Five Tips in Helping Kids Transition to their new home smoothly.

When I was thirteen-years-old, my siblings and I found ourselves moving cross-country with our parents and grandparents from New York to Arizona. On top of that, we were traveling from one of the most densely populated areas of the country, to a small town east of Phoenix called Fountain Hills. At the time, Fountain Hills had a population of less than 2500 residents (now over 25,000 last year); I went from a class of 464 students in New York, to a mere 22 students in Fountain Hills. A big difference.

We’ve listed some top tips to help your kids prepare for leaving their home (and for some it’s the only address they’ve ever had) and to help the transition go as easily as possible.

Include your children in the moving process when possible.

• Tracking and discussing dates is crucial so your kids don’t feel “left in the dark” or caught off guard. Post your moving date where everyone can see it, what date the family should start packing, when the movers will arrive, etc.
• Use a “test moving box” to show the older kids how to tape boxes together, use markers and crayons for identifying what’s in the box and where they go (I remember some very creative pictures and messages to the movers I wrote!) Have fun with it!
• Sketch out a floorplan of their new bedroom and have them draw in where they think their furniture should go.
• Look for other ways to make them feel as much part of the process as possible.
• Save packing their rooms for last to minimize disruption; on moving day, pack a bag of toys, snacks and essentials to keep them busy.

Help them get familiar with the new town.

If possible, take videos and picture of the new home and landmarks in the area before the move (their new school, the grocery store, parks, special attractions, etc.). Use a wall or refrigerator map and place these pictures on the map, showing the relationships distance-wise from the new home to each of these areas. Look for and mark with highlighters bike routes and walk paths. Is there a favorite ice cream place from your old hometown, in the new town? Look for common elements to help the kids feel comfortable. Paint the picture of what living in the new town will look like.

Make a plan to help make the new house familiar.

Work with any friends, relatives, or your REALTOR® in the new town, to help “plant” some familiar toys in the kids’ new bedrooms, closets, or backyard. Maybe the new version of their favorite toy, or other games that are relatable. Kids (and me, too!) love finding great surprises, especially if they (or I) are feeling uncomfortable with the new surroundings.

Keep your schedule as much as possible in the new home.

Is Friday pizza and movie night? After moving, it’s easy to have excuses to skip anything that doesn’t include emptying moving boxes and cutting and adding shelf paper but stopping every once in a while, to keep a sense of schedule and rhythm goes a long way in helping kids feel at home.

Be the right role model.

Sometimes, a part of the new living situation isn’t as great as the one you left. Stay positive and know that your kids are listening and watching to how you react to your new surroundings.  How you perceive the new home and surroundings, will shape how your kids view it, too.