Moving cities feels like such a huge thing for my family. My kids, especially my 3yo , have only ever known this place, where family and everything familiar is close by. The idea of uprooting them makes me so sad and anxious, what if this change is too overwhelming for them? I keep thinking about them missing their grandparents, our neighborhood park, and even just the little routines they’re so used to here. I don’t want to look back and feel like I caused them any kind of lasting pain. For those who’ve been through it, how did you handle such a big move with young kids?
I get it, Elizabeth. We moved when my kids were little and I was terrified of how they’d cope with such a big change. Honestly, it took some time, but I focused on helping them keep a sense of routine. We took their favorite things, blankets, toys, even small furniture pieces and tried to set up familiar spaces in the new house as soon as we arrived. Also, I tried to make them excited by planning fun activities and it helped keep them curious rather than scared. Don’t worry too much about trauma, kids are resilient and the love and support they feel from you will help them adjust.
Hey Elizabeth, I know how you feel! We went through a big move with our kids and honestly, I worried myself sick over how it would impact them. Here’s what helped us: I started telling them stories about the “new adventures” we’d have, like finding new parks and meeting new friends. They might be young but kids love the idea of exploring. I even brought along some of our old routines like our weekly family movie night and made sure to keep things that made them feel “at home” right away. Another thing we did was FaceTime with grandparents and familiar faces as often as possible in the beginning, so they didn’t feel so far away. Give it time…the first few months were the hardest, but slowly, they adapted, and it even felt like they started seeing it as an exciting chapter rather than a scary one. Sending you lots of strength!