Saying goodbye is never easy—especially when it comes to children moving away from a home they love. Children being introduced to the idea of a family move might feel emotional about losing their home, close friends, school, and neighborhood—and everything else they’ve gotten used to. This can be hard on them for a multitude of reasons, which is why it’s a good idea for parents to learn what they can do to make the entire process a lot easier for them and for everyone else involved.

Fortunately, children are quite adaptable to change—and there are surefire ways to help make the project an even greater success. At Bekins of South Florida, we’re experts in handling family moves—and specialize in personalized service designed to smooth out the steps of the moving process for families of all kinds. If you’re interested in helping your family plan, organize, and execute the perfect moving experience, take a look at these helpful tips from our team of experts at Bekins of South Florida to help you prepare for an easy and enjoyable time moving with your family.

1. Hold a Family Meeting to Discuss the Move

Kids need to feel like their thoughts and opinions matter—even if there’s nothing you can do to make what they want a reality. In other words, give their self-esteem a boost by involving them with the plans you have for moving early on. A good way to break the news is to hold a family meeting to discuss the circumstances with them. Let them know when, where, and why you’re moving—and what they can do to help the process.

Listen to their complaints, answer their questions, and be sympathetic with their concerns. If you can communicate effectively with them at this meeting, they’ll feel much better about the move eventually (even if they seem to react negatively to the news). It’s also a good idea to give them the positives of the move—for example, if they’ve always wanted a pet, and your new home will include the space you need to have one, or if a move means they’ll no longer share a room with a sibling, this can be a highlight to focus on getting them excited about the change.

2. Lessons in Real Estate

If you’re planning on selling your home, buying a new one, or both—now’s a great time to get the kids interested in these plans. Most kids are naturally interested in real estate—especially if it means that they get to explore the market to look for their future home. This is the perfect moment to teach them about your budget, and what that might buy you and your family—as well as how much you’re hoping to get for your house, and how that might apply to your next home purchase.

Show them how to use Zillow, Trulia, and other real estate apps to check out listings, perform price comparisons, and explore the market to help you with your plans to invest. Older kids might also love helping you list your home on the internet for sale, and can even help you post pictures and write descriptions on real estate boards all over the internet. It’s never too early for real estate education, so take the opportunity to help your kids get a crash course into home investments—and turn it into a lesson they’ll never forget.

3. Investigate Your New Town, City, or Area

Get an idea of what the new city, town, or countryside you’ll be moving into is like by researching the area on the internet. If there’s lots of nature, look for hiking trails, nearby lakes and rivers, and other areas to see what kind of adventures you’ll be able to go on once you move. If you’re moving into a city, look for things to do, restaurants to visit, and other attractions that might get them excited about the new location. Show them pictures of the school they’ll be attending, and other interesting facts about the area. If possible, take a drive out there before your move to show them what the area is like in person.

4. Hold a Family Yard Sale

Organize a family yard sale and get everyone in your family involved in the event. Even the little ones can help out by separating the old toys they no longer use and let them know that the money raised in the sale will go towards new ones.

You can also hold a family meeting to get organized and motivate the entire household by suggesting ways to use the money that everyone will benefit from. For example, you can suggest raising money from the garage or yard sale to go on a trip together, or to pay for a new game console, to buy a pet, or something else that everyone can enjoy.

5. Let Them Say Goodbye

Kids are often very sentimental about leaving their friends behind in a move. Often, they’ll want to see their friends one last time before relocating—and can become excited about the idea of throwing a going away party to say goodbye. If this sounds like something they’d enjoy, make it a point to organize a get-together with parents a week or so before moving day. Make sure to gather phone numbers, email addresses, and social media account information from the parents to allow your children’s closest friends to keep in touch after the move.

Hire Professional Movers for a Streamlined, Easy Moving Experience

Moving is meant to be a positive experience for everyone involved. In families, it’s up to the parents to make relocation a successful time—which can be easier said than done. That’s why professional moving services can be such a relief for families contemplating a relocation, whether it’s local, long-distance, across the country, or around the world.

With full-service, personalized options for packing, custom crating, and more, Bekins of South Florida is your best bet for planning a successful, streamlined moving experience. Whether you’re moving a single-person household or a large family filled with kids, we have the professional resources and expert guidance you need to make your next move a positive change.

For more information about moving with us at Bekins of South Florida, give us a call today to speak with a representative. You can also fill out our online form to schedule a free, no-obligation pricing estimate in your home to start planning your next household moving project right away.