Moving can be especially tough on children. Whether you move frequently or your children are leaving the only school they’ve ever known, uncertainty can create a great deal of anxiety. You may be moving for a relationship, a nicer house, or a better job. To make it easier on your teen, make sure you give them something to look forward to.
1- Get Them Excited About Their New Living Space
If your teen is keen on design, get them excited about paint colors or wall hangings in their new space. If you have a teen who doesn’t care about their wall color but really wants a gaming computer, you may need to make a bigger investment.
A promise of new technology, a customized living space, or a lofted bed with a private space below may help your teen get excited about your move.
2- Plan Outings In Your New Location
If you’re moving to a new city, put your teen in charge of a Saturday outing. Give them a budget and ask them to find activities the whole family can enjoy. If you have tweens, have them help your teens and put it up for a vote with the family as to which idea will be enjoyed first.
You absolutely have a lot to do when you move to a new home. However, spending every weekend working on the place makes for exhausted adults and cranky kids. Make time for fun and invite your children to come up with activities at different price points.
3- Take Them on a Tour of Their New School
Reach out to the leadership at your teen’s new school and ask for a tour with your children. Check out fun spots and interesting options, such as the band room, choir room, and theatre. If your child loves a particular sport, get in touch with the coach and ask for just a few minutes.
Try to allow your child to see their new school before their first day in the classroom. Allowing them to build a mental map and understand the layout of the space will lower their stress level.
4- Let Them Manage the Moving Sale and Keep a Percentage of the Proceeds
Let all your children see you sorting through your personal possessions into groups based on items you want to keep, donate, trash, and sell.
Set up a spot for donation items near your vehicle. If your teen drives, ask them to take care of that drop-off when you’ve got the car loaded. Have them study up on how to hold a moving sale and ask them to set up yours.
Once you’ve chosen everything that needs to go into the sale, encourage your teen to set the date, market the event, and manage the money table for a portion (or all) of the proceeds. This will keep your teen busy and give you time to tend to the other tasks of moving.
5- Put Them in Charge of Technology
When it’s time to get on the road, put your teen in charge of the technology backpack. Depending on how far you need to go, you and your family may be stuck in the car for a while. Your teen will need to make sure that everyone has their favorite electronic tool to keep them occupied, a charging cord, and disinfecting wipes to clean things up in case of a snack mess.
By putting your teen in charge of the family technology, you will have someone who knows where all the charging cords are. Younger children can also help by watching out for tools and cords used by children 5 and under.
By keeping your teens occupied and even earning money in the moving process, you can lower their stress. Do your best to share your excitement about the new opportunities you will enjoy together.
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