How to get child to settle after a house move.

[NoseyHelen]

I thought we'd prepared our DD (just 3 yrs) well for the house move and she was excited before and on arrival on Monday. However, since then she has been a nightmare and I'm putting that down to the move. I have never known her to have so many tantrums. How can I help her settle?

I slept in my daughter's room for a while after we moved. That may not be for you though. I'd just left her Dad, so I hadn't anybody else to consider. I just slept in her room til I felt she was ok with her new room. could you do that for a night or two?

Does she have a comforter or special toy? If not, may be worth getting one for her for her new room. Also get her involved in decorating her new room - new bedding etc. It is a huge change for them and she will settle down soon - just give her plenty of time to chill out and get used to her new place and get used to it.

We cuddled DS to sleep in his bed for the first few days...then had to dust off the old Baby Whisperer method to get him to settle without us afterwards! But it only lasted a few days, after which he was totally fine!

She settles at night absolutely fine - but she does go to bed with a muslin, 'mousey', 'mollie', 'ginger man' and a drink of water!! She also wakes up singing.

It's more daytime - everything is such a drama - I actually had to use the naughty step for the first time ever and she was so hysterical I was almost in tears.

How is her communication? If you were to ask her what she wanted to do in the day 1st thing in the morning when she's happy would she be able to articulate it? My dd could but my ds couldn't (twins just 3). My dd would be able to tell me what she's missing / wants when I ask her. It would be much more guess work with ds.

It might be worth setting a day aside to doing some of her favourite activities, give her all your attention. I know that will be difficult but might pay off. My dd only thrieves with a clear structure and routine. If that breaks she struggles. So for her it would be all about reintroducing the routine. Does that sound like your dd?

Her communication is excellent although this week she has started talking jibberish. I suspect some of the problem could be the lack of CBeebies in new house but she was also awful in the new park/playground we went to she's definitely got a black mark against her name from all of the other mums after today's performance.

We won't even be here very long (this is a stop-gap rental) so I dread to think what she'll be like next time.

Maybe find her a "secret spot" or little den just for her somewhere in the house or garden if there is one. Even a canopy over her bed can make it her own little patch for a while. I had a little fold-up child's play tent for oldest DD who moved 3 times before she was 5.