Tips on Helping Kids Say Goodbye to Their Old House

Your children will need help with a healthy closure
and moving onto the next chapter of their lives

While moving is difficult for parents, it's even more emotionally disrupting for the children, who will need parental guidance to understand it and say goodbye to their old home.

One of the heart-breaking moves in life is saying goodbye to a place we are emotionally attached to. As adults, we've been already through many relocations through which we had to learn the golden lesson of saying goodbye to our home. As for our kids, this experience will be ice breaking and life-changing for them.

Since you already formed coping mechanisms that helped you go through the upheaval, you can successfully guide your children through the relocation process. Those methods can be vital when helping kids say goodbye to their old house. It is important to shape this transition by delving into creative and fun ideas. This approach can make this experience safer and pleasant for your children.

Good communication on time is key

For your children, your family house is a nest and storage of many meaningful memories. It's a place where they had their first tooth, their first bruise, first words spoken out, and first tears of attention. If we consider kids' sensitivity, it would be distressing for them to learn about this huge step only a few days before. They will need more time than we think.

As a good and loving parent, it's in your power to learn to encourage them and understand their emotions. A supportive approach to your children can significantly impact their sense of security. Bear in mind that a fundamental part of every talk is listening. Therefore, you will have to be ready and eager to hear what they have to say. In that way, you ensure a healthy and growing interaction with your kids. Whether they feel excited or hurt, stressed or clingy, every emotion is your guidance to maintain the proper development of your children.

Convey the importance of change

How many times have you realized that change is the only constant in life? Now it takes your children to adopt this elemental lesson in their life. Children fear change since it messes up with formerly set habits. Make them understand the positive aspect of saying goodbye to their old house and how well the change can affect your family.

Your approach mostly depends on whether they are toddlers or teenagers dealing with school. If your kids are in the middle of high school, you might reconsider changing the relocation time. You don't want to overwhelm your kids by forcing them to accept something they can't find the space for.

Effective communication can teach kids acceptance and make them better prepared for this big move.

If the house where you plan to move is located near your old home, don't forget to bring your kids there in advance. Show them the nearest playground or a place for fun and competing activities. Maybe their new hobby is just around the corner.

On the contrary, if you plan a long-distance move to another region, you may consider finding a reliable moving company. If your house is in the north of New Hampshire, but you found a dream home near the coast of Massachusetts, don't lose hope on this one, since Preferred Movers and other trusted companies can make your dreams come true.

DIY solutions for helping kids say goodbye to their old house

Let's take some time and think of some creative ways to make this occasion less painful and stressful for your children. Children learn best through play or any creative expression. That is where their highest potential plays the main role. Mostly through the art of playing can they learn the art of inevitable changes.

One of the great ideas is to create a scrapbook in which you will collect all the unforgettable moments of your family. Those can be funny anecdotes or pictures of past birthday parties celebrated in the house. Let your child chose them, craft them and glue them to paper. You can also use this occasion for coming up with new resolutions in your new home by remembering activities that brought joy and happiness to your kids.

Planting a tree can be one of the rituals for helping kids say goodbye to their old house.

A great source of inner serenity for kids can be leaving something behind. That step can be of enormous importance when teaching kids to form a healthy closure. They can plant a tree in the garden or make a wooden planter box to surprise and welcome the new owners. Learning this habit is meaningful to them now, but it will also make them less fearful for future life endeavors.

Make the moving day an exciting journey for your kids

Moving out requires a lot of mental stability, especially if there are kids around that need attention. They can't understand everything you need to do on that special day. Make sure to come up with many amusing distractions for your children. After you helped your kids collect all the valuable keepsakes of their old life, it's not enough just to let them do nothing all day. A lot of confusing emotions can rise up as they simply are unable to manage them without your help. The best thing you can do is collect enjoyable items that can keep them busy such as crayons, markers, drawing equipment, or even table tennis for kids. If they are comfortable enough, feel free to let them assist you. Just don't forget to make that day fun and memorable as it will be imprinted forever in their childhood memory.

Keeping kids distracted during a difficult transition in life is good for them, while you help them ease gradually into new surrounds..

We all know that helping kids say goodbye to their old house also means helping them leave behind their favorite places, parks, and friends. At any age, the social aspect of life is critical for children's development. The cherry on the top for this occasion would be a farewell party. It's high time for a heartwarming celebration!

It's vital for your kids to feel loved and supported by the friends and family circle. All of these tips are the most useful to ensure that your child completes a healthy closure of the first moving chapter of their lives.

Photos used: by Unsplash and Pexels

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