You’ve found a perfect home in Portland and are seconds away from buying or renting it. The only problem – getting to it requires hours and hours of driving. Basically, for your whole family to call the place home, you have to go through a long-distance move. And let’s face it, if you want to prepare for a long-distance move with kids you won’t have an easy time. Still, this is not impossible. Even the toughest of family relocation challenges can be overcome with a carefully drafted plan and early preparation. Luckily, we are here to teach you how to accomplish that! With our top advice on preparing yourself and your little ones for the move, you should be in for a smooth transition.

Preparing for a Long-Distance Move With Kids: How to Get It Done?

Relocations take their toll on adults, but they are especially tough on children. Starting anew in a foreign place – somewhere where they have no friends – sounds incredibly scary. While we may be able to hide our fright, they absolutely cannot do the same. Even if they had a way to bury it all in, that would be a terrible, incredibly unhealthy thing to do. After all, people can only avoid dealing with emotions for so long, as they are bound to resurface sooner or later.

Preserving your own and your children’s mental health is of the utmost importance while moving. Thankfully, you can avoid countless sleepless nights, emotional outbursts, and built-up anger. That is, as long as you take the time to engage in heart-to-heart conversations with the youngsters and follow these tips.

Talk About It – Honestly!

To prepare for a long-distance move with kids, gather your entire family and have the talk – the relocation talk. Explain why you must move, in simple language, of course, but don’t dumb it down too much. Talk to your kids as if they were adults. That will make them think they have a say in the matter, even if they don’t. Allow them to express their opinions, listen to them carefully, be understanding, and remain calm. In no way should you start yelling, as this will only make the situation worse. Remember, the key is for your children to understand why they must leave behind everything they know. Let that thought guide you through the conversation.

Give Your Kids Time to Adjust

Don’t expect your children to accept everything straight off the bat! Instead, let them process the information they’ve just received. For them to have as much time as possible to get used to the notion of relocating, it’s advisable to talk about the long-distance move with kids early on. Once they’ve analyzed everything and accepted it, they might even be willing to help you out with some moving-related tasks.

But don’t rely solely on the little ones for help in organizing your long-distance move to Oregon. To get it all done successfully, you need someone with more experience by your side. When in search of adequate assistance, think of professional movers. They have the means and the knowledge to get you settled into your rent-to-own home before you know it!

Remain Positive

Your children are more likely to feel at peace with the upcoming relocation if they see you coping with it well. Negative emotions can easily transfer to the rest of the family, so it’s important to practice positivity prior to the move. Be as optimistic as you can in front of them, with the emphasis on all the fun times you will have in your new place!

Involve the Kids in the Moving Process

To combat any anxiety they may be having, you can assign the youngsters with various moving tasks. Of course, adjust the assignments based on age. Younger children can, for example, decide what things to bring, while older ones may be able to pack up their rooms. Provide supervision and help, if necessary, and, most importantly, make the process seem like a joyful family activity.

Spend Quality Time With Them

In between planning, packing, and executing your relocation, make sure to spend some quality time with the young ones. Extra love and affection can drastically alleviate the stress caused by a long-distance move with kids. With that in mind, now it is more important than ever to give each other as much support as you humanly can!

Pay Your New Place a Visit

Surely, you won’t be moving into an apartment or a house without seeing it beforehand. But why do that alone when you can do it with your family? Visit the new place to help your children bond with it more easily. Show them around the property, allow them to pick their rooms, and talk to them about decorating them. Introduce them to the neighborhood, bring them to the surrounding parks, and, if possible, show them the school they will be going to. This should spark your kids’ interest and give them something to look forward to.

Keep in Touch With Old Friends

Let your children know that they will be able to contact their friends every once in a while. They may even get a chance to visit them! This will provide the little ones with a sense of normalcy. They may be further away from them than they previously were, but they are still their friends. And they’ll hopefully remain that despite the distance! Plus, with technology being better than ever, staying in touch with others has never been easier.

Along with encouraging your kids to remain in contact with their old pals, encourage them to make new ones as well! Just make sure to explain that they won’t replace the friends left behind but rather be a welcome addition.

Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll be able to prepare for a long-distance move with kids. Of course, a few tantrums here and there are to be expected regardless of preparation. Still, sooner or later, the calm after the storm will come, and your whole family will adjust to the reality of moving.