Mistakes To Avoid When You Tell Your Child About the Move

Moving can be a tough thing for children to even comprehend, but it is important to tell your child they are moving as soon as possible. Our experts share three mistakes to avoid when moving with children, in order to give them room to process their feelings.

Mistake #1 to Avoid: Not Telling Them Right Away

Perhaps one of the worst mistakes a person can make when moving with children is waiting until the last minute. You want to be upfront and honest; talk to them when you're even thinking about moving. This gives your child more time to comprehend the situation they are in, letting them process their feelings. Our Franklin Park movers even recommend bringing your child with you on the house hunt or showing them photos of the new neighborhood you're considering. Pull up Google street views, pictures of the house and let them know which room will be theirs. This is extremely important if you have teenagers. Their emotions are more complex and may be resistant to this change. For this exact reason you want to tell your child about the move as early as possible.

Mistake #2 to Avoid: Excluding Your Child from the Decision Process

Teenagers want to feel as if they have control of their life and this process. You want to avoid excluding your child from the moving process. Let them help from the very beginning. This means allowing them to offer their opinions of each house you take a look at. You can tell your child about the move and that they are going to be an important person in the decision-making process. You can let your child pick out the colors for their bedrooms and walls. They can pick out new pieces for their bedrooms whether it's decorative like picture frames, or more practical, like a bookcase. It might be time they upgrade from a twin bed to a full-size bed.

Packing is a little bit more complicated so younger children should generally stay away from this process. Leave the packing to older teenagers or let the Franklin Park packing service take the task off your hands altogether. You do not want to forget an important item, misplace documents, or lose some articles of clothing.

Mistake #3 to Avoid: Telling Your Child to Be Happy

Children and teenagers are allowed to feel the emotions they are feeling. Some might feel confused, angry and even sad. This is all normal and part of the moving experience. Don't tell them to automatically be happy. Create a safe space where they can ask questions and be honest and open with you. This will not only benefit you but also your children. Though you can motivate them by pointing out all the positive aspects of the move, it's vital that you validate their feelings.

Contact Us

In the end, it may seem hard to tell your child about the move, but if you remember these mistakes to avoid when moving with children, the process can be quite simple. To learn more about moving or have questions about our family-friendly moving service, contact our local Frank Park movers at (708) 345-4200 for more information.