The Daily Tiffin: 5 Tips for Preparing Children for a Move

One of our new features for the Daily Tiffin is inviting Guest writers and bloggers to contribute to this blog. Today we have Joseph Ho from uShip . Joseph contacted us with the idea of giving his expertise tips for moving with kids. We hope you enjoy the article.

Every year, one out of five American families moves. This could be for any number of reasons - maybe your family needs to relocate for a job transfer or financial matters, or perhaps you are just moving into another house in the same town. No matter what the reason, moving can be a hard time for children, who often thrive in an environment of familiarity and habit. Read on for a few tips on how to ease their anxiety about moving.

Tell your child about the move ASAP: From the time you consider moving to the time you finalize the move, let your child know what is going on. Being “in the loop” not only makes your child feel like they are part of the decision making process but also gives your child more time to prepare himself/herself for the move.
Listen for their opinions: Depending on their age and personalities, your child may have issues about the move that can evoke a variety of feelings, and it is your job to lend an ear to these issues. Preschool children are usually worried about being left behind, separated from their parents, or losing toys. Preteens are often concerned about not being able to participate in familiar activities or visit familiar places. Teenagers are the toughest group, and they are almost always most worried about the change in their social lives, as they have invested a significant amount of their time finding a niche in their current social environment.
Maintain an optimistic outlook: Much of the fear of moving to a new place is drawn from not knowing what life will be like in the new environment. Another factor that contributes to this uncertainty is that a move is often combined with some type of significant change in your professional or personal life, like a job transfer or change in marital status. Even if you are not happy about certain aspects of the move, keep a positive attitude about it. Your child will be looking towards you for reassurance.
Document the past: Assist your child with obtaining the contact information of current friends and playmates. Before you move, take a few trips to your child’s favorite spots around town and take plenty of pictures or videos to preserve fond memories. Another good idea is to take pictures of your child’s room in order to be able to recreate parts of it in your new home.
Set up future activities: Give your child information about the opportunities in the new town, especially opportunities related to activities that he/she is already participating in. If your daughter is taking ballet classes in your current city, take her to visit the local dance studio in your new city. Also show your child around the recreational areas of the new city.

The prospect of moving to an unfamiliar place with different people can be a very intimidating experience for your child, but good can come from this change. Use this shared adversity as an opportunity to take more of an active role in your child’s life and bring your family closer together.

Are you interested in contributing to The Daily Tiffin? Drop us an email: thedailytiffin@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing your ideas.

This Post was contributed by Joseph Ho from uShip