new home or a new city can be exciting, but the transition can sometimes be full of uncertainty for children. Thankfully, many experts say this is normal and there’s a lot you can do to ease your children into the change. On average, it can take kids five to six weeks to adjust to a move, so giving them as much information about the move and new home as possible will be helpful for their transition.
Here are some ways you can prepare your kids for a big move:
- Let them see the new space: Take your kids to the new home before moving day, if you’re not able to do that, show them the online listing or take photos of the exterior and interior.
- Let them take part in some decisions: Let your kids have a say in some of the rooms, such as their bedroom, play areas, work spaces, etc. By giving them a floor plan of their space beforehand, they can start planning before the move and may get excited about new possibilities.
- Familiarize everyone with the new schools: Nowadays most schools have an online presence, so if your child is going to be changing schools, it’s a good idea to let them browse the school’s website to familiarize themselves with the building and teachers, etc. You should also plan a visit to the school as soon as you can.
- Let them help pack: Let your kids help with the packing so they can be part of the process. This is also a good time to address any emotions they might have about leaving their current home for a new one.
- Leave their rooms to last: To ensure as little disruption to your kids as possible, pack their rooms up last and unpack them first in the new home.
- Take them on a tour: Upon arrival at your new home, take the family on a tour and point out everything from bathrooms to light switches and other little details.
- Point out where things are nearby: Another thing you should do when you get to the new home is doing a tour with the family of the neighbourhood and point out amenities that may peak your kids’ interests: playgrounds, sports fields, convenience stores, etc.
- Get them interested in their new community: Get your kids excited about your new community, sign them up for local sports teams, camps, extracurricular classes and more. A great resource for your new community is finding out about your community association, to find yours check out the Federation of Calgary Communities.
