Tips for Moving With Kids

Tips for moving day

Including kids in the moving process will help them feel involved and interested.

Make them responsible for a box

If your children are old enough, make them responsible for a box or two. They can pack their favorite toys or belongings in the box and decorate the outside. Decorating the outside will keep them busy while you’re trying to pack boxes, and being responsible for a box will help them feel included.

Create a moving box movie theater

Download a couple of your child’s favorite movies to an iPad or tablet. Then turn a large moving box (a wardrobe box works especially well) into a movie theater. Cut one side of the box off to make it three sided. Then, pin up a sheet on the open side with heavy duty safety pins to create a curtain. Add a couple of pillows and a blanket to the inside to create a special cubby for your kid to watch movies while you or your movers load the truck.

Have a moving day surprise

Consider getting your child a new book or small toy and giving it to them on moving day. This surprise can brighten up a stressful day, and the new gift will keep them busy while you’re doing last-minute packing and loading the truck.

Introduce the kids to the movers

If you hire professional movers, introduce them to your children when they arrive. Both parties will feel a little more at ease if they know each other’s names. You can also keep your kids entertained by asking them to take bottles of water to the movers or having them help hold doors open.

Load their boxes last

Put items from your child’s room in the truck last, or ask the movers to do so. These items will then be the first ones off the truck, allowing you to get your child’s room set up quickly. They’ll be able to get to their toys and other entertaining items when you’re unpacking boxes, and they’ll feel more comfortable once their room is set up.

» COMPARE: Best Moving Companies

Consider childcare options for moving day

Moving day is hectic and stressful. It may be best if your children can stay with someone else during the move, particularly if they’re a toddler or under ages seven or eight.

Drop them off with friends or relatives

If you can, have your kids stay with friends or relatives the day of the move. That way, they’ll be with someone they’re likely comfortable with and it’ll make moving day a little less stressful for you and them.

Hire a babysitter

Consider hiring a babysitter. If you can hire a family friend or someone you know in your neighborhood, see if they can watch the child at their house. If they’re old enough to drive, see if they can take the child out for a few hours during the move, maybe to a movie or to the mall.

Otherwise, if it’s not possible to get them out of the house, you could have a babysitter watch your child in a separate room of the house to keep them busy and supervised while you’re packing up boxes or a moving truck.

Make a play date

You can also ask if your child could stay with a friend of theirs on moving day. It will give them a chance to have time with someone they may not regularly see anymore after the move.

How to help kids cope with moving

Moving is hard for the whole family, but it can be especially difficult for kids who feel like they don’t have any control. The good news is there are ways to lessen the stress.

1. Communicate often

It's easy to get wrapped up in preparing for a move and forget to talk about the move with your children. Make time every day to talk with your children and listen to how they feel. Letting them know you understand if they’re upset can make a big difference to them.

2. Let them help with decisions

Keep your child involved in your moving process. Take them with you when you pick out a new home, and if possible, let them have a say in which school they attend. Having choices makes a big difference in how a child will react to a new environment. This is especially true for older kids who have a clear idea of what they want out of their living situation.

3. Stay in touch with friends

Help your child stay in touch with their friends and family back home by sending letters and arranging visits. If going back isn’t possible, work on arranging for a friend or family member to visit your new home within the first few months of moving to help with the transition.

4. Keep your family routine

Of course you’ll need to adapt to your new environment, but that doesn’t mean everything has to change. For example, if you always have pizza and watch a movie on Friday nights, stick to your routine. This can often make big changes like moving a little more manageable for kids.

5. Help your child make friends

An active social life helps kids settle into a new place. Sign your children up for extracurricular activities where they can meet kids their age. Encourage friendships, but don’t force them. Your child might need some time to adjust to their new environment and to new friendships. Make sure to welcome any new friends, and allow your child to invite friends over.

6. Go exploring

Let your children help plan adventures in your new destination as a way to get them excited about the move. Having fun trips and experiences to look forward to will keep the focus on the positive attributes of moving and help ease the pain of leaving everything familiar behind.

How does moving abroad affect children?

An international move can have particularly significant repercussions for your family. Moving children away from their familiar home, family, friends and country can completely disrupt their lives and cause them to act out in disruptive and abnormal behaviors.

The extreme emotional distress many children experience when they move abroad is known as expat child syndrome (ECS). While some mood swings and other changes in attitude should be expected during and immediately after your move, there are some clear signs your child is suffering from ECS:

• Isolation
• Aggressive behavior
• Unwillingness to cooperate
• Withdrawn behavior
• Disruptive behavior

Note that not every child will exhibit every symptom of ECS and that this is not a definitive list. The good news is that most children eventually outgrow ECS and learn to love their new environment with time and nurturing.

» MORE: How to Move to Another Country

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