One of the most common reasons why families move house is that they outgrow the space in their property as their family gets bigger. This is especially the case in the greater Oxford area, families need more space to grow into, and this often involves moving house and sometimes area to access properties within your budget.
This can be a stressful time for the whole family, especially if you have young children to take into consideration. So what can make moving with kids easier? Are there ways to help your small children cope with the move?
Here are our top 10 tips for moving with a young family:
1. Show them around the new house and be positive about the new area.
While they may not be looking forward to leaving what is familiar to them, introducing your children to the new area and showing them the house can help them to get excited about the move. It also really helps if you speak positively, as they will pick up on your emotions and how you are feeling.
2. Decide together what to put in their “Open me first” box.
Putting away some comfort essentials for them to open as soon as they arrive at the new house can help the unsettled feelings in the first few days. Get them to choose their favourite toys and things that make them feel at home. This could also include pictures, blankets and bedding. When they arrive at the new house they can open their first box and have some familiar items to help them feel at home straight away.
3. Involve them in the packing process and other age-appropriate decisions.
These kinds of transitional exercises, such as choosing how to decorate their new room, helps them to feel some control of the situation and can help build excitement for the move. If you would like them to de-clutter, getting them to pick out some toys that can be donated to a local childrens charity can be a lovely way to help them let go of some of their possessions.
4. Ask for some help on moving day.
Moving is a stressful process and making sure you have enough support can help the whole family feel as calm as possible. Having a moving and removal company help with the logistical things can relieve a lot of pressure. If you would like more information on how Headington Carriers could help facilitate your move please feel free to get in touch here. Also asking friends or family to look after the kids on the actual move day can leave you with the mental space to look after everything else.
5. Plan some fun activities for when you arrive.
Having a treat when you get to the house and a fun activity can help everyone to de-stress. Activities like pizza night, making a den to eat dinner in, and all sleeping together “camping” in one room for the first night are all fun things that can bring some joy to the new surroundings.
6. Try and keep your routine.
Especially for the first few weeks as you settle in, it can be easy for all routine to go out of the window. But this can add to the un-settled feelings that come with a big change. It is really helpful, especially for small children, to keep to their normal routine while you all settle into your new home. Mealtime and bedtime routines are especially good to keep as normal as possible.
7. Help them express their feelings.
Grief and sadness are normal when leaving friends, family and familiarity. Let them know that they can come at any point to talk about how they are feeling. Also asking them the question: How I can help you? can sometimes result in interesting conversations. Make sure to keep an eye on them over the first few months for any behavioural changes that could be a symptom of feeling sad.
8. Help your kids stay in touch.
Whether it’s a handwritten card or picture that you can send in the post, or a weekly zoom chat, keeping old connections can go a long way to helping your children feel supported and also confident in their ability to make new friends. Introverted children especially rely on long-standing friendships so help facilitate regular communication as much as possible.
9. If they are changing school ideally move in the holidays.
This can be useful to not only ensure they don’t miss anything but you can transition gradually over the summer and get them involved in some of the summer activities that the school might run during the holidays. This is a great way for them to meet other children before going into class in September.
10. Look after yourself too.
Intense periods of stress can lead to burnout which affects the whole family. While it’s natural to be concerned about the younger members of the family, make sure that you are taking some time to look after yourself too. If you would like some more advice on how to manage the stress of the move, check out this previous article here.
If you are looking to move house and would like some help at Headington Carriers we offer a tailored, personal service and will take the stress of moving out of your hands. As soon as you know the date you wish to move contact us on: +44 (0)1993 811 276 or (0)1865 311 000 / enquiries@headingtoncarriers.co.uk and we will help you from there.