Moving is stressful. When you’re moving with kids – particularly younger kids – things can get pretty fussy.

If you’re planning a big move, there’s a good chance that children already know something is in the works, even if you haven’t said anything. Telling them as soon as possible is important for successful adjustment and trust.

Young children won’t need too many details except for big picture items. Older children will need fully formed details such as dates, the location, and if they’ll be changing schools.

If you’re stressed – we hear you. That’s why we’ve put together a mini guide for moving with kids.

Why Kids Can Get Upset About Moving

Moving can sometimes have underlying factors that deviate from just wanting a bigger space or a better area to live in. Often, kids don’t see these finer details and often aren’t able to differentiate between the good and the bad.

You might be divorcing or happily remarrying, you might have scored a lucrative job promotion, or you might be welcoming the arrival of a new baby. No matter what the life event is, it’s going to tangibly disrupt their day-to-day life.

If you’re moving provinces or cities, that can bring an even more stark set of challenges – especially for older children. They’ll have to contend with a new school as well as losing some friends. Making new friends as a new student is an age-old and well-known difficulty for many pre-teens and teens. 

How To Deal With Moving Anxieties

Helping kids cope with moving anxiety isn’t always easy, but communication will go a long way. In an age-appropriate manner, talk with them about why the move is happening and outline what they can expect as far as what school they’ll be attending and how general day to day life will function during this time.

Reassure them that you hear their concerns and that you’re doing your best to make the transition easy for them.

Another great way to manage stress is to stay calm. Be sure to speak calmly and politely to your spouse and your children. Children have an uncanny ability to listen when you might not want them to. Either way, they will pick up on any friction or agitation and may respond by throwing tantrums and acting defiantly.

Games And Activities For Making Moving A Positive Experience

Engaging your kids with the moving and packing process is another great way to help them acclimate to the idea. The use of fun and colourful markers, their favourite stickers, and funky packing tape are all good ways to get your kids moving.

Check out our moving with kids checklist:

• Saving your kid’s rooms for last is a great way to get them to participate and allows you a little extra time to indulge in the fun side of things.
• Put on some of their favourite music and start cleaning. Make a keep pile and a donation pile.
• Use clear containers with lids to make organizing and finding items easy.
• Pack a backpack for each child with favourite toys and books for the road. Include a change of clothes, their favourite snacks, and basic toiletries.
• Making packing a competition to see who can pack the neatest or fastest is a great way to encourage your kids to embrace the movement and the task at hand.
• When in doubt, have a dance party! It’s a great way to lighten the mood and shake off the stress.

Call The Moving Experts At Macho Moving Today!

Moving is stressful no matter what your situation is. The Guelph based team at Macho Movers is happy to do the heavy lifting so that you can focus on your family, the finer details of your move, and settling into your new residence.

Call us at (519) 830-4974 or fill out our convenient contact form!