Making a Smooth Move

The moving process can be stressful, especially when mixed with the emotions that come with moving to a new neighborhood. Below are a few tips that will help your children cope with a place to live:

• Be positive about the move. Your emotions can set the mood for the entire experience. Remain positive and upbeat about the changes that lie ahead.

• Answer questions openly and honestly. Make sure young members of the family know they can count on you for answers. Their questions will give you an idea of how they are feeling about the situation and can guide your efforts to help them relax.

• Assign young family members specific tasks. Help everyone get involved by creating a to-do check list, then assigning age-appropriate tasks to each member of the family. Creating a sense of ownership can give everyone a feeling of responsibility.

• Plan ahead. Before the move, start investigating programs and activities that your family could possibly participate in. Register your children for sports programs or other activities similar to the type of activities they now participate in. You want them to be introduced to other people of their age and start making friends immediately.