While moving home is supposed to be a pleasant time where families look to the future and take steps to better their life, the reality is often different. Particularly if you have children, moving home can bring a number of challenges that can make the process rather arduous. As such, below are three important tips to help you cope with the difficulties faced:

Coping with Stress

The process of moving home can bring major stress as you aim to ensure the move goes as smoothly as possible. In addition to the physical stress involved, moving home can cause a great deal of emotional stress and pressure also. Leaving behind your old home with all its memories can be a difficult task, particularly for young children.

While your stress is likely to arise as a result of sorting logistics and getting everything ready, children will be upset due to losing a familiar environment.  Particularly if you are moving to a new city or province, children can be particularly affected as they are losing their friends, school and the area they've always known as home. Additionally, this stress can also be exacerbated as children feel powerless to the move. It is you, the parents, who make the decisions and they may feel like their needs aren't being recognized, even if the move is in everyone's best interest.

Many people that moving children at a young age will be easy as the kids haven't yet adapted to their surroundings. However, moving across the country can have a significant effect on young children as the world as they know it is changing entirely. As such, it's important that you address your children's needs while planning the move itself.

Communicating with Your Children

Communication is the key when dealing with nervous or upset children. It's important to let them know exactly what is going on and why the move is necessary. While you should never lie, focusing on the great points of your new neighborhood can help young children become excited about the move rather than anxious.

One of the best ways to do this is to frame the move as a big adventure. Pitching to their logical side can be a mistake as they may not fully understand your reasoning; however, you can discuss the move in a different way to trigger certain emotions. Children love to use their imagination, so playing to their adventurous side will help them cope with the changes that are taking place. Talking passionately about the new area and what they can expect will make them feel more engaged rather than giving them a dry list of pros and cons.

Dealing with the Big Day

While communicating with your children during the weeks preceding the move will do wonders, nothing can fully prepare them for moving day itself. When the big day arrives, you may be highly stressed and this can convey onto your children. As such, oftentimes it's best to remove them from the equation by allowing them to stay at their relatives during the moving process. They can also get in the way of the moving company. This way you can ensure that your children are out of the way.

It's important that this isn't seen as a way to "get rid" of the children. You should ensure that they are given the proper time they need to say good-bye to their old home. Walking them around each room and letting them say their good-byes can be a good way to help the move sink in and allow them time to deal with their emotions.

The same can be said when you arrive at your new home. Taking them around the neighborhood and showing them each room in the house will start to build a sense of familiarity in the child. This can take some time; however, taking steps early on will help speed up the process.