Candice Vasquez
Relocating to a home far from your current home comes with a number of challenges. There is so much to do and never enough time to get it done. Then you have to factor in all of the emotional challenges that it will bring for you and the rest of your family. If you're planning a long-distance move, there are a few things you can do to help the kids get through it a little easier.
Discuss the Move
Before you do anything and before you tell your friends about the move, sit down and talk with your kids about your plans. This is especially important if you have pre-teens or teenagers in the home. Kids of that age can really begin to act out if they are blindsided with this kind of information from someone other than you. Make sure to listen to what they have to say about the idea of moving. Even if their feelings can't change the outcome, they will appreciate being heard.
House Selection
If you haven't selected your new house as of yet, try to get the kids involved. Spend some time as a family looking through the different available houses in the area in which you plan to move. Sure, your kids won't get a final say in which house you buy, but keeping them involved with the selection process will eliminate the powerless feeling that kids can feel when big changes are made, and it might even help to get them excited about the move.
Maintain a Regular Routine
Younger kids rely on routines to keep things normal each day. Do your best to maintain the same routine up until the day you move. Keep up with the ballet, piano lessons, and whatever sports your kids are involved in until the last day. Doing this will help to keep the kids feeling whole and will make it easier for them emotionally as you work to pack up all of your stuff for the move.
Involve the Kids
With so much to do, it shouldn't be too hard to find a way to keep the kids involved. Your teens and smaller kids can help pack up the boxes of non-fragile items, and the toddlers can use crayons to color the moving boxes to help identify what's inside. Anything that makes them feel included should help, but you may get some pushback from teens who don't like to do much more than usual.
Talk with your local long-distance movers, such as http://www.palmierimoversandstorage.com/, for more tips to help you get your family moved with the least stress possible.
I lived in the same city with my parents for my entire life, even throughout college. When it was time to move out on my own to begin a new job in another state, I got very frantic and overwhelmed due to my lack of moving knowledge along with the fact that I had lived in the same house for my entire life! Thankfully, my parents were very supportive during this time and gave me many tips for moving and storing items that wouldn't fit in the new studio apartment I was moving into. I know others out there are approaching their first moves and don't have people to rely on for advice, so I decided to create a blog all about moving and storage to share what I learned. I plan to post many useful tips, so come back often!