Moving with Children

Even the simplest move has the power to do bad things to your blood pressure, but when the move involves your children your stress levels can go through the roof. Now you aren’t just worried about getting from A to B with all of your belongings intact. You’ve got more important matters on your mind, like how your child will adjust to their new neighbourhood (or city). And that’s not even accounting for more immediate difficulties, like how to occupy your children on the big day!

It doesn’t matter if you’re a novice or veteran at moving, kids can complicate the process, and your responsibilities multiply exponentially during a move as a parent. Why not lighten your load on the big day by hiring us, the best movers in Toronto and the GTA, and follow our tips to ease the transition for your children.

Before the Big Day

Moving can be hard on children, especially if they’re saying goodbye to the only home they’ve ever known. Not only are they leaving behind familiar faces and places, but they have to look forward to being the new kid in school, which is an especially daunting task for introverted children or those who are entering the hormonally-troubling times of puberty. They can feel a cocktail of negative emotions in the face of a move, so it’s important that you try to frame the change in a positive light.

Many children are reticent about a move because they have no control over where or when they go. You can help address their feelings of powerlessness by involving them in more of the household’s decision making. It’s imperative that you share with each other as much information as possible.  Ask them what they want out of the new home. If you haven’t put in an offer yet, their suggestions can influence the types of houses you see. In which case, it’s important that you bring them along as you house-hunt, so they can tell you their thoughts in person. If you’ve already made the decision, try prompting them for ideas on how to decorate their bedrooms as well as common spaces.

Moving Day Tips

If your kids are particularly young, it might be best to leave them with a trusted friend or family member on the big day. Older children, however, should be involved. Continue to encourage your children’s sense of agency on the day of the move itself by including them in as much of the day’s proceedings as possible.  First of all, introduce them to our team of packers and movers. Our moving professionals are dedicated to creating the smoothest move possible and that includes meeting all of your family members. Secondly, assign them tasks to show they’re a valuable and contributing member of the family. It can be as simple as keeping the family pet occupied outside of the house and away from our movers or it can be as significant as appointing them in charge of unpacking a particular room. It’s even better if you can provide them with a list of tasks and have them choose which one they prefer.

As you can tell, most of the tips we’ve provided today centre around including your children in decision making, so they can feel like they’re more involved in the process. It will still be a difficult transition for them, but these relatively small gestures can improve your children’s experience of the move significantly. Think of how you can incorporate these ideas into your moving preparation, and don’t forget to call us. With our expert movers handling everything from packing to driving the truck, you can focus more of your attention on your children.