There’s no question about it. Moving with kids is really stressful, exasperating and exhausting. This is true whether you are going cross-country or just breezing by the city streets.
But not all is lost when it comes to moving with children. There’s sunshine around the bend because small kids are resilient and adaptable. You only need to know how they tick during travel periods, and provide them what they need and you are home free.
Here are some tricks that you need to consider when moving with kids.
1. Get them involved.
The reason why they are restless during travel periods is that they have nothing to do. So, the key here is to involve them in whatever they can do efficiently. This starts with the preparation, up to the time that they are forced to sit while travelling.
2. Give them enough toys.
Allow your kids to have their favorite toys (but not too many) to play with while on the road. These toys will keep them occupied and prevent them from pestering you with questions like “are we there yet?”
3. Keep their excitement up.
The average child usually loses interest easily with whatever it is that is on his table. So, to sustain the interests of your kids while travelling or moving, you have to tell them that moving is an exciting adventure that only comes once in a while.
If you can feed them with exciting information about the sites that they will be encountering along the road, it will keep them in an anticipatory attitude. And that will get rid of a lot of stress inside the car or truck.
4. Tell them what to expect.
You really can’t expect small kids to have a deep understanding of what ‘moving’ means. So, you need to explain to them exactly what will take place. To prepare them for the move, read to them some age-appropriate materials extolling the virtues of moving from one place to another.
5. Listen to their concerns.
Take time to really listen to what your kids are saying about your move. Even toddlers have a way of showing their apprehension about the move that the family will take. Your older kids may have a lot of concerns. So, respect their feelings and don’t just ignore them. Try to assuage their concerns the best you can but don’t just promise them anything that you have no intention to fulfill just to get them off your back.
6. Take extra clothes and keep them handy.
Don’t pack all your kids’ clothes on the boxes. Keep some of them handy for you don’t know when your kids will make a mess. That’s how small kids are, so if you don’t want to add to your stress while travelling, get some extra clothes inside the car or truck.
In addition, take some Ziploc bags with you. Since you can’t wash their dirty clothes while on the road, these bags can prevent the soiled clothes from messing up the car’s cabin.
7. Prepare small treats and goodies.
It is not good to pacify a child by always giving him candies and chocolates. This will not help him develop self-discipline. But since you are travelling, it is perfectly understandable if you will give you kids some treats when they are getting bored. Eating these treats will at least stop their mouths from constantly chattering.
In this connection, you can also take a cooler with you. It will make a lot of difference in cooling the emotions of your kids, when you give them their favorite ice-cold drinks.
8. Don’t make a rush.
With small kids in tow, you will only stress yourself out if you don’t prepare in advance. So, don’t rush yourself. Allow yourself a lot of time for planning, preparing and executing your plan. If you have lots of things to move, a month’s preparation will not be enough.
9. Choose the right mover.
It will make a big difference if you will choose a mover that is well experienced in transferring your kind of things. So your selection of a moving truck rental is very important. Movers such as Hertz and Penske have been moving people and things ever since you know when, so you can be sure that they know and will provide you what you need.
If you can find a mover that offers a kid-friendly moving service, so much the better.
10. Give yourself some time to relax.
Before your actual move, give yourself enough time to relax. You have been preparing for months for this big day. To ensure that you won’t explode on that day, allow yourself some time for relaxation with your family one day before your actual move. If your preparation is adequate, you will be able to find some time for this. When the big day comes, you will be raring to go because your batteries are recharged.
