When changing your place of residence, it may seem to you that packing and unpacking is the hardest part. However, once you have moved to your new home, you will realize this is not true. The hardest part is, actually, finding a way to help your kids adapt to new places. It does not matter what their age is- such a drastic change is hard to get used to. Of course, you cannot know in advance how your child will react and which aspect of its personality will be affected. We hope that, with the help of our pieces of advice, you will manage to go through the whole process successfully.
First and foremost, talk to them
As soon as you learn that you will be changing your place of residence, talk to your kids about it. Explain to them why you will be moving and how they will benefit from that. For example, if you are moving from North Carolina to California, they will be in a position to enjoy all the beautiful beaches there. Also, make sure they feel free to express their concerns and ask questions about what bothers them. Be supporting and committed to them and help them find balance in every way you can. Only with your help will they manage to face everything that bothers them and overcome it.
Let your kids express their feelings
Whenever you notice your child is nervous or sad about the move, get them to talk about that. Acknowledge their feelings- they are probably sad because they will have to leave their friends and familiar places behind. Let them know you are sympathetic and that you understand how they feel. Talk about what awaits them and find a way to cheer them up. You can, for example, talk about what you will visit there, how you will spend time etc. Also, feel free, to be honest to them if you feel the same way about the relocation. At the same time, you will feel better and your child will understand it is not the only one who feels this way.
One of the ways to help your kids adapt to new places is to take them on a field trip
This is a chance for you to show your children all you have talked about so far. If you are moving somewhere near, take your kids there and drive around the new neighborhood. Show them everything you think they will like, like a toy store, a nice pizza place, pet shop etc. In this way, they will feel more at home and it will help their feelings of nervousness and uncertainty to ease. If your child is big enough, you can choose the new school together. Check which schools will be in the vicinity of your future home and you can either drive around or pay a visit. In addition to this, if there is a possibility for you to go to your new home, go together. You may even talk about what room will be theirs or what kind of wallpaper they would like to have there.
Be involved in the new community
If you are moving to a place which is quite far from your old home, think about the smallest details. Make sure you do not forget to bring with you something that will remind your children about the old community. In order to do this properly, hire top long distance movers North Carolina. They will make sure you do not leave behind something of paramount importance. At the same time, you should help your children make new friends. This is one of the ways to help your kids adapt to new places. All you need to do is to invite over people who have kids the same age as your own kid. Also, if your children like sports, investigate sports activities in your new community. See what is at your disposal and what they would like to take on.
You should also maintain contact with the old community
In case your children want to keep their old friendships, do not stand on their way. If the children are big enough, you can suggest their friends come over for a day or two. If they are still little, ask their parents to come and bring them. This will be of great help to your children. Also, it will be easier for them to accept the new community. They will know that they can count on their old friends and they will feel free to make new ones. Also, if you are in the position to visit your old community, do so. Even if it sounds strange, this is yet another way to help your kids adapt to new places. They will realize that they have kept all that is good and they are now moving on.
Give them time
You should not expect from your children to adjust to the new community as soon as you move there. According to some studies, they need 6 weeks for this, on average. They have their own individual way to deal with the new situation and react to it. Bear this in mind and it will be easier for you to find a way to help them. It is of paramount importance for you to be patient with them. Encourage your children to communicate their feelings and make them know they have your unconditional support.
Such a big change is not that easy to adjust to- especially for your children. Fortunately, with your help, they will be able to go through this successfully. There are several ways in which you can help your kids adapt to new places. For example, tell them they will make new friends. We have made a list of some of them and we hope that you will find them helpful. Just do your best to be patient and everything will come to its place.
