Moving house with young children can be difficult. Whether they’re upset about leaving their old home or excited about moving to their new one (or a mixture of both) emotions can be high. Being so small, they already feel that the wider world is something outside of their control and they have no say even in something as life-changing as a house move.
Here at Stokes Removals & Storage, we’ve been helping families with young kids with their removals in Leicester for a long time. In this article, we’ve put together a handful of useful tips that can make your move run a little more smoothly.
Get them involved
While your kids usually have little say in where you’re moving to, that doesn’t mean they can’t get involved in the process. Let them help you pack things up, or label the boxes. It’s a great time to talk about the memories you’ve made in this house as you pack different items away. More importantly, it’s a great opportunity to explain that you’ll all get to make new memories together in your new home.
Childcare
Moving out of your old house and into a new house can be a busy process with lots of people coming and going – this can make it difficult to keep track of where your child is and what they are doing, especially if they are a toddler. If possible, taking advantage of day care or asking a friend or relative to look after your child during the move will make the process easier for you and less stressful for them. Once everything is transferred and things are calmer, your child can come into their new home and begin getting settled.
Put them first
As parents, you’re used to doing this anyway, but we mean it literally. When you’re at your new home and the boxes are unloaded, make sure you attend to your kids’ rooms first. This ensures they have their own space in the house from the very start and confirms to them that they are your number one priority.
Prepare for tears
During something momentous like a house move, tears can surprise even grown adults, so you should certainly expect them from a small child. Tears are good. It’s a healthy expression of emotion when they don’t have the words to explain their feelings. Take the time to sit with them and let them cry it out. You don’t need to reason with them or explain things to them – you just need to be there for them.
Give them some control
As we mentioned, part of the stress of moving for small children is the lack of control, so give them some. You’re in a new house with a new bedroom for your kids – let them decide how to decorate. If that’s too much of a risk, let them decide where they want their bed and other bedroom furniture. Either of these options make their new bedroom a safer place for them and can reduce the risk of nightmares brought on by general anxiety.
If you’re moving house (with or without young children in tow) and need help with your removals in Leicester, give Stokes Removals & Storage a call today. Contact us on 0116 239 3000 to see how we can help you, or to get a free, no-obligation quote for our services.
