Kids can be hard to predict. Sometimes they barely seem to notice huge changes, other times they can act up because the ice cream shop has discontinued their favourite flavour. While they can be resilient, it’s best to assume that for big life events like a house move, they will have a lot of questions and need a fair amount of reassurance.
In this article we’ll offer some practical tips for talking to kids about moving house, so that they can feel safe and happy with the change and enjoy life in their new family home.
Pick The Right Moment
Children’s perception of time can be very different from ours as adults, particularly if they are very young. Go in too soon and you risk the move hanging over everyone for months, but leave it too late and they might feel like it has been sprung on them from nowhere.
One aspect of selling that families often struggle with is the unpredictability of the process. It can be hard to give children clear answers about how long it will be before you’re in your new home, and last-minute setbacks can sometimes make things take even longer. One way around this is to use a service that offers cash for houses. This way you can keep control over the timescales, by choosing your own completion date and receiving funds in just a week, and thus be able to answer your kids’ questions about when you’ll be moving clearly and confidently.
Explain The ‘Why’ Simply
All parents will know that kids just love to ask ‘why’, and they are likely to have a lot of ‘why’ questions about a house move, especially if it goes hand-in-hand with other big changes such as a new school term, new friends, or even new family members such as baby siblings.
Answer their questions as honestly as you can but don’t overload them with information – keep it simple and straightforward. If there is a gap in ages or maturity, it might make sense to have separate conversations with each child so that you can tailor your answers accordingly. Acknowledge their feelings, but remind them that the decision has been made in the best interests of the whole family.
Let them be involved
One of the most effective ways to get kids on board with a house move is to get them involved from the very beginning. Depending on the ages of your children, there are loads of different ways that you can do this:
- Spend some time together as a family thinking about the things that are important to you in a new home.
- Do house viewings as a family, or at least take children to visit shortlisted properties. (Doing all the viewing might be overwhelming and confusing depending on their age.)
- Let them design their bedrooms, choosing paint colours and how they’d like the room laid out.
While there is no getting away from the fact that moving house can be difficult for kids, with plenty of support, reassurance and encouragement, they should soon settle in and will be enjoying their new home in no time.