How to prepare your children for a long distance move?

Long distance moving is a stressful and exhausting process by itself. You have a ton of errands to run and regular responsibilities to keep up with. You need to check out residential movers in Miami and make some big decisions. Add your children to that and it can become surreal. It is a mix of positive excitement and eagerness on one side and raw, unadulterated fear of the unknown on the other. And we can only imagine how confusing it seems in our children’s imagination. Therefore, let’s find out how to prepare your children for a long distance move. Information is a power.

Make a strategy

Maybe it sounds like a preparation for the war, but this will be an emotional war for you. Make sure you make a solid plan. If there are other adult family members, share the responsibilities with them. Whether you have months to prepare or only short notice about your move, start today. Share the news with your children on time, and give them time to adjust. Also, inform them tenderly, with as less stress as possible. They need to know that moving is a common thing, and maybe first of many changes they will experience in life.

Make a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish and include them in it. As a result, you will keep them busy and they will feel as important team members. If someone of your friends has moved with kids recently, ask for advice. Also, show your kids their example and how that turned out just fine. You will be needing all the moving tips you can get.

Communication is a key

Most importantly, talk to your children. They have their own concept of thinking with much more colors than adults. Hence, they can surprise you with understanding and even some creative solution, you never thought off. Your kids will probably have mixed feeling about leaving their friends, other family members, school, and teachers. Therefore, encourage them to exchange addresses and phones with them. Explain that moving does not mean an end of these relationships. Make an album with photos and memories important to them. Allow them to express their feelings. Their confusion, anger, and grief will be hard for you to listen. But it is a very important part of their adjusting to this tremendous change. Finally, this will give them closure and relief.

Make packing into a project

Not only this could help with packing stress, but you can get your own little packers for free as well.

• Prepare your children for a long distance move by labeling the boxes with their names. They will feel like they have their own personal treasure, just like you.
• Let them pack their toys. Hence, they will see that you are not throwing them away, and it will give them a sense of control.

• Hunting through boxes to find some particular item can be maddening. That is what labeling is for. If your kids can write, they can help you out with this. And even if they are drawing on the boxes, it can be a fun way of marking them.
• They will probably end up making a castle of moving boxes and playing with bubble wrap. This is a great way of entertainment, while you pack your valuable and fragile items.

Present a moving as a new exciting game

Seems like this is a good way of surviving a long distance move. It can also make a possibly traumatic experience into a good one. Try to find maybe some children’s books about moving, or refer to some cartoon with this theme, such as Peter Pan. Present the move as an adventure, tell them stories and show them pictures of your new place. Find something there you know they will like, and give them something to dream about. Plane or a car can become a pirate ship and clouds or road can be the sea. With your ideas and their imagination, the sky is a limit.

Sense of security

Try to explain that home is where the family is. That their rooms, the parks, and playgrounds they have enjoyed is something that they will have in their new place as well. Most importantly,  you are together, and that will not change. Also, try not to have other big changes at the same time. It could be too much for them to process. Also, try to maintain your little rituals even during the move. The bedtime story or their favorite game could be performed anywhere, at the airport, on a plane or in a car. It takes just a bit of effort. Prepare your children for a long distance move by giving them a safe ground.

Be a good example

Do not forget that children always imitate us and reflect our feelings. Consequently, it is important to work on your own calmness and energy first. If you have a positive attitude and good expectations, your kids will be like that too. Prepare your children for a long distance move by your own good example.

Prepare your children for a long distance move by throwing them a goodbye party

This will give them an opportunity to have a few special moments and memories to bring with them. Invite their friends and make their favorite cake. This could probably turn grief into celebration. Besides that, invitations and preparing for the party can also keep the little ones busy and entertained.

Kindness- the sunshine in which virtue grows

Remember to be kind and patient, with your family and with yourself. Moving is a huge challenge for all of you. Try to see it as an opportunity since good things can come from it. Your family will grow even closer and you may learn more about each other by going through this together. Small accidents can become family anecdotes. Getting to know new environment together will bring you new memories. Prepare your children for a long distance move by giving them space, security and kindness.