There are a lot of facets to moving across the country. Not only do you need to ready your belongings for the move – through talking with a relocation specialist, hiring a moving company, packing, etc. – but you also need to ready those in your family for the big day. Let’s face it. Moving is a big change, especially when you’re leaving the city and province you’re familiar with and heading somewhere new. Kids will likely feel the change even more acutely than you will, because they don’t have much control over the situation. They may grow moody or despondent whenever the move is brought up. To make the transition easier on your entire family, here are five ways to prepare them to relocate across the country:
- Hold a family meeting. When you first introduce the idea of moving to the whole family, it should be at a time when everyone is together. Set aside a few hours, detail why you’re moving, and ask for feedback. Let everyone express their thoughts and feelings on the subject, and allow questions to be asked openly and freely.
- Let them have a say. No, this doesn’t mean your kids can dictate whether you move or not – because in all likelihood, they won’t want to leave their friends. However, you can let them express their opinions on things like what they want in your future home, how they want to redecorate their new rooms, and when might be a good time to move.
- Get them excited. It may take some prodding, but try to infuse excitement and a sense of adventure into the move. Ask everyone to sit down and research your new city together. Plan a list of activities you want to do as a family and restaurants you want to visit upon arrival. Let every family member choose an activity and make plans to do each one sometime in the first few months.
- Give everyone a job. It doesn’t matter if your kids are three or thirteen – help them feel invested in the move by assigning a specific task to them. This could be anything from packing their own room to counting boxes on moving day.
- Throw a good-bye party. Many kiddos will be sad to leave their friends in your current city, so let them hold a sleepover or day party. They’ll always have a fun memory of their last day with good friends, making it just a little easier to move.
For more tips on moving, contact a relocation specialist at North American Van Lines. Our goal is to help customers experience a smooth, affordable move – wherever you’re going! Call or email us today for a free quote!
