A family move can be a marker event in the life of a child. It is often a decision that can bring about fears and misunderstandings in a young person’s world. A move is also an event over which a child has little control. A move to the unknown equals the loss of a familiar home, school, and community. It is also a loss of the child’s social network of friends, relatives, and teachers.
Children need a strong support system at home and in the new school to help with their adjustment to a new home, school, and neighborhood. Some suggestions for parents include:

o Talking about your moving plans
-share information about new home, school, and neighborhood
-read stories about moving (see bibliography for ideas)
-focus on the positives of the move
o Provide emotional support for the children
-encourage your children to talk about their feelings and worries throughout the moving process
-be patient, understanding, and willing to listen to their feelings
-encourage your children to correspond with their old friends
o Allow children some control over events
-give children input about which personal items will be moved or discarded and encourage them to help with the packing
-involve children in decorating their new room
o Provide consistency in your new surroundings
-move favorite toys, books, and other special items to the new home
-continue to keep familiar family routines, traditions, and celebrations
o Explore your new community as a family
-take walks around the neighborhood to meet your neighbors and future playmates
-look into local organizations of interest (YMCA, churches, scouting)
o Contact your child’s new school
-visit and tour the new school before the first day
-attend school events; volunteer in the school building or on committees
-communicate with your child’s teacher or counselor if your child is not adjusting well to the move

Adapted from Sailing New Seas, 1999