Collaborative Post¦ Making any move is about preparing yourself properly. And when it comes to making all that preparation work for you, it can easily be undone by the children. That’s not to say that they are doing it on purpose. But kids will be kids! When we are trying to prepare for something serious but our children want to play, it can be a battle to keep them occupied, while also making sure that we are still pushing in the right direction. When it comes to moving, it is not the easiest thing, even if you don’t have kids. So what does it take to make sure that you and the children are on the same page?
Organise Yourself
The best thing anybody can do is to be as prepared as possible. Whether you need to look at car shipping costs or time is running out and you’ve got to start packing, the best thing you can do is to make a list and stick to it. Organisation is crucial, especially when you have children. There’s no point trying to hold a list of things to do in your head. The more organised you are, the better. And when you have a to-do list in front of you, this gives you a concrete blueprint to operate from. Be organised, you won’t feel as stressed and anxious, and everyone will be happier.
Get Your Children Ready
When you keep your children in the dark it can easily make them feel anxious. Younger children demonstrate their anxieties in different ways. They may be more “feral” or may become more withdrawn. When it comes to getting your children ready for something like this you don’t want to add extra stress into the mix. Preparing your children by breaking the news long enough they have time to process information but not early enough so that they have time to worry about it is about the fine balance. You can help them to become involved in the move by helping them pick out new colours for the bedroom and helping with smaller tasks. One of the cardinal sins of parenting is to leave your children in the dark. When we don’t give them as much information as we think we should, they can easily start to display anxieties.
Prepare for Regression
You may have planned everything down to the smallest detail, but you have got to be prepared for the likelihood that they will be signs of regression. Depending on the age of your children, they may have accidents or they may go withdrawn or throw tantrums. All of these intense feelings will manifest themselves in different ways. The important thing for you is to persevere. It can be so easy to get stressed when they are having tantrums, but you’ve got to remember that it’s for a very specific reason. Be calm and give it time.
Making moving easier with children is not always straightforward. You’ve got your own stresses to contend with. Cut them some slack, but also make sure you are incredibly organised as well.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.