One of the most rewarding and yet exhausting things that you can do is to have children. One of the reasons it’s so exhausting is because as a parent, you have to make sure that you maintain your patience and you come when you need to explain to children anything to do with change, for example moving home. Children are always said to be resilient, but some kids can’t cope very well with change. So when you need to move to a new area or relocate to a new country, you have to tread carefully when it comes to explaining it to the kids.
When it comes to moving house, there is enough stress and chaos going on as it is but you still have to think about how you’re going to tell the children about the move happening. You already have done all the research so you know that you need to book your van with North American Van Lines. you already know the location you’re planning to move and you’re already looking at houses. The next thing to do is bring the kids in on the conversation. Sure, you’ll be moving anyway, but they can have a feeling like they have a say or at least feel like they’re part of that conversation and as the decision.
As parents, you will always make the best decision for the family, but here are the steps that you need to take to make sure that the conversation doesn’t turn into a tantrum.
- Maintain your patience. Some children will break down, cry or even lash out if they find out they have to move away from their friends. Not every child is going to take the news positively, despite the fact that they will make new friends, or despite the fact that they’re going to be moved into a much better location for the whole family. It’s often not about that. As long as you maintain your patience it’s going to be a much easier conversation.
- Make it simple. This doesn’t have to be complicated, and young children don’t need to know the ins and outs of you and your partner’s life. They only need to see the exciting part of it, rather than the real reasons behind the move, especially if the reasons behind the move are negative. Let the children know that it’s OK for them to be upset about the move, but why don’t we focus on the positives and keep the language as simple as possible as you do it. We don’t mean you should explain that they’re going to move it whether they like it or not, we do mean that simple language and answering their questions can make them feel seen and heard.
- Do some research. Before you approach the kids, you need to make sure you have something that’s going to sweeten the deal. For example, if you have been unable to have a pet until now, you could explain that moving house means that they’ll be able to finally have a dog that they’ve always wanted. They may not want to move away from their friends, but if you explain to them that their new school has amazing after-school programmes or cheerleading or gymnastics or any sport or activity that they are interested in, they are going to feel far more inclined to go ahead and say yes that they will be excited to move.
