HOW DO YOU GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT A HOUSEHOLD MOVE?

Sometimes it’s easy. For instance if the new house has lots of fun features kids will love, (like a swimming pool) then the kids may be sold instantly…however, especially with teenagers or kids with friendships in school, change can be very difficult. Involving the kids in the search, exploring fun things in the new area will help. Touring a new school, or finding out that there are kids their age nearby will help. Letting them help decorate their new rooms, or giving some permissions that may have been held back at the former home may help too.

Planning a move is always a challenging and overwhelming experience, and with kids, it becomes more complicated, especially on the emotional front. Children create bonds with living spaces and homes, and breaking that bond can be agonizing for them.

Parents are always anxious about how to help their kids adapt to a new home, and finding ways to make moving with kids a fun experience. There are so many dilemmas to sort out, as they to whether they ought to change schools or not, and more. If the children love the new house and its amenities, for instance a swimming pool or basketball court, they will be eager and happy to move.

In the case of teenagers, if they love their new rooms and find the neighborhood attractive and appealing, they will be sold on the idea of moving instantly. Some children and teenagers dread change and leaving behind all their friends, while some kids are eager and excited to move away and start afresh. Either way, parents have to talk to them and explain why the move is necessary and how it can improve their lifestyle and bring comfort to their future.

In this article, we will discuss how parents can help children adapt to their new homes and making moving with kids a fun experience.

Let’s get started, shall we?

Having the Talk

No matter how much you dread it, having the talk is important. Don’t surprise your kids with the possibility of a new home, instead, allow them to be a part of the process. Create a nice dinner and then, sit them down over desert to discuss the plans of moving to a new house and a different neighborhood.

If they are attached to the house and neighborhood, they might take the news badly. But focus on reinforcing the positive side of the moving process, and encourage them to look forward to the experience. Don’t force them to readily accept the idea but allow them to grow onto accept and embrace it.

It takes time and you will constantly have to lighten up their gloomy faces and give them the encouragement they need to leave behind their old life for a new home.

Include them in the Process

The best way to help your children and teenagers adapt and embrace the moving process is to include them as much as you can. Take them along to attend open houses and home viewings. When you have chosen the new home, take them shopping for interior and furnishings.

Allow them to set up their own rooms and indulge them in the process. Let them pick out their own furniture and wallpapers, and help them shift their entire world from the old house to the new one. Making improvements to their bedroom and setting up the décor they want will certainly work wonders.

Allowing them to keep pets, putting up the wallpaper or paint they want or other permission that were previously denied are great strategies of involving them in the process. The key is to find an avenue that gets them excited about the new house. For instance, a tree house that they have always wanted, or perhaps, the promise of throwing a party for their friends.

Touring the Neighborhood

Here’s an important and greatly helpful tip in helping your kids adapt to the new house and neighborhood: take them on a tour to explore their new neighborhood, nearby entertainment centers and attractions. If there’s a museum, coffee shop or restaurant nearby, take them out for dinner and some outdoor fun.

If the area is surrounded by nature trails, lakes and other sites, give them a tour of the area and allow them to see their new surroundings. Take your kids to visit the playgrounds, entertainment centers, cinemas, shopping malls and other amenities to get them excited about moving to the new neighborhood.

Visiting neighborhood and community center will allow you to meet and interact with other families. It will also give your kids an opportunity to make new friends and experience their new community.

Changing Schools

The most difficult part about moving out is the prospect of having to move to a different school. Children, especially teenagers, dread the prospect of having to leave behind their friends and schools. If it is possible and their school district falls within close proximity of the new home, don’t consider the idea of changing schools. It will allow your children to hold onto the consistency of their school environment and friends as they adapt to the new home.

However, if you’re moving to another state or suburb, changing schools may become a necessity. In such a situation, the best time to move with school age kids is during the summer break. It gives them enough time to adapt to their new surroundings, tour their school and prepare themselves for the classes to begin and make new friends.

At the end of the day, it is important to remember that it is always difficult for kids to leave behind their home and friends. However, you can make the process fun and appealing by giving them something to look forward to. It could be the idea of being able to decorate their own home, and shopping for décor items and things that they like.

Allow them to explore their new neighborhood and discover fun things that their new house would allow them to engage in. If the house has any features that they instantly fall in love, such as a swimming pool, tree house or swings, you wouldn’t have to worry much.

Outline:

Allow your kids to be a part of the moving process and hold regular discussions to pique their interests.

Take them on tours to new schools, and allow them to explore the neighborhood and discover avenues to have fun and enjoy different activities.

Allow them to get involved in decorating their new room, setting up their posters and favorite wallpaper. Allowing permissions for things that were previously denied, such as keeping a pet, will certainly get them excited and happy.