Report #519: A Moving Guide for Kids

It is important to remember that moving can be stressful for everyone in the family, especially if you are moving to a new town. This stress can be further increased when you have children who will be "starting over" with activities and friends. The older they are, the more difficult this usually is.

Here are a few ideas you may want to consider as you get ready to make the big move‹many of which will help you as much as they will help your children.

1. Before you say goodbye, get the address and phone numbers of all of your special friends and the friends of your children. This way everyone will be able to stay in touch after you have moved. Parents may even want to purchase postcards and stamps from the new location. Think of how much fun it would be for your children to send and their friends to receive picture postcards that show the new town? If you want to go one step further, you can even have postcards made that have a picture of the new house, your family, or other special picture you want to share.
    
2. Make a memory box. Collect photos, mementos, and souvenirs from the community you will be leaving and store them in a box for safekeeping. Parents may want to help their children decorate a special box just for this occasion.
    
3. Make sure you have obtained or forwarded school records for each of your children.
    
4. If your children are working, have them ask their supervisor for a letter of recommendation before you leave so they will have it when they begin applying for jobs. So few children have letters of recommendation that this should really help them stand out as a special candidate when they begin to look for a new job.
    
5. Make sure you have all of your medical and dental records for each member of your family. Also, it is important to know if your present health insurance will cover you. Make sure you know where the nearest hospital, doctor, and dentist are located BEFORE you make the move.
    
6. Check with your new school or with the Realtor helping you purchase a new home to see if there is a buddy system in place so that your children can make friends right away.
    
7. Have your children put together a sports resume if they plan on joining a select or special sports team. Your Realtor, school, recreational facility, or Chamber of Commerce should be able to provide you with information regarding available sports program for children and for adults.
    
8. Take photos of your children's best friends and put them in a photo album. Take pictures of new friends as they are made and add them to the photo album.
    
9. Give your friends and friends of your children mailing labels with your new address so that they can write your children right away. You might even encourage them to send letters so that they are ready and waiting when your children arrive in their new home.
    
10. Do you have a favorite restaurant? If so, see if you can find the same restaurant (if it is a chain) or a similar one. The more familiar and comfortable your new home and town feel to your children, the easier it will be for them to adjust.
     
11. If you are moving a great distance and will be traveling by car, you may want to take a map and mark special places you will see and visit during your journey.
     
12. Have your children been to the new house or town where you will be living? If not, have someone make a video. The video could include the house, the neighborhood, the school, kids who live in the area, etc. Your Realtor should be able to help you with this.
     

Helping your children realize how exciting it is to be moving and yet how difficult it can be to leave friends and a home behind is important. Allowing them to take something from the old home and having them be actively involved in the new home should help eliminate some of the stress and worries associated with the move. If you are feeling anxious, stressed, or emotional about the move, remember that your children are probably having many of those same feelings.

So no matter how excited you are about the move, and whether you are moving 2 or 2,000 miles, make sure you help you children remember their friends and look forward to their new life. And just like you want to help them, The Kleimer Company can help you every step of the way.

So call The Kleimer Company today to schedule a time to meet. Call them today at (970) 845-7776 or (800) 303-7355 for this free, no obligation consultation. Or send The Kleimer Company an email at ben@kleimer.com You can also visit their Internet site at www. kleimer.com.