New Home? How To Keep The Kids Happy On Moving Day

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Moving house is stressful at the best of times, let alone when there are kids to consider. As moving day approaches, there are many things to consider. What you children will be doing is worth a little thought ahead of time. It’s going to be a high-stress day anyway, but having unhappy kids on your hands is going to make things a lot worse. Whether you’ve got toddlers or teenagers, they have the potential to make moving day impossible! So, what can you do too, in the nicest possible way, keep them out the way?

GET THEM PACKING

Kids love to get involved. Letting them pack their rooms will be a great distraction technique on the day. You can’t leave the whole room and expect them to get it done in time. Pack most of the room ready, but leave a few things out for them to pack themselves. That way, they’ll be out the way when the interstate removalist arrives to whisk you all away.

BUY THEM SOME TREATS

If your kids are too young to get involved, buying a few treats is always great for distraction. Stock up on coloring books and magazines. Remember that you’re not going to be able to distract them with television once the moving has begun. It might be worth making up a little goodie bag of coloring and mini games. That way, everything is in one place, and they can get stuck in.

GET THEM EXCITED ABOUT THEIR NEW ROOMS

Once you’re at the other end, kids can get restless. All the excitement will be wearing off by then, and they’ll be getting fed up with the unpacking process. Keep them out from under your feet by getting them excited about their new rooms. Let them pick their rooms as soon as possible, and encourage them to start unpacking their things.

TAKE THEM ON A TRIP

Either you or your partner could take the kids to explore their new neighborhood. That way, the other one of you can get on uninterrupted. While it’s not ideal to lose half the workforce, you might find this allows you to get a lot more done. After all, if both of you are stopping all the time to keep the kids happy, nothing’s going to get done. This can also be a fantastic chance to start settling them in. Remember, moving house can be a disorienting time for children. It’s going to take them a while to get used to the change. The sooner they get to grips with their new surroundings the better.

Above all, practice patience with your children when moving. It may be a stressful time for you, but it’s stressful for them too. If you’re snapping and telling them to get out of the way, the day will soon turn sour. Be gentle with them. Even if they haven’t said, they may be feeling emotional about leaving their old home behind. Keep the lines of communication open and make sure they’re happy!