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Original poster

Moving house with a 2 and 4 yr old - any tips on explaining it to them and settling in?

11 replies

SydneyB · 08/08/2010 21:24

That's it really. Not going far but the few miles we are going (within London) will mean new parks, new playgroups etc and they've only lived in our present house (DS born here too). Would love to hear how others found kids of similar ages settled and what helped/didn't.

OP posts:
disneychic · 09/08/2010 07:22

Hi,
Mine were 4 and 1 when we moved house...they didn't bat an eyelid :)
We did it just as DD was starting primary school, they were really excited about it and I think the bigger garden helped.

The 1st thing we did as were moving in was set up their bedrooms, with the same sheets and duvets on from the old house, so that the 'smell' was still there iyswim Wink. That way when they did go to sleep everything smelt the way it did in the old house....they slept right through!!

MmeLindt · 09/08/2010 07:27

Mine were slightly older than your two when we moved, but I found the best thing was to tell them not too far in advance as they are then unsettled, but give them enough time to accept it.

Get one packing box for each of them, and allow them to decorate it, with crayons. Then they pack their favourite toys (leaving out cuddly toy that they sleep with obviously, they travel in the car with them to the new house).

These boxes are packed last and are first out so that they have something familiar right away, and because they are decorated, they are easy to find. You do not want to be searching frantically for the toy box because your DS is inconsolable because he wants a particular toy.

ben5 · 09/08/2010 07:28

they will be fine. like disney chic said make sure you have there favioute things close to hand and make there faviourte food. ds1 is 6years 8 months and is in house number 6 and ds2 is 4 years 8 months and is in house number 4. they have settled very well each time

goldenpeach · 09/08/2010 19:48

We moved from the house where my daughter was born to rental 1 in another town, then to rental two in another city. She is over three and these moves happened in two years. She didn't/doesn't care, I'm the one who is fed up of renting. She is perfectly happy to go to new playground (her definition) and new library. She appreciate new places, there is no emotional attachment to old ones. She lost all her little friends twice but she doesn't seem bothered, she is keen on finding new ones.

PatriciaHolm · 09/08/2010 22:37

We moved to a rental when ours were just 5 and 3.5, and then to this bought house 4 months later. They weren't perturbed at all, and they had to move nursery/away from friends etc. It'll be fine!

Original poster
SydneyB · 10/08/2010 15:50

Thanks for this. Good to hear that they don't seem to notice too much at that age. Guess it's just ME feeling emotional and stressed about it on their behalf!

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Dawnybabe · 10/08/2010 16:05

I do sympathise. I was devastated at leaving dd1's old pre-school cos she loved it so much, but we've been for a taster session at the new pre-school near the new house and she loved it. Everybody said to me she's confident, sociable and friendly, she'll be fine, but I was so worried about moving her in case she wanted to go back to the old school. It's fallen at the right time as hopefully after six weeks off school she'll have forgotten about the old place a bit.

Re. the new house, she's looking forward to having a new bedroom and she's already said she wants it pink. I like the tips about taking all the sheets and toys exactly as they are to be familiar, that's very sensible. I've also explained to her that her and dd2 will have their own rooms, although that backfired on me this morning when she said she wanted to sleep in the same room as dd2! We're supposed to be moving next week after weeks of paperwork, I'm not bloody going back now!

Original poster
SydneyB · 10/08/2010 21:12

Dawnybabe - I suggested DD could have her own room but she's fixed on staying with her younger bro. Pleased about this as it frees up a bedroom and also shows that she does really love him despite the frequent fisticuffs! Ah well, they do say moving house is one of the three most stressful things in life don't they? So easy to project one's own emotions on to the kids. I do want to go - we need more space and new place is near great playgroup, schools etc and makes sense on every level. Is a nice area too just not the area I've lived in for 15 yrs.

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Strawberrycornetto · 11/08/2010 17:41

I just moved with DD (5 1/2) and DS (2 1/4). Both have been absolutely fine with it. DD loves her new school and DS didn't really seem to notice in particular. Like disneychic, we worked very hard to get both of their rooms straight immediately so that by the time they arrived at the house, they could see their new rooms and they looked familiar with all their things in them.

I was also really anxious about moving them but DD keeps telling me how happy she is with it all so I am sure all will be fine with your DC.

Dawnybabe · 11/08/2010 23:34

I suppose they could share a room if they really want to. I hadn't thought about the extra spare room!

brightandcheery · 14/08/2010 22:44

Please tell them they are taking all the toys etc they aleady have in their current home. When I was a child I remember being traumatised at thinking my belongings would be left in the old house & I would receive all the things in the new house!

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