Okay, so if they are still crawling or toddling around, this one probably isn’t going to help you. But if your kids are old enough to participate in light chores then there is no reason that they shouldn’t be involved in your move. In fact, studies show that the more you involve your children in this process, the easier it will be for them to adjust.
Talk about a win-win!
Of course, getting your kids to participate in the move is easier said than done. Especially, if the kids are a little less than thrilled that you’re moving in the first place. So today, I am unleashing a few sanity-saving tips to get your kids to pitch in on your move. Please pay it forward to other parents prepping for a move by hitting that share button.
Make A Game Out Of It
One of the best ways to get kids to do things they otherwise have no interest in is to turn the activity into a game or competition of some sort. Especially, if the kids are young enough to be playful but old enough to be capable of simple clean up. One way to turn moving into a game is to assign points for the number of items that they place in a box or a certain number of points for filling a box. Of course, then you would want to give them some type of reward incentive.
Make It Part Of Their Chores
This may be the perfect time to start swapping out some of the items on their chores list for-moving related tasks. For example, packing boxes, labeling, working the garage sale, or anything else you might want help with. If you pay or reward your children for chores, you might just want to allow them to earn more than usual by helping with the moving-related chores in addition to their regular chores.
Let Them Keep The Money Earned From Items Sold
If you are anything like most people preparing for a big move, you’re going to hold a garage sale or start selling things online like on Facebook Marketplace prior to the move. Not only is this a great opportunity to declutter and start fresh in the new home it is also the perfect time to teach the kids about earning. I suggest you invite the kids to pick out what items they would like to sell or donate and inform them that they will be allowed to keep the money for the items that they sell. This is a great way to give them a gentle push to get rid of toys they no longer play with or other items they’re initially resistant to get rid of despite not needing them any longer.
Let Them Label & Decorate Boxes
Are your kids always game for arts and crafts time? Why not allow them to exercise some of that creative energy by decorating and labeling the boxes. There are two organized ways of going about this. Either you can only allow them to use color-coded markers and crayons so you know where the boxes go. For example, red is for kitchen boxes and blue is for bathroom boxes. Or you could have them draw pictures related to where the boxes belong like a bed or alarm clock for bedrooms (along with a proper label of course).
Have Them Pack Their Own Essentials Bag
Having an essentials bag for the first night or first few days is a lifesaver for parents! These bags are designed to ensure that your kids have everything they absolutely need to get through the first couple of days along with some things they may want. For example, what toys would they want to play with if there is no internet set up yet? Allow your kids to help choose what items go into their essentials bag for a more peaceful first night in your new home.
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