How Can Moving Home Affect A Child?

Apr 08, 2021 Moving into a new home for a family is a fun, exciting, and positive development, but it cannot be the same for children, especially those over the age of five. That’s when most of their social interactions and developments happen, and it is harder for them to leave behind school, friends, playgrounds etc. Depending on how much the shift impacts their life, children can have different reactions, but most experience sadness, anger and helplessness. As a parent, the onus is on you to help your children get through the process without stress or hassle. You can hire professional removalists in Gold Coast to manage packing and moving tasks to have more time to tend to your children. In addition, here is a complete guide you can follow to understand how moving home affects a child and learn to make the event comfortable.

Impacts of a House Move on Children

Children who have moved multiple times are more likely to have mental health problems than those who moved once or twice. Relocation is a significant and life-changing event for most kids because it profoundly affects their social and personal life. Listed below are impacts a house move can have on your child. • Crippling stress and anxiety: The first signs a child exhibits during a house move include crippling stress and anxiety. Due to these feelings, your child can either withdraw or throw tantrums. • Change in appetite: Your child can experience a change in appetite during a move. Some kids don’t feel like eating anything, while others can try to smother their unease by binge eating. • Lack of interest or focus: Usually, when children become sad or depressed, they can lose interest in things that give them joy or lack focus while studying, playing, eating, etc. If you witness these signs, make sure to comfort and talk to them. • Altered sleep patterns: Children experiencing stress, helpless and anxiety before and after a move can sleep too much, sleep very little, or have trouble falling asleep and waking. Altered sleep patterns can make your child moody, irritable, lethargic, disinterested etc., decreasing their quality of life and affecting their mental growth.

Expert Tips for Moving with Children

Relocating is never easy, and the process becomes extremely challenging when you have school-going kids. Moving from a place where your child has developed social and personal connections is difficult, but you can manage it smoothly by following these expert tips. • Be transparent: After you and your family’s other decision-making adults have decided to move to a new home, be transparent and inform the children too. Transparency is the key to keeping your child involved and reduces their moving-related anxiety, fears, and stress. • Ask for their involvement: Help your child feel in control of the situation by asking them to help with decluttering, managing the packing, cleaning, looking for removalists in Gold Coast and other moving-related tasks. When children are involved in decision making and task completion, they feel empowered and valued. • Maintain routine: Understandably, your hands are full while planning and managing a move. But, the added responsibilities should not affect your child’s daily routine. Thus, ensure meals are served on time, school isn’t skipped, playtime is never compromised, and daily homework is complete. • Talk and give support: Your child should know he/she can talk to you about their fears, future, and problems anytime. Be open to honest communication and provide support to your kid whenever they need it. Moving can be harder for children as they not as resilient as adults. • Make time: Hire professional removalists in Gold Coast to manage packing, handling and transportation of property contents. Additionally, take other measures to have enough time to take care of your child’s needs and be there for them during this challenging transition. • Keep your child safe and healthy: Besides taking care of their mental health, keep your child safe and healthy by cooking nutritious meals, ensuring they are hydrated, and keeping them out of the way of your hired removalists in Gold Coast while they shift and move your belongings. If possible, send your child to a trusted relative’s or friend’s place for a few days while you move out of the old house and move into the new home. • Maintain positive vibes: Get your child excited and enthusiastic about moving by maintaining positivity. Visit the new home, discuss how to decorate his/her new room, explore play areas, and look for fun places to go to after moving. Show your kid how much fun the family can have after relocating.

Conclusion

Children find it hard to leave behind places of comfort and familiarity, making moving to a new home daunting and challenging for them. Compared to adults, children are less resilient and become stressed during and after a move. Therefore, make sure you hire professional removalists in Gold Coast to manage your moving tasks, giving you more time to spend with your children and support them. Plus, understand how moving can impact your child and follow the tips mentioned above to get through the process smoothly and comfortably.