How to make moving easier for your toddler
We can all agree that moving is challenging. You have to find a new home, sell the current one, pack all of your belongings, and find a way to relocate everything safely to your new address (among other things). All of this costs a lot of time, energy, and of course, money.
However, when you add moving with a toddler to your already long moving list, things get a lot more stressful and complicated. Why? Because small children do not understand what is going on. They can’t comprehend why they have to leave their home and everything they are familiar with. And, trust us, this will cause a lot of difficulties along the way. Your job is to see this move from your child’s perspective and make it more comfortable for your child. But we are here to help you out, so do not worry too much. Here are some tips on how to make moving easier for your toddler.
Talk to Your Child About Moving
You might think that this step is redundant and your toddler is just too young to understand why you have to move. But you would be wrong. If you do not prepare them ahead of time, they will be shocked once the move begins. Thus, try to get down to their level and let them know what is going on. Explain what moving is and why your family has to do it. Focus on all the positive aspects of relocation – living in a better place, meeting new friends, doing more fun activities, etc. Of course, keep in mind that you are talking to a toddler and that you have to stay away from ‘grown-up’ words. Use simple sentences to explain what moving is, and make sure you let them know that nothing will change.
Use toys or some other props to show your toddler what moving is.
Take Your Child to Your New Community
One of the biggest fears all children share is the fear of the unknown, which is why talking is essential. If you talk about moving, the new community, and your new home, your children will not perceive it as something strange and unfamiliar.
And, once the talking is over and you have made sure that your child understands that nothing terrible is going to happen, try to introduce them to your new community slowly. For instance, you can take them to your new home and show them around. Moreover, have a stroll around your new neighborhood. And, while doing so, make an effort to meet the new neighbors. If some of them have small children, consider organizing a playdate as well! That playdate can be in your new home or the local park.
Pack All of Your Child’s Favorite Things
When the time for packing comes, pay special attention to your child’s belongings. It may be a good idea to pack together as a family. Otherwise, you may risk throwing away your child’s favorite toy or a book. If you want to declutter, start with clothes and shoes. Donate, sell, or throw away all that is outgrown, damaged, or not interesting to your child. And, when it comes to the previously mentioned toys and books, better pack everything.
Moreover, involve your toddler in the process and make them feel useful. For instance, you can tell your child to put all the toys in a box or put all the books in one place. This will definitely get them excited about the move and make everything easier.
Make your toddler involved in the moving process. Make them feel important!
Make Your Move Safe!
When it comes to moving with your toddler, safety must be your utmost priority! Whatever you plan on doing, first ask yourself whether that is safe for your child. If it is not – abort the mission. Nothing is worth compromising your family’s wellbeing.
If you want to make this move safe for your child, do your best to remove them from all the action. This is especially important when moving furniture and packing heavy and bulky items. Your child may easily get hurt when no one is looking. Thus, when doing all this heavy lifting, find somebody to babysit. However, if you do not trust anybody with your child, you’d better hire a professional crew to relocate you. You can easily find a reliable moving company Toronto has to offer by browsing the Internet and interviewing a few of them. Professional movers will do all the moving-related tasks and thus, give you all the time you need to focus on your family.
Whatever you do, put your toddler’s safety first!
Stick to Familiarity and Routine
Once you move into your home, make an effort to stick to all the familiarities from before. Of course, that will not be easy as you are now in a completely new environment. But, what you can do is try to recreate the kid’s room from before, for example. This will make the transition so much easier as your child will feel safe in familiar surroundings. Moreover, it would be a good idea to stick to routines, too! Try to do everything as before. Recreate all your daily actions as much as you can. Those can be little things like having breakfast together, going for a walk in the afternoon, going to the park during the weekend, etc. This may not be that important to you, but it is of great importance to your child.
Every change is harder to go through when you have a child who cannot completely comprehend what is going on. Relocating is one of the most significant changes you and your children will experience in your life. Therefore, it is important to prepare for it. Luckily, as you have seen, there are ways to make moving easier for your toddler. The most important thing is to keep them included in the process and talk as much as possible about every step.