Welcome Home Magazine - Las Vegas Issue

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MAGAZINE OF LAS VEGAS	SPRING 2008

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Just Moved? Handle Children With Care

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Welcome Home Magazine
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Copyright 2008 Welcome Home Magazine

Just Moved? Handle Children With Care
Sooner or later, many families face the prospect—and aftermath—of relocating. Stressful and disruptive as it is for adults, moving is even more traumatic for children. But parents who are able to address their children’s needs and worries can transfer the experience into a growing and positive transition.
Continue to present the move in a positive light. Remind your child about the circumstances of the move (job transfer, new job, being closer to family), and why relocating was good for the family. Convey your genuine enthusiasm about the new home, new school and new neighborhood, but don’t overdo it with over-the-top cheerleading.
Listen. And then listen some more. Communication is critical between parents and children adjusting to a new home. Encourage questions and candid discussion. Be sensitive to fears, sadness or confused emotions. Let your child know you are available on an on-going basis.
Be generous with new information. No matter how old your child is, unfamiliarity is unsettling. Share what you’re learning about your new neighborhood, and explain similarities and differences with a kid’s perspective in mind. A little information goes a long way in helping children feel more secure.
Involve your child in the adjustment process. Allowing age-appropriate input on decisions will help your child feel like a participant in getting settled. Let your child help unpack his own belongings, allow him to decide which things get thrown out or donated to charity and ask him for suggestions on decorating his own bedroom.
Avoid “I’m new” Melt Down. Judge your child’s emotional threshold for observing your post-move hurdles and challenges and make plans accordingly. Perhaps it’s best to recruit or import a familiar friend or relative to help during the initial stages of setting-up-house at your new home. Encourage a few field trips to the parks/playgrounds and some kid-friendly restaurants while you unpack and wait for deliveries and utility service.
Research the new neighborhood – first hand! Supply your new household with local maps, newspapers, and information from the Chamber of Commerce, and calendars of upcoming events. If your child wasn’t able to preview ahead of the move, diving into current, local information will empower them quickly.
Stay in touch with friends and neighbors. Help your child to understand that moving away doesn’t mean losing special friends and family forever. Send postcards with your new contact information to friends and family, and include a request for visits, phone calls and email.
Be prepared for some acting out and moodiness. These are natural signs of stress and adjustment. Your kids may be experiencing several conflicting emotions. It’s entirely possible to feel excited, sad and scared at the same time. Going from familiar to unfamiliar is difficult, especially for children who weren’t responsible for the initial decision to move in the first place.
Transfer routines. As you get settled in your new home, remember to bring traditions with you. Keep places as the dinner table the same. Arrange food and drinks in the fridge like always. Resume Friday movie-and-popcorn-night as soon as possible.
Plug in to the new neighborhood. Seek out new friends on the block. Sign up for activities your child already enjoys (sports, art class, dance or martial arts). Visit the new school. Get a library card and hit the mall. A proactive approach will go far to generate a sense of familiarity quickly and is sure to help break the ice.
Renee Raah Whitcombe is the author of "Look Who’s Moving to a New Home"—a unique keepsake album for kids. Visit www.buddingfamily.com for more information.