When mommy moves up in the workplace, she is moving up in the world. With this promotion comes a higher salary, better benefits, and a better life for the family. Dreams will now turn into realities, and mommy will be able to afford her children a wonderful life full of possibilities.
For some, this sounds like a work of fiction. But the reality is that with all hard work, comes many rewards. Some women find that moving up the corporate ladder simply requires little more than an investment in time and an investment in further education. For women who want to create a better life for their children, a few years of hard work and perseverance seems like a very reasonable trade for accomplishing this.
With a new promotion, many families also find that there is a need to relocate. While relocation may seem stressful, the impacts of a move can be life fulfilling. The prospects of a better career, safer environment, bigger home, and more opportunities to engage with nature and the community, are more than enough reasons to send any family trekking across the country.
Although there are many aspects to moving your family that you should consider, don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by the task at hand. Implement these tips to make relocating the family a seamless experience.
Give Simple and Clear Explanations
While babies will not understand what is happening, toddlers and older children will know that big changes are coming. Children need an explanation about what is coming, and the explanation that mommy will provide will depend on the ages and developmental stages of the children. The following suggestions will help:
- For preschool-age children, tell them in matter-of-fact language that the family is moving. Provide simple explanations about what will stay the same and what will change. Tell them their beds, toys, and pets will be coming, and get them excited about extra amenities such as a pool and a basketball hoop. It is also good to provide visuals to give children of this age an idea of what to expect.
- With school-age children, provide a clear explanation about the move and listen to their feelings. School-age children are going to be upset about leaving their friends and familiar hangouts. If the children in this age group act out, resist the urge to get angry. Instead, validate their feelings and help them transition.
Additionally, encourage the children to use technology to keep in touch with their old friends. Also, highlight any positives about moving to the new location, such as talking about cool activities to do in the area. When children are prepared and understand what is coming, they will embrace the move. They will not experience as much anxiety or negative feelings.
If your children are having an exceptionally difficult time coping with the upcoming change, it may be good to start looking at extracurricular activities to enroll them in. Especially if they’ve never participated in extracurricular activities before, now is a great time to start. This gives them something positive to look forward to and allows them the opportunity to start making new friends the moment your family arrives in your new town. It may just be the mental break they need from such a big event in their lives.
Ship the Car and Take a Flight
Moving is already stressful enough for kiddos. Driving across the country is a huge undertaking in an already stressful situation. Nobody will get adequate sleep, and there will be loads of crankiness. When moving children, it is better to book a flight and have the car shipped to the new location. This way, everyone quickly gets to the house, can relax, and get settled in. Best of all, everyone will be well-rested to begin the unpacking process.
Shipping a car across the country is easy. For instance, if a family needs services for car shipping to Michigan, all that is needed is a quick phone call, and the services are scheduled. The car will arrive safely at the new destination. Use similar services to have all your household belongings delivered to your new address. Everything from couches and furniture to motorcycles and lawnmowers can be delivered in this way.
Moving across the country utilizing these services will free your time up so you can focus on important aspects such as finding schools, familiarizing yourself with local dine-in and entertainment opportunities, and learning about the new roles you’ll take on in your new position at work. By focusing on these aspects and letting professionals take care of the heavy-lifting, you’ll find that your entire family will feel better about moving.
Give Children the Attention They Need
Moving is stressful, and no doubt, the children are going to feel the stress in the environment. When children become stressed, they either act out or become clingy. During the moving process, give children a lot of extra attention. Give babies and toddlers extra cuddles and tickle sessions, and spend quality time with older children and teens doing activities they enjoy. When children receive extra attention, this will help to significantly reduce stress in your family.
You can take this opportunity to bond with your children. As older children begin to realize that the friends and relationships they’ve built over the years are going to change, use this as a learning experience. By realizing that nothing in life is guaranteed and that there are many things that change over time and are out of our control, you can teach them that family is the most important thing in life. Family sticks together. You may find that they begin opening up to you more than they ever have before.
Take a deep dive into their interests and the people they want to become. You can use this to really find out what they are passionate about, and help them achieve their goals by researching activities in your new community that they would like to participate in. You may find that there are activities you’d like to try as well. If your family has never lived close to the ocean before, maybe there are opportunities to learn how to surf together. Find something that you both will look forward to.
Do Whatever Possible to Stick to Normal Routines
While packing for the move, traveling, and getting settled into the new house, it is important to keep to normal routines as much as possible. Children thrive on routine, and sticking to routines will give them a sense of normalcy and familiarity. Keep bedtimes and morning routines the same as well as any other routines that the family follows.
Although children will inevitably be dismissed from having to go to school as the big move approaches, you can give them structure by giving them homework to do during the off-time. By talking with their teachers, you can see if they can give you a few weeks worth of work to keep your children learning and progressing. You can also enroll them in online schooling or print out homework packets to have them complete during this time.
By utilizing moving services, you can use the free time you create to sit down with your kids and ensure that their education is still progressing during this time. Any extra free time can be used to go out and enjoy the local parks and places that they are familiar with, creating some lasting last memories of the places they’ve grown to love.
If you are making the move during the normal school year, make sure you give their schooling top priority. You can help ensure that a proper routine is being followed by ensuring that they return to school just days after arriving at your new home. This will give them a sense of familiarity and help them begin the process of building new social bonds.
Even if you don’t begin working at your new job right away, ensuring that your children are in school gives you the opportunity to begin your own process of readjusting to your new environment and settling into your new life.
Unpack Your Children’s Rooms First
Upon getting to the new house, unpack your children’s rooms first. This will get the children settled in quickly, and the children will have a chance to see something familiar to them, such as their furniture, toys, books, stuffed animals, posters, etc. When your children can get settled in and see what is familiar to them, this will provide them with a sense of peace and tranquility.
By unpacking their space first, you can create their new study area so their studies don’t fall behind. You’ll also give them a space to keep them occupied as you begin to assemble the rest of your home. If your children are taking online classes, make sure you schedule internet installation ahead of time. By ensuring that their space and needs are met, you’ll create more time for yourself and the needs of the household.
With these tips, moving can be a fun and easy experience. Everyone can look forward to embarking on their new journey and enjoying new beginnings. Mommy can provide a better standard of living for the kiddos with her new promotion, and everyone can take advantage of new opportunities to really do some great things.