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Challenge: Walking the Talk

Tips to Support Families Prepare for an International Relocation.

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Relocating to a new country with kids is an effort that is sure to come with a lot of difficulties for the whole family. Not just is there much to do for the parents in terms of planning for a job reassignment, finding a new house to live in, taking the right moving company, and running all the steps associated with household assets move, but the biggest attention above all else is making sure that their children are prepared and feeling optimistic about the new part in their life in an entirely new place.

Moving can be difficult for anyone at any age, but it can be even more stressful for children who aren’t part of the decision-making rule. Whether your children are toddlers or teenagers, there are constantly additional challenges to moving when kids are affected.

So, while extracting a teenager or switching your child’s school is often tricky, moving a toddler has its own set of difficulties. It’s essential to let your kids know that they’re not leaving their beds and toys behind and that you will all be there collectively as a family when you move into your new house. The more they know this, the easier it will be for them to take this change in their life.

Helping a toddler proceeding with change is all about proving their fears and feelings, listening to them, and setting out expectations for them in ways that they can learn. Make your information about this change positive and transparent, and reinforce it many times as you lead up to the move.

Read on for some ideas to ease this big transition and make relocating with children a little easier.

See the move from your child’s viewpoint.

Change your point-of-view to know how your kid sees the move. Will they be leaving the country they’ve called home their entire lives? Are they ought to leave family and friends they’re used to seeing usually? If so, that can be a scary moment.

Toddlers benefit with structure and routine, so not only will they be handling the loss of their home, but they may also be disoriented from the many differences around them. It will be common for them to exhibit uncharacteristic or frustrating responses at this time.

Once kids know there’s nothing they can do or say to change that they’re leaving, they may feel helpless. Many toddlers act out actually when dealing with a big difference and it’s crucial they feel heard and taken even during an outburst. Only by understanding the reason behind bad behaviour will you be able to direct it and help them, so be patient with your kid as they deal with their emotions. They may need a little more consideration and understanding, which will put even more demands on your time, so be ready for this.

Talk to your children about moving.

Preparing a move can be hard for toddlers, so start communicating to them about the move as far in progress as you can to help prepare them.

Your toddler may not be able to grasp the concept of relocating into a new home fully, but it’s essential to let them know it is happening ahead of time. Preparing your kid before the move will greatly influence how easily they will adapt once they’re in the new home.

Here are steps to make the communication with your little one go smoothly:

  • Let them understand that everything will stay the same in the new house. If their routine and family structure do not change, tell them that.
  • Indicate that you will be getting all of their stuff with you. Their toys, blankets, and furniture won’t be left back.
  • Try using a story to move the situation to them in terms they can get.
  • Get down to their level. Pick up your kid or sit with them so that you can make eye connection.
  • Let them understand what to anticipate on the day of the move without confusing them with too much detail.
  • Slow down and watch for your child’s nonverbal cues so that they understand you are really listening to them.
  • Talk usually and in full sentences to them without using child talk. Slow your speech down and give them opportunity to comprehend what you’re telling them fully.
  • Offer your real toddler choices to make them know like they are not helpless. Do they want to carry a particular toy with them? Do they want to pick out their own equipment for moving day?

Take your kid to your new community ere the move.

Once your toddler knows that nothing bad is going to occur, you can start getting them enthusiastic about the move. If feasible, take them to your new neighborhood and show them around. Is there a park near by? Take them there! Begin making positive connections with moving to the new area and your toddler will see it as an event, not a loss.

If feasible, organize a playdate in the new area or hit the local playground to get to understand the kids there. Get them passionate about the relationships they’re going to make and further in the future. Relate your move to the fun personalities in the new neighbourhood to make it appealing.

Have you wanted a new daycare or playschool in your new neighbourhood? If so, take your kid there for a visit to meet the caregivers and educators so they know what to anticipate on their first day.

If you’re relocating long distance and can’t bring your kid to the area before you move, try showing them about your new town, city, or province. Show them photos and tell them about all of the fun stuff that will be waiting for them once they move. Make the tale about the new place, not the one you’re going. Compile a list of the parks, ice cream shops, libraries, schools, and friends’ homes that will be waiting for them once you relocate.

Stick to your routine.

If you have a bedtime routine in a home or a napping schedule, try to keep that as compatible as possible before, during, and after your move. Kids fear the unknown, and this move is a big unknown for them. Having their basic day-to-day activities at frequent intervals can help calm those fears and anxieties.

Systems help children learn to make choices for themselves and take charge of their day. When they consistently have a nap on schedule, then they naturally get tired at that time. That sense of control is important with such a significant change coming shortly.

Establish that same system in your new house as quickly as possible. Even though the walls around them have improved your kid will feel that their world is still identical. This routine will also help your kid go to bed on time, and a well-rested toddler is a happier toddler. This may suggest that you unpack a little slower than you’d like, but the payoff is worth it.

Is Moving Good for Kids?

We understand that moving is tough for kids, but can it positively affect them too? Of course, it can!

Staying in one home for your whole childhood is not the only method to create stability. Allowing your toddler by offering simple options and talking to them about the moving method allows you to lessen their anxiety and tell them that you are a regular in their life.

Moving teaches your kid important lessons, particularly about how to deal with change. How well they learn that lesson is partly defined by your child’s personality and partly by how you handle the position. It’s up to you to produce calm in the middle of a storm, and to showcase the attitude you want your kid to adopt. You can lead by instance.

Your toddler will feel big emotions with a move: confusion, anxiety, fear. This is a moment for you to validate those emotions and teach them how to manage them. Accept their feelings without judgement, listen to them, and watch for ways they are talking physically. By normalizing these big passions, you are helping your child build self-esteem and hearty emotional health.

Cathy Dehart is a writer based in Austin, Texas. He works at PEO (Professional Employer Organization). For more of her work, you can find at payroll Turkey and Umbrella Company Turkey websites.


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