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Moving from one house to
another is seldom easy and never fun for anyone; and if the parents
fail to plan carefully, a move can be needlessly traumatic for the
children. If, on the other hand, parents deal with their children's
concerns and needs thoughtfully, much of that distress and
discomfort can be avoided.
To a
parent this house may be only the place they recently lived—a way
station on the road of life. To children, however, it may be the
only home they have ever known—their house, the place of safety and
comfort.
A house is
much more than a roof and to a child. It is the center of his or her
world. A move threatens to take that away and leave something
totally strange in its place. The familiar friends, schools, shops,
theaters, streets, trees, and parks—all that will no longer exist
for them. Everything soon will be strange; they will live in someone
else’s world.
Probably
the best tactic is to get the children actively involved in the
whole process. Don't just promise to let them decorate their own
rooms—take them to the paint store and let them bring home color
swatches. Shop for bedspreads, towels, and carpets.
You may
be faced with many more problems in your new community than they
will, but remember—you can handle them more easily than they can.
They will need your help, and you should plan to give them the
support they need.
If
they—and you—aren't making new friends fast enough, throw a
welcome-to-the-neighborhood party for yourselves and invite all the
adults and children on the block.
Remember—the newness will wear off. New friends
will become old friends and best friends. This new house may become
the family homestead which the grandchildren will visit every
holiday season. There will be discomforts, but ultimately everything
will work out fine. |