- When parents first tell the kids about the move, keep it general and reassuring
- Children thrive on familiarity, so pack up their rooms last, and set them up in the new home first
- Ask the family doctor and dentist if they can recommend colleagues in the new area. Tap into your network of friends and relatives that may know people in the new area. Utilize trusted websites and your Realtor to obtain school and community information.
- Buy a brightly colored plastic container that will stand out among the cardboard boxes in order to keep special toys, mail, important documents, and markers handy during the packing stage
- Kids need organized concrete steps to help them say goodbye. Make a plan to get addresses of friends and put it in a special address book, or give them a disposable camera to take pictures of friends and favorite places
- Children will take their cues from their parents, so be as positive as possible
- To keep children occupied while organizing the new digs, consider a surprise box filled with cheap treats, like coloring books and puzzles
- To help with settling in, get the name of a moms’ group from a pediatrician, school, or local paper
- Be sure to copy important papers like immunization records, birth certificates, passports and credit cards. Keep the originals handy and store the copies with a trusted friend or family member