Moving Is Difficult For Children, How To Help You And Your Child Adopting To The New Environment?

Submitted by: G Kharchenko

It is only human nature to miss the things that you liked about your old home, friends, and life. And you will probably even miss the things that you disliked about your old life! For example: After you move you will not remember that your next-door neighbor’s dog was annoying. You will only remember that you miss having a familiar neighbor. It takes time to feel comfortable in a new home and community even after you have chosen what seemed to be the perfect location. When things go wrong in your life, you may even believe you made a mistake in your relocation decision. However, don’t be so hard on yourself! Keep a positive attitude, and as each day passes you will gradually overcome obstacles. You did your homework before the move, trust your instincts and be confident that you made the best decision possible.

Young children are resilient and will usually get excited about moving if their parents act like they are excited about the move. So set the right example! Start by reading children a few positive books on the subject. You can help by giving children a sense of control over their new environment. When possible, let them choose their new bedrooms, and set those rooms up promptly. Young children will adjust to their new surroundings more quickly if their bedroom is put back together as soon as possible, their toys are unpacked, and they know where to find their favorite snacks in the kitchen. They will feel a sense of security knowing that some things in their life have not changed. On the other hand, teenage children may use this opportunity to request that their rooms be completely redecorated. Hooking up the television, DVD player, Xbox, and Internet will get teenagers settled in quickly.

To get children excited about the move, take a tour of the new house, neighborhood, and school. Let them take pictures during the tour so that they can gradually get adjusted to their new surroundings. The more familiar they become with the new community, the less apprehensive and more cooperative they will be during the move. Encourage older children to track down information about the new community on the Internet and to keep in touch with their old friends via e-mail and instant messaging. Help your children to make friends. Encourage them to invite new friends over to your house so you can get to know them and meet their parents. You may find that you have something in common with their parents, which may lead to a new friendship for yourself.

Changing schools can sometimes be traumatic tor children, especially during the teenage years. If you have control over when to move, it is a good idea to weigh the social problems caused by a summer move against the uncertain academic drawbacks of relocating during the school year. The most difficult issue for teenagers is having to give up all of their friends and planned activities. To teenagers, their life stops dead at the very mention of a move, and they perceive no light at the end of the tunnel if their current social life is going to end. They become confused about how to tell their friends that they are moving because they themselves are so confused about the idea of relocation and they do not want to lose the friendships that mean the world to them.

If your children are having trouble adjusting to their new school, call the guidance counselor and ask for advice on how to make the situation better. Encourage your children to talk to you about their grievances. Listen to your children’s complaints, and try to help them through this difficult time. As each week passes, the situation should show improvement. If it doesn’t, don’t give up. Talk to other parents to see if other kids are having the same difficulties (it may only be an age-related problem, such as hormones). If all else fails, seek counseling elsewhere, or look for alternative schools that may suit your child’s needs better.

About the Author: Georgiy Kharchenko – FreePackingMoving.com, local and out of state, interstate – moving: VA Moving, DC Moving, Maryland Moving,

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