The only constant in life is change, and packing up all your belongings and moving to a new home will probably happen a couple times in your life. However, if you have a family and in particular a baby or toddler, then moving will be quite the challenge. After all, toddlers have very different needs, and you need to properly take care of your child throughout the process. Also, moving on its own is quite tricky, so you will definitely need all the help you can get. So, make sure to ask your friends and family for as much help as possible since it will go a long way in ensuring both you and your toddler relocate in a timely manner with one of the top national moving companies.
Before Moving - Handling The Disruption In Routine
As a parent, you know that routine is absolutely crucial for the health and happiness of your child. However, moving will cause a major disruption in that routine, and you will struggle significantly with trying to maintain your child's schedule with as little disruption possible. If you cannot properly manage your child's routine on your own, then you should get their grandparents, siblings or even a babysitter to help, especially when you're preoccupied with the various tasks associated with moving. This can include doing the packing, cleaning up, having your utilities disconnected, paying bills, organizing transport for your pets, planning a yard sale, saying goodbye to your neighbors and more.
Dealing With Stress
Now, the way that your child handles stress depends entirely on their age. Babies will not particularly care or be affected by a whirlwind of activity around them that would happen with a move. This is because they are far too young to care or be affected by this. All babies care about is receiving attention, love, food, and care by their parents and will handle the move quite well once these needs are met. However, the mood of their parents will affect them, and if you are particularly stressed or worried, this can cause them to become more irritable and fussy. So, you should strive to manage your stress levels by planning the move of time.
Toddlers, on the other hand, will respond differently than babies since they will see changes are happening around the house but will fail to understand why these changes are happening. They are more likely to become quite stressed in the same way that their parents are stressed. However, they will respond to this stress differently. As a parent, the way that your child's stress manifests will be different, and you need to pay close attention to them for any changes in behavior and be ready to deal with it. A common problem that happens is that your toddler may become quite scared that they will be left behind. So, you need to reassure your child that this won't happen, in the best way that you can.
Pre-Move Tips
Many people think that they can pack up everything in one go. However, this is simply not possible, especially if you need to take care of your toddler. Instead, it is best to divide up the packing into smaller tasks and attack the job, one box at a time. This is a great way to tackle a huge job and get it done in smaller blocks of time. When you choose one of the best-rated national moving companies listed by 9Kilo Moving, you are much more confident and need not worry about packing or unpacking.
Next, you need to pack an essentials box for your toddler. This box should be kept with you and will include child care basics such as diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, baby food, drinks, toys, extra clothes, towels, etc. This will ensure that you can properly take care of your child especially within the next 24 hours of the move and during the entire trip.
Before you move, you need to take your child to the pediatrician to get a full checkup. This is important so that the doctor can thoroughly check your toddler's health and make sure that they are fine to travel. You should also request your toddler's medical records or get them transferred to your new pediatrician in your new home city.
On The Moving Day
Once its time to hit the road, there are a couple of things you will need to keep in mind. You will have to plan the road trip thoroughly and be sure to know all the clinics and hospitals on the way, in case there is an emergency. You should also know about all the parks and playgrounds that are on the way so that you can give your child frequent breaks and a change of scenery, especially if you are moving a far distance.
Traveling with your child is definitely an adventure in itself. Your toddler will most likely spend the majority of the time sleeping or relaxing, and you should encourage this by playing soft Classical music. This type of music will also put your child at ease and ensure that the drive goes well.
It is critical that you put the essentials box in your car that you previously packed since it will have everything you need to take care of your child. You should also use a safety-approved car seat for your child and ensure they are properly strapped in before you start driving.
On Arrival - Baby Proofing Your New Home
Once you have arrived, you will get to work unpacking your belongings and arranging the furniture in your new house. You should have a babysitter or family member stay with your toddler while you see the details of unpacking. Once you have unpacked, you should make sure and thoroughly baby proof your new home to make it as safe as possible for your child. This should definitely be your top priority and get it done as soon as possible.
Conclusion
In closing, we have just looked at what you should do when moving with a toddler. It is certainly quite a stressful event, however, if you plan properly and choose the right moving company, you should be able to get through it as quickly and painlessly as possible.
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