Getting Your Kids Excited About Moving
Humans are naturally wired to find comfort in familiarity. This is especially true in children; kids don’t like change. Moving to a new town and school can be very difficult for children anywhere from elementary to high school. They don’t want to leave the friendships they’ve created, and they often wonder if they’ll even be able to make new friends. There are ways, though, to get your kids to see moving as an open door rather than a closed one.
New School:
School is a good portion of a child’s life. They’ve memorized their classes, the building, and just generally how things work. Suddenly, they must start all over again. Inform them the best thing you can do is inform your child about their new school as much as possible. Tell them about the clubs, extra curriculars, etc. If they can possibly have a tour of the school before attending, take advantage of that. If your child is involved in an after school program like theater or sports, find out how soon they can audition/try out.
New Town or City:
Having to leave the town you grew up in can be heartbreaking on a kid. In a sense, they feel like they’re leaving a bit of their culture behind. Keep Connections and take advantage of the fact that you can still visit your old city. Let your kids know that their friendships don’t have to end. See if you can possibly set up times during the month where your children can hang out with their old friends.
New State:
Moving to a new state doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Allow your child to see it as gaining new experiences rather than missing out on old ones. Sight see as the more you bring your kids sightseeing in your new state, the better. There is beauty in every state, and your child needs to see what they wouldn’t have had access to in their home state. You’re going to be tempted to just focus on unpacking, but your child needs to see the world outside their new home as soon as possible.
New Country:
This one’s hard, but not impossible. Moving to a new country needs to be handled with delicacy.Be as understanding of your kids’ feelings. Turn their fear into excitement. Immersion Plus Patriotism. Make sure your family assimilates as much as possible. Your children need to understand that embracing a new culture is beautiful, and that not many get the opportunity. Your kids shouldn’t feel like they’ve left their identity behind. Encourage patriotism of their original home land and teach them it doesn’t have to contradict immersion.
Getting them Excited About the Physical Move:
Children often feel helpless during moves, which results in frustration. It’s important to make your children feel useful during the move. Allow them to pack and unpack items appropriate for their age. Remind them how necessary they are to the move. Encourage them to sell items they don’t want to take with them and keep the money.
If your children are too small to help you with the move, contact Dirck’s Moving and Logistics.From packing to transporting, your move will be in qualified hands.
