Moving house with children

by Nikki Sheehan

For adults, moving house is one of the most stressful life experiences, but how is it for your children?

When to tell them
• Honesty is usually the best policy. In particular, older children need to feel more involved and be able to adjust to the idea of making new friends.

Prepare them with pictures
• For children the worst thing about moving is the feeling of uncertainty. Even if your little ones don't actually see their new home before you move in, you can give them a good idea of what to expect. If the current owners don't object, take lots of photos inside and outside the new house.

Timing
• With school aged-children, plan the move so it causes the least possible disruption. Moving during the summer holidays means that they can start the new year before friendship groups are established. However, your child may have limited opportunities to make new friends over the summer, so you will have organise activities so that they're not kicking their heels for six weeks and pining for old mates.

The run up - get them involved
• Try to involve them as much as possible. Sorting out their toys and choosing some special 'old friends' that will travel in the car on move day will help younger kids feel that their needs and views are valued. Older children can be kept busy organising a leaving party for friends and neighbours, and creating change of address cards, or a scrapbook with photos of their favourite people and places.

Moving out - the big day
• It might be less upsetting for children to say goodbye to their old home whilst it is still in one piece, rather than to see it taken apart with alarming rapidity by a gang of strangers. Arrange for someone to look after the children on move day.

Smooth Transition: Old Meets New
• Make the children's room a priority, by making things as similar as possible to before, their old things will help children to feel secure.

Settling period
• Moving house can be a great adventure, but, like any big change, it can be tiring and emotional, and children can show signs of stress and regression, particularly if they have to settle into a new school. The emotional impact of moving will vary from child to child, but, on the whole, children are adaptable, and any upset should be short-lived.

Article by Nikki Sheehan. For more details on this or other property features, visit www.findaproperty.com, a leading UK property website advertising over 200,000 properties for sale and rent. As well as property news, the site also has features on every aspect of the property market and detailed local information.

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