New house, new neighborhood and new friends may be an exciting time for most adults but can cause children some anxiety. So what can you do to keep everyone in the family excited and hopeful about the big change? First, remember to talk to your children as early as possible about the decision to move. Allow smaller children to draw pictures of what they think the new home should look like. Older children can share what they would like to have in their new room or dream up a floor plan for those teen parties. Drive around some of the areas you like and get the childrens input. Of course parents have the final decision, but it helps to ease any fears or concerns when they are included in such a big decision. And this is definitely a time you want everyone on one accord. When the decision to move is definite, make a "count down to moving day" calendar. Use the weekends to visit people in the neighborhood to allow the children to say goodbye or drive through the new heighborhood and show the children their new school, new church or area library. Visiting these places early and often will allow the children to have some form of ownership and familiarity once they move in. Packing is certainly a way children can play a big part. Assign age appropriate task to each child and allow them to be the manager of that task. You might not want to let them manage grandmom's 50 year old china but their toys, books and pictures should work out great. Finally, create a mini scrapebook they can keep with them to ease the pain of change or allow them to be the photographer for the day capturing all the moments of the move. Remember children love to help! When everyone is included and working towards one goal any family can turn moving day into moments to remember. Happy Moving Day! |