An Emotionally Healthy Move
Every family needs to understand that moving can have varying impacts on different members of the household. Each of you will have to leave behind school, work and friends. If the house you are leaving is the home where you or your children grew up in, then the move can be even more difficult to deal with.
As you prepare for your move, try to look beyond the physical preparations. Boxes and tape and bubble wrap might be important, but so is each person's psychological health. So, you and your family need to be prepared to cope emotionally. It is best to start early so you can prevent any sadness from developing into a more serious condition: depression. Even with the various medicines, therapies and counselling sessions that have been proven to effectively help heal a depressed person, the old adage remains true: prevention is better than cure. If you believe that your move can be emotionally-damaging to one or several family members, consult your psychologist or counsellor for advice.
One way to minimise the emotional stress is moving is to avoid doing it in the middle of the school season. Your kids will be looking forward to several things: sporting competitions, theatrical presentations, prom and the like. So, plan your move at the end of the school year, during summertime. This way, you can spend your first few months exploring your new place and getting to know your new neighbours. Activities like sight-seeing and summer camp can help take your children's minds off their sadness.
Be sure to involve your kids in the moving process, too. Give teens a say in decorating their new rooms. Design young kids' rooms the way they looked like in your old home, as children take comfort in familiar surroundings.
