Moving to a new place is tough for everyone in the family. For the adults, the process of moving is stressful enough on top of worrying about the kids’ welfare. And for the children, saying goodbye to the places and people they love can be overwhelming. Hence, as you take care of the real estate documents and prepare for the move, here are some things you should expect from your kids:
1. They might receive the news negatively
This is almost always the case for most children when they are told that the family has to relocate. Rarely do kids react well with the news of moving, unless you’re moving to a new house in the same city wherein they will still go to the same school. So as a parent, be prepared for tears, anger, and acting out from your child when you break the news.
For older kids and teens, reactions will likely be a bit milder. They will feel sad and frustrated, but they are quicker to understand why you have to move. Younger kids, on the other hand, have more irrational reactions. Thus, explain the move to them in a way that they understand.
2. You have to give them time to mourn
When you move to another city, your kids will lose a big part of the life they’ve lead before. They will have to say goodbye to friends, classmates, neighbors, teachers, as well as the places they’ve grown to love. Because of this, you have to give your children enough time to mourn, ideally weeks before the move takes place. Let them healthily process their emotions and help them through the grief. If you try to force them to feel okay or even happy, this can exacerbate the adverse effects of moving on their mental health.
3. They might still be sad after the move
So you’ve finally moved to the new house, helped your child decorate their bedroom, and toured them around the city. But they’re still upset.
Every child adjusts to a big move in their own way. It can take days, weeks, or even months for them to get settled into their new environment. And as they do so, they might remain unhappy. As we’ve said before, let them feel what they have to feel. Allow them to process their sadness, but don’t let them wallow in it for too long. To make your kid adjust better into their new surroundings, help them make new friends in the area, and keep up their old routine to maintain a sense of familiarity.
4. The kids left behind will also be affected
It’s not only your kids that will be affected by the move; the children they leave behind will also feel the grief. Luckily, modern technology makes it easy to keep in touch with friends after a move. Your child and their friends can better cope with the separation when they know they can still talk online, whether through video calls or texts.
Among all the stresses of a move, perhaps the most pressing is helping your child cope. As a parent, these are some of the things you can expect to happen after you break the news to your child. However, keep in mind that every child reacts differently, and whatever their reaction might be, always be prepared to provide support.