Moving with children is exciting, but also challenging. The transition can be incredibly stressful, not just on the parents, but also on the young children. Today, I’m sharing our recent moving story - specifically how we moved from a 750 square foot condo to a two-storey farmhouse - and some tips we learned for moving with young kids.
The other day, I was talking with a friend that recently sold her 1 bedroom plus den condo downtown Toronto, and bought a 4-bedroom house in the ‘burbs, backyard and double garage included.
She told me how nervous she was, moving out of the city, into a big house, and most importantly, uprooting her little ones from their current routine.
“Trust me”, I told her, “You will question the decision for a few months after you move in, but man oh man, the SPACE! Just think of all the space.”
I, of course, was speaking from recent experience - having sold our condo in late summer, and moved into a two-storey house just down the street.
We loved our condo, don’t get me wrong. It’s was ours, it was shiny and new, it was where we brought home a baby, it was our first home. But, it was also small. And everywhere we went, we could see or hear each other. Space was an issue. Peace and quiet was an issue. Privacy was an issue.
And so, we bought and sold. And while our new house may not be big by any means, it has space. Oh, the space. The separation. The (sometimes) peace and quiet. And, the (sometimes) privacy.
When we moved into the condo, Morley was just two years old. Knowing it may be a tough transition, I researched the heck out of it, interested in learning how we could minimize the stress on all three of us at the time.
And so, going through it not once, but twice in the past year and a half, and not with just one kid, but most recently, with two in tow, you could say I’ve learned a thing or two about moving with young kids.
Is your family planning an upcoming move? Are you worried about the stress it may cause your young children? Check out our tips for moving with young kids.
Tip for Moving with Young Kids
Set the tone.
As parents, our children look to us for guidance, especially in new situations. This means that when you are stressed, your child takes notice. While easier said than done, it is important to manage your own anxiety, not just when it comes to moving, but in your every day. It is important to set a calm tone in your home, especially before, during and after a big transition such as a move.
Talk to your child.
Sure, they may not 100% understand what’s going on, but talking them through it definitely helps. Repetition is always important when it comes to learning for little ones, so talk about it often. As we packed up our belongings, we constantly talked about “Morley’s new house”, in hopes that it would get our oldest excited.
Keep a routine.
Moving is a chaotic and stressful time, and also a time that routine couldn’t be more important. Schedules and routines offer children feelings of safety and security. Children learn to expect what happens next in a day to day routine, and they can feel confident in that. Knowing what comes next helps new situations feel less stressful.
For our youngest (who was just a year old at the time of our recent move), that meant keeping her bedtime routine in check - bath, book, bottle, bed.
When it comes to bottles, Philips Avent has been our go-to for both girls. The Philips Avent Anti-Colic Bottles with Airfree Vent BPA-free bottles are designed to reduce colic, gas and reflux. The shape of the nipple allows a secure latch and stays full even when the bottle is horizontal, allowing baby to drink in an upright position so that they swallow less air as they drink. The bottle itself has an ergonomic shape for maximum comfort, making them easy to hold and grip in any direction. At the time of our move, I was transitioning our youngest from breast feeding to bottle feeding (just to add another stressor in there), so the design of both the bottle and nipple helped to ease this transition.
Recognition.
Little kids recognize places that we frequent, so seeing as our new house was right around the corner from our condo, from their favourite park, from grandpa and from daycare definitely helped. Between selling and closing, we would occasionally walk past the new house to get them familiar with it. They are such creatures of habit, so showing our oldest that we would still be in the same area, and (for the most part) follow the same routine, definitely helped.
Allow them to participate.
While still young, having them feel involved is a way to help minimize stress. She may not have been able to help in the actual move, but we got her involved in other moving-related tasks. Unpacking their room first allowed them to have access to all of their regular items. We also let our oldest pick out her own paint colours. Pretty soon, there will be a pink and purple wall (sigh).
Be present and supportive.
During a move, it can be so easy to get hung up on your “to do” list - cleaning, painting, decorating, etc. It is important to remember to carve our some family time, to be present and provide support and TLC when needed.
Major life changes are challenging and stressful - not only to adults, but especially to small children. Our children look to us for guidance during tough times, and as parents, we can offer a lot of help to make the transition easier - offering comfort and support by maintaing a positive attitude, clear and constant communication and a good routine. It may be a stressful time, but getting them excited for the move by talking about your new home, walking the new neighbourhood and allowing for their involvement are sure to help ease the transition.
It is also important to remember, children are incredibly resilient. They are capable of more than we expect, so when all is said and done, I’m sure they will surprise you. Ours did.
Have you moved houses with young children? What are some of your tips for easing the transition? I’d love to hear!
*Disclaimer: This post is in partnership with Philips Avent. I received products and/or compensation in exchange for this post. All opinions and advice shares are 100% that of To & Fro.
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