Tips on helping your children adjust to your move

We all know how difficult a move can be. The stress of packing up your whole life and moving it to a new location can take a toll on your family. Kids are so resiliant we often forget or overlook their signs of stress. It is important to remember to take good care of yourself as well during a move, so that you can give the support to your children that they will need. Below are a few tips that will help you to help your children adjust to your move!

Before you move:

• Get information about the new place. Gather information from the local Chamber of Commerce, Welcome Wagon and Board of Realtors.
  
• Tell older, school-age children about the move several months in advance, if possible.
  Share information about your new home, town and state with your child. Give him/her brochures and postcards. create a fun project that offers information about the new place (e.g., make a map or draw pictures of the new house).
  
• When possible, take your child to see his/her new town, house and neighborhood.
  
• Visit your child’s future school. Schedule time to meet the principal and some of the teachers and future classmates ahead of time.
  
• Plan a goodbye/moving party for your child. Involve her in the planning. Help her get addresses and phone numbers of friends and family they will be leaving.
  
• Request that your child’s school records be sent to his/her new school. Obtain medical and dental records for you and your children.
  
• Pack some of your child’s essentials for the trip: toiletry items, snacks, games, pillows and special comfort items.

After you move:

• Help your child decorate his/her room making it a special place in your new home.
  
• Make some exploratory trips into the community with your child such as visiting neighborhood parks, nearby restaurants or a skating rink.
  
• Take your child to enroll in his/her new school and meet teachers and classmates.
  
• Discuss extracurricular options with your child and sign up for some activities such as piano lessons, gymnastics, Girl/Boy Scouts, sports, clubs at schools, library programs.
  
• Encourage your child to call or write friends and family to let them know about the new place.
  
• Listen to your child’s feelings (sad, scared, excited) about the move and offer extra support.
  
• Help your child take pictures of your new home to send to friends and relatives.
  
• Get to know some of the other parents and find out about their activities and their children’s interests.