Moving 101: Helpful Guide To Moving With Kids

Moving to a new home or place ushers an exciting new beginning. However the process of packing and the actual move can be quite stressful, more so if you are doing it with young children. The little ones often get a little too excited, bored too soon or just cannot understand the situation enough and can end up being disruptive and slowing down the process. Therefore, you need to plan this move down to every little detail.

Prepare Ahead Of Time

Preparation is the key to a successful move. Start your packing well in advance by making lists of things to pack, as well as in which order and place they go. Buy your packing supplies such as custom boxes, bubble wraps, shipping tapes etc so that you are always prepared. This way, with a list and supplies at hand you can get on with packing in between chores, when the kids are in school or sleeping. As you get it done by the bits without leaving all the packing to the last moment, the move becomes much less stressful.

Assign The Kids Some Jobs

The best way to keep kids from slowing down the process is by involving them and giving them some responsibilities. Assign some low risk, easy packing and arranging jobs such as packing up their own toys, putting sorted things in boxes and bags, helping you pass and bring things from different rooms etc. This will make them feel like they are contributing, just like the grown ups and you will get the job done sooner. However it is a good idea that adults keep an eye on them and double check the packing before you leave.

Have Some Snacks Handy

Kids get stressed and hungry easily when big changes are happening around them. While you would want your children to have nutritious full meals, this is a battle for another day. You do not want to deal with hungry irritated kids throwing tantrums while you are getting on with packing or moving. For now focus on the work at hand and hand over the snacks, if that keeps their tummies from howling. You can make or buy healthy snacks suck as fruit drinks and purees, fruit leather, vegetable chips, low sugar cookies, chocolate covered nuts etc.

Keep Them Entertained

On the big day of the move you can only expect the kids to be a little antsy and easily bored as they find it hard to process the emotions of change. Therefore, they might just act up out of sheer lack of comprehension. The best way to avoid melt downs is to keep them entertained. The internet and its huge resources of content for children will come extremely handy as they screen can keep them captivated for hours while you do your work. Get them some coloring books, toys, crafts or reading material to stay engaged. Buy a new toy or something the kids would like but keep it a surprise until the final day. This will build happy association and thus, excitement for moving to a new place.

Do not shy away from asking a friend or family for help or even hiring the services of a babysitter to supervise the kids while you get the job done.