Moving with kids is never easy (ask anyone who’s done it), but the stress can add up quickly when you move out of HI. Juggling day-to-day life with children is already demanding — now add to that the stress of the kids coming to terms with moving away from friends and/or family to a place that may be new entirely. It’s a lot to ask.
We’ve gathered some valuable tips for parents in this situation to help ease the strain on everyone during the transition. As boxes begin to stack in the carport and your children start packing, there are steps you can take to help them better cope. Read on as we explore how to talk to your kids about moving out of HI.
Start Now
You’ll want to talk to your kids about leaving Hawaii as soon as possible. The more time they have to adjust to the coming changes, the better. Including them immediately after the big decision has been made shows them how important they are to your ohana. Assign individual responsibilities to each kid before and on moving day. You can also involve them in their room design and decoration. That’ll keep their minds occupied as well as get them excited about their new destination.
Listen
When you talk to your kids about moving out of Hawaii, ensure that you’ll have the time to focus on their initial response. We were all kids once – try to imagine what this event looks like to them. Nothing is more frustrating than not feeling heard within any group, let alone your family. So let them talk, ask questions and openly discuss any concerns. Give them a voice.
Positive Focus
No matter the reason for moving, focus on the positives when you talk to your kids about moving out of HI. While you don’t want to make unrealistic promises, point out any advantages waiting for them in their new home and how it benefits the family as a whole.
Play
It’s always helpful to include play when you talk to your kids about moving out of HI. For example, you can make a game out of eliminating belongings that will be donated to charity by holding contests to see who gave away the most. Another fun idea is searching listings with your older children to get them excited about finding a new house in your new destination city/town or just having them research what to do there.
Closure
Saying goodbye is a critical part of the process of moving, especially for children, so when you talk to your kids about moving out of HI, you might want to consider planning a ‘going away’ party.
For example, you can invite close neighbors and their playmates and create address books for each of your children to exchange contact information.
After the Move
Settling in may take some time, so when you talk to your kids about moving out of HI, you can help them by talking about the fun things they can do. For example, talk about exploring the neighborhood parks and ice cream shops. You can also introduce their new school by visiting the grounds together before the first day and finding afterschool activities to help them build new friendships like soccer clubs, baseball, or girl counts.
You could also get involved in community activities like community gardens or library events. Most importantly, while it’s great to make new friends, there’s no need to lose contact with old friends, so help them keep in touch.
From the time you decide to move out of HI until you’ve arrived at your new home and you’ve settled in, these simple steps and an open line of communication will help make every family member have the best possible experience and memories of the move.
We understand it isn’t always easy to talk to your kids about moving out of HI, especially if you’ve been here a long time. Selling directly to Oahu Home Buyers makes the process simple for everyone. Eliminate the stress and talk to one of our professional investors today, with absolutely no obligation or pressure to sell your home to us.
Call Oahu Home Buyers at (808) 333-3677.