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On the Move
Helping Children Adjust to Moving and Relocation
By Carma Haley
One of the most overlooked tips to reduce stress for children is to allow children to stay with friends or relatives during the actual packing and loading process.
"Children don't do well seeing their things packed in boxes and loaded to be taken away," Steiner says. "In addition, as this type of situation is stressful to kids, they may begin to act out and get underfoot, slowing down the moving process and making things harder on the parents. Children, up to the teenage years, should be taken to a friend or relative's home to spend the day with them and told that the parents will return to get them later that afternoon or evening. Be sensitive to your children's fears about the move. Reassure them that you will be back to get them before you leave and that you won't go off without them."
Whether moving across town, across country or to another country entirely, there are various techniques that enable a parent to reduce stress and fear for their children and make the process of moving exciting and fun for the whole family.
"There are various sources out there that can offer advice and tips for families on the move," Steiner says. "Use them; use them all. Allow your children to ask questions and answer them with honesty. Families often benefit from a move, regardless of the reason for it, but it's up to the parents to help their children see the benefit. With kind words and encouragement, children will love the move, their new home and their new surroundings just as they did the old."