Help Your Child Transition to a New Home

Bella Casa Realty Group works in Jacksonville, North Carolina, home to Camp Lejeune, Camp Johnson, MCAS New River, and a short distance to Cherry Point Air Station. We work with many military families and we see lots of kids moving to and from the area. We love helping them and realize their specific needs are a little different. We’re all moms (we have a dad on the team too!) and we get it! It’s hard telling a child that you’re leaving friends, family, and familiar places they love. Today, we’ve done some brainstorming from our past experiences (we’re not psychologists by any means!) and we’ve come up with some ideas of ways to make moves fun for kids—or at least hopefully a little more tolerable!

1) Let them be part of the process—to an extent! Home shopping with kids is not always fun or helpful with the transition. It may make them feel as though they have no say or control in the matter. So unless your children will actually be helping you make decisions in the buying process, it may be better to leave them out of that part. That being said, once you decide on a home, give them the grand tour! Help them visualize in their room where their stuff will go and maybe even have some fun drawing it on a poster board! Walk them through where other things they like and use will be in the house too. If you have a yard, show them where they can put their toys or the swing set. This may help them get excited about the process!
2) Let them take pictures to show their friends and to send to your extended family. Getting them involved in this part of the process helps your child/ren see other people’s positive reactions about the new house. They see that it’s exciting, not scary!
3) Buy them special or personalized stationary (or make your own) for them to write letters to friends! Here, they can write their true feelings about the move and missing their old town. Some kids don’t like to talk about these things with their parents, and even if they never send them, they’re at least getting things out! Help them decorate a box they can put special pictures and items in to remember friends and keep it in a place that’s easily accessible to them.
4) Familiarize yourself with the area and set aside a day for you and your kid/s to go exploring! Find an ice cream shop nearby, or visit a nice park. Do a little shopping at one of their favorite stores that’s close. Your real estate agent can help you find fun activities so you can start making new memories in your new town!
5) Consider having a “camp out” the first night you spend in your new home. Set up a tent and sleeping bags in the living room and break out the marshmallows! The first night, everyone will feel a little unsure about things, and this will help curb any possible fears that creep in with new house noises and unfamiliar shadows. Again, this is a great time to establish memories.
6) Do research about the new schools your kids will be attending. Ask around your neighborhood to see if there are any kids that go to the same school. Go to a sporting event or production the school is putting on if possible. If your child wants, you could even go in for a day to meet their new teachers and take notes about their classes, before they’re subject to meeting so many new peers.
7) During the move, make sure they know where all their stuff is. Let them pack a backpack with their favorite toys so they feel more secure about seeing most of their things in boxes. Once you get there, make getting their room’s set up a first priority. After all, you’ll all be sleeping in a tent tonight!

Every child is different! Some kids love change, but many do not. If you have a child that is resistant to change, some of these ideas may help them cope. Happy Moving!