Help Your Little One Acclimate to the New Community After Your Move

While moving to a new home may be exciting to you, your little one may not be thrilled about the prospect. Studies seem to indicate that moving can be tough on the mental health of children. For this reason, it's important to take steps that will help make acclimation to your new community less stressful and more enjoyable for your kid. Here are a few things you can do to get the job done:

Visit the Neighborhood Beforehand

Visiting your new neighborhood before the actual move is an excellent way to help get your child comfortable with unfamiliar surroundings so they can quickly acclimate once you settle in after the move. While visiting, take the time to have lunch together at your child's new school so they can get to know the other children before their first official day and so you have the opportunity to meet some of the teachers and staff.

If possible, schedule a walk-through of your new home so your child can get accustomed to its layout and get comfortable in their new bedroom. Have a picnic in the backyard and talk about all of the new and exciting experiences that are in store for the family. The idea is to make sure that the house, neighborhood, and school aren't completely foreign to your child upon making your move so they're comfortable when engaging in these new environments.

Spend Lots of Time Outside at First

Once you move into your new place, spend as much time outdoors as you can for the first few days. Take a lot of walks around the block, have a few picnics in the park, deliver homemade cookies to the new neighbors, and ride bikes to the local store once or twice to really immerse yourselves into your new environment. The more time you spend outside, the easier it will be to get to know the other people you'll be living near. This should help to make the entire family more comfortable and may score your little one some new friends that they can play with.

Get Involved with Local Play Groups

Before your move, look up local play groups that meet on a regular basis in your new community so you can start taking your child to the groups within the first couple of days after your move. This will immerse your child in exciting experiences and help them build some camaraderie with other kids their age. Play groups are something your child can use as a support system as they get used to their surroundings and accept the big changes that have been made in their life. If there aren't any play groups in your new area, consider starting your own and advertising with flyers as soon as you make your move.

Create a Routine as Soon as Possible

One of the most important things you can do for your little one to help them easily adjust to a new life after your move is to create a routine for them as soon as possible. If you don't enroll your child in any extra-curricular activities, create your own by planning a field-trip day (head to the zoo or a college play!) and committing to a family game or movie night once a week. Consider scheduling art time and reading time each day at home so your child gets used to a schedule and becomes comfortable with their unfamiliar situation.  

Hire a Moving Company

It's a good idea to hire a moving company such as A Best Movers Inc to do all the heavy legwork for you so you can focus on taking care of your child's needs leading up to, during, and after the move. With the help of a moving company, you'll have the time you need to visit the new neighborhood, school, and other areas of interest before your move. And while your stuff is being unpacked at your new home, you can focus on finding play groups to join and exploring the area. Have your movers do everything from pack your belongings up into boxes, transport your stuff to the new place, and unpack all the big stuff for you. This will free up your time, reduce stress levels, and give you less aspects to worry about as you plan and execute your move. Make sure that the company you hire is willing to provide all of the packing boxes, tape, and labels so you don't have to do any shopping to prepare for your move.

These tips and tricks should help ease the stress that your child feels throughout the process of your move and make it easier for them to immerse themselves into their new life. 


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