Moving interstate is always an overwhelming task. Even though it is exciting, fresh and an open door to wonderful opportunities and adventures ahead, there’s still some part of us that will always be doubtful of the timing of such a move. We may even feel quite resistant to such a huge change and our mind will lead us to wonder whether we are making the right decision or not. Things can escalate further in quite a challenging way if you add kids (especially small ones) to the situation.
Children are quite adaptable and seem to be always ready for new adventures but understanding (and accepting) that they will live in a new home, they will attend a new school and make new friends can be difficult for them to accept. That said, parents play a prominent role in the way in which kids handle an interstate move. In this article you’ll find some interesting tips that will help you and your kids cope with the turmoil of moving interstate.
Share the news as early as possible. Once you and your husband have made up your minds and decided that you’d be moving interstate, let your children know about the move and be ready to answer all of their questions. The impact of such big news will differ according to your children’s age.
As a general rule, children under 5 will be delighted with the idea as they are too young to fully understand all the implications of the move. Keeping explanations simple and using stories to explain the process coming ahead to them really helps. Children between 6 and 12 are usually relatively open to a move but they need your loving help through the transition. Teenagers, rebellious in nature, can be the hardest to accept your decision. They’ll probably resist the change. Listen to their concerns: they may be reluctant to miss a social group they are part of, some kind of romantic relation or even an important event.
As a second tip, it is usually helpful to involve your children in the home search as much as possible. If they can’t go with you home hunting, share pictures of the new home with them, their neighborhood and, of course, the new state. Spend some time doing research on interesting activities that your children may engage in in your new location. From sports to recreational activities, they’ll be inspired to move interstate under the prospect of enjoying some challenging and different activities in their new home.
As a third tip, be ready for the challenge of packing everything away for your interstate move. Relying on an experienced interstate removalist is essential to ensure that all your belongings arrive safely and sound to your new home, but making sure that everything is packed correctly can be overwhelming.
If you have ever moved houses, you already know that labeling boxes in detail, packing delicate items with bubblewrap, and storing cables together with the electronic device they belong to can make your life easier, but when moving interstate, everything needs to be done even more carefully. And this is when the fourth tip comes in: accept that packing can be the most challenging part of getting ready for the interstate move and be extremely patient with your children and with yourself. Ask your teenage children to help you pack their items: get rid of what they don’t want or need any more and keep what they do want. Younger children can be more challenging: you’ll get used to packing their toys just to see them unpacking them to play with them a few minutes after you finish. Not to mention that they’ll cry over those ragged toys you’re ready to throw away but they suddenly desperately need.
It may be a good idea not to declutter and throw things away while your kids are around. They can get extremely possessive right when you want them to be ready to give up on toys, books and clothes they haven’t used in a while. It is mind saving (and time saving) to declutter while your kids are at school, playing with friends or sleeping. Sometimes it’s best to ask for help. Ask your friends or family to take them out for the day and keep them entertained while you pack things round the house and make sure that you explain to them that the toys you’re packing away will be with them in the new house.
Young children may feel overwhelmed with the experience. It’s a good idea to find storybooks or cartoons on TV that deal with the topic. Reading these stories to them will help them release their feelings and find words to express them.
Last but not least, avoid introducing dramatic changes on your children’s lives during the process of moving interstate. It is definitely not the right moment to potty-train your child, move him or her from a crib to a bed or enroll them in a new activity at school or cultural center.
Moving interstate with kids is a family adventure. Putting these tips into practice well before even choosing your interstate removalist will help you start a new life in a new state and survive the whole process.
