Moving house with 4yo - can I have your tips?

[MadameDuBain]

We're moving and so far it's all been very positive, DS is excited etc. And it's not far away, so will still be able to see the same friends etc.

But I have realised DS has lived in this house since he was born and it must be a big upheaval to find yourself in a different home and the old one just gone. So just wanted to ask how other people's DC have coped, and anything you've done that's made it easier for them?

with mine (although a little younger) i gradually introduced the idea. I started with a couple of moving stories - one made up and the other from google. I then made a big deal of her teddy moving from her room the sitting room

Near to actual moving day, although we had been living surrounded by boxes for what seemed like ages, we started packing up her things. I let her choose what went in which box, carefully labelled with her drawings (so she knew instantly which ones were hers - too little to read)

ALthough i had an option for babysitting on moving day, i decided to keep her with me, so she could see the removals men emptying our old house, and then putting it all back in the new house.

I think it can be fun for them, and especially if, like me, you are not moving far.

Good luck with the move, i hope it goes smoothly.

Make sure the first room you decorate is ds' and you make it as lovely as possible.

We moved when ds1 was almost 3 and he was fine until he saw the last of the stuff leaving our house - then he got upset. But he was very young. We have moved in and out of our current place (don't ask!) a couple of times since and ds1 (7 and then 8 years old) and ds2 (4 and then 5 years old) were absolutely fine about it all. They packed their backpacks full of their really special stuff that they wanted to have to hand.

We are about to move again to somewhere totally new and they are very excited.

Packing with ds3 (15 months old) hanging onto my legs is proving to be much more of a challange though!

I moved a lot as a child (military brat) and my mum used to have a box with favourite toys, favourite duvet, familiar things, to put up on the day and she basically unpacked the kettle for coffee and then set to work on making US feel at home.

Agree with jetforks, that introducing the idea gradually, and being upbeat about it is the way forward.

Perhaps "document" it too, take pics of how the house is now (or use the "tidy for the estate agent" pics!) so that he can remember it in years to come?

Depending on DS's personality, perhaps send him off somewhere on the day and have him come back to "new bedroom" all done up with his favourite things?
HTH
and yes, good luck.

DD is now 8, and has moved house 5 times. DS1 is 6 and has done 4, DS2 is 3 and has done 2. We've never made much of it other than to talk about it (a lot) in a matter of fact way. Sometimes it will be hard - although probably not so much if you're not moving far. Emphasize the good points of the new house - and maybe point out the bad points of the current one too!

I think that most children will take their lead from you - if you're excited they'll most likely catch that.

I moved a lot when DS was little

I always packed his room up last and unpacked it first in the new house

also got him to say goodbye to the old house room by room, this stopped the 'but you didnt tell me it was forever'

sorting hs room out first meant I didnt have to deal with a bewildered toddler and moving house!

he was fine....

We've just moved with a five year old and an 18 month old. We didn't do anything special, the promise of a bigger garden seemed enough. five year old has said that she misses her old house - the one we've moved to is in need of real modernisation and the one we had before was like a show-home when we left so it's a bit of a bugger in that respects. But we've got plans for her room in the next few weeks and really kids just seem to just live in the moment anyway and not reflect on situations as much as we think they do.

Good luck with the move.

Oh thank you all. Thought I might be told I was worrying about nothing! I will use lots of these - luckily we have been very upbeat abut it and also the new house is in good shape though we have a bit of decorating to do.