Helping a child through a move
Though it seems impossible with the ailing housing market, there are families who will use the opportunity of the summer break to make a move -- back to the grandparents, forward to a new job, etc. If they have young children, moms and dads will need to prepare the kids for all the changes that come with new schools and new surroundings.
For our Monday Consult, here are some highlights from a tip sheet on the subject from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry:
- Explain clearly to the children why the move is necessary.
- Familiarize the children as much as possible with the new area with maps, photographs or the daily newspaper.
- Describe advantages of the new location that the child might appreciate such as a lake, mountain or an amusement park.
- After the move, get involved with the children in activities of the local church or synagogue, PTA, scouts, YMCA, etc.
- If a son or daughter is a senior in high school, consider the possibility of letting him or her stay with a trusted family until the school year is over.
- Let children participate in designing or furnishing their room.
- Help children keep in touch with friends from the previous neighborhood through telephone, letters, e-mail, and personal visits.
Do any of you who've recently moved have tips and stories to share? And I'm sure we could also use tips for the flip side: How to console a child whose friend is moving.
