How to Overcome the Challenges of Moving Home as a Family
Moving can be difficult, but doubly so when you involve children into the mix. If you’re moving to a new area, your children may be sad that they are leaving their friends behind. If you’re simply moving to a new house, they still may miss their old surrounds. Thankfully, there are ways to make the transition as smooth as possible for you and your family.
Finding Your Home
Buying a home as a family adds extra parameters to your search. You have to consider how child-friendly a home is, both now and in the future. After all, homes in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, have sold for $139,000 on average in the last month. Research the best prices and neighborhoods in your region. Look at a home’s layout and imagine your children here. If you are choosing a city with cold winters, or a home without a yard, you should think how well a property accommodates indoor play. Consider a property’s surroundings, too. Is the neighborhood family-friendly? Is there a space where children enjoy the outdoors? Do the schools offer quality education? What about play areas and parks? Will they be within walking distance? There’s a lot that you have to factor, but they are important, and something that could get undecided children excited about a move.
Moving On
Selling the home is a step that can be fraught with task after task. Thankfully, it can be done on a budget, and with your family, too! One big worry can be how to stage a home. You are already balancing family with the process of selling up. There may be evidence of life everywhere, from toys to children’s drawings on your fridge. Depersonalizing your home before showings is prudent. This may be difficult to do, but it can allow people to visualize your property as their future home. It may be wise to have your little ones away from the house during this stage. Sending them to a friend’s or bringing in a babysitter can mean a lot when it comes to reducing their stress.
Deal with Anxieties
This is a big decision, perhaps more so for your little ones. If this is their first move to a new location, they may be worried, even scared. Don’t hide anything from them. The more time they know of it, the more time they have to reconcile with moving. Focus conversations on what they have to look forward to. Get them invested in the amenities their new neighborhood and home may have. Try, as well, to help them process any sense of loss and fear. You could encourage them to create a scrapbook, featuring all the memories of their home and old haunts that they hold dear. A farewell party with their friends is another good approach. While they may still be able to hang out with them in the future, it could at least take their mind off of their apprehension.
Delegate
If your children are old enough, get them involved where they can. This can have multiple benefits. Having them help out around the house can keep their mind off worries, but it can also potentially aid them in accepting that this move is happening. Give a positive angle to any task they undertake. Suggest they pack, but don’t force them to give things away unless they themselves choose to. Provide options where possible. Allow them decisions, such as deciding on a route to their new home or the color of their future bedroom. Let them contribute their own thoughts and opinions at family meetings, whether that is about the selling and buying process, or on moving. If they feel that their perspective is being listened to, they may feel less anxious about what is happening.
By following these tips, you may be able to not only make your upcoming move easy, but fun for the kids. Involve them in ways that make sense to you, calm their fears, and find the best home possible. Be smart about your potential house, think toward the future, and you may find a gem to last years to come.
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