I’m moving home with children, how can Santa Fe help?
We know moving better than most, thanks to our experience gained over more than 120 years in the industry. Our friendly team fully understands just how daunting it can be for children moving to a new home. There are the challenges of leaving friends behind, adapting to a new local community and dealing with moving to a different school. We want to make the whole process as simple as possible, which we do through our range of exceptional moving services. Take our school search service for example; with it we will provide a list of schools based on yours and your children’s educational requirements. We don’t just find the best schools, we find the right schools.
Maybe you want to get an understanding of your new home’s local area before your move? Consider our area orientation service, which is designed by our moving experts to paint a picture of the best cultural hotspots, nearby amenities and schools. One of our professional tour guides will create a bespoke itinerary that reflects your personal preferences. Simply let our move coordinators know what you need and they’ll tailor each and every aspect.
If you’re moving abroad with children, our language and cultural training service is a great way to adapt to a new country. You and your children can learn what makes you new country’s culture unique, as well as better communicate with the locals. Find out how much a Santa Fe move might cost by filling in our free moving quote form.
Getting children ready to move home
Preparing children to move home is never an exact science, though there are a few things you can easily do to help them adapt:
• Involve them in the house hunting process. It sounds so simple, but it’s not at all uncommon for parents to put their children to the side and organise the move without their input. Why not ask them what they want in a new home? We guarantee that they’ll love the inclusion and will be more than keen to offer a few suggestions! Be sure to listen to them with a genuine interest. If they want a tree suitable for a proper tree house, you can score a real win if you find a garden with one. It won’t matter so much if you don’t actually build it, your children will appreciate knowing they had a say in the house hunt. Of course, if you and your children can find common ground (say, a pool), then it’s a win-win overall.
• Communicate with them. Kids don’t want to feel like they’re passengers on the journey, with their parents rushing around in a mad dash of house hunting, packing etc. They want to be spoken to, told about what’s going to happen and why. Keeping them in the dark can foster unease about the move, even straight up rejection if they don’t think they’re being listened to. Don’t forget that it’s not just you leaving everything behind; your children are likely saying goodbye to friends they’ve known for most of their life. You absolutely need to talk to them about this; paint a picture of all the new friends they might make and let them vent if needs be. Moving can be daunting for everyone and it’s up to the whole family to come together to work as one.
• Help them pack. Don’t just give them a box to fill, go through each and every one of their most precious toys and remind them that it’ll only be a short while until they see them again. If possible, try to unpack their belongings first as it’ll give them that little head start to settling into a new home. Another thing to consider is to pack a box of things you can open immediately; a kind of emergency box filled with items important to your children.
• Plan activities before they start at their new school. Many schools offer ‘play schemes’, usually a sport or drama activity that lets children meet some of their potential class mates. It can be a nerve-wracking experience for them, but they’ll benefit greatly from the initial introduction. As an alternative, you can always do a few ‘practice runs’ to the school, so they’re familiar with the journey before they do it for real.
After the move
After settling into your new home, there are still plenty of things you can do to help your children adapt. If you yourself have move before, then you’ll know that it takes more than just moving into the new house to really feel like you live there. This can be especially true for children, who often have only experienced one home so far. Helping them get used to their new lives is essential to making sure they’re comfortable. You should consider some of the following to make the move that little bit easier:
• Do something fun on the first night. It doesn’t have to be a fully organised activity; hide and seek is always fun and is a great way for children to explore their new home (and maybe find their favourite hiding spots!)
• Start a routine as soon as you can. Whether it’s dinner, teeth brushing or bedtime, a routine helps children organise their lives around their new home. If possible, try to create a routine that reflects the one of the old house, as it can make the transition from the familiar to the unfamiliar easier to cope with.
• Prepare for tears and possibly a tantrum or two! Be aware that after the dust of the move has settled, the reality of living in a new home might hit your child. Think about visiting some local parks or simply exploring the surrounding area with them; it will make them feel much better overall about the move.
Whatever you need for an effortless move, our experts will work to find the right solution. We are Santa Fe Relocation, your one-stop moving company. We make moving home easy for you.
