Kids and moving rarely mix. Well, kids don't mix with anything that is stressful and that requires a lot of hours of concentrated work. And moving definitely falls into that category. Plus it can be quite costly if you don't know how to reduce moving expenses. Therefore, you need to know how to approach childproofing your move and how to work with your kids. If you are clever you might even get them to help you out.

How to approach childproofing your move

Even though the move is going to be stressful, your kids don't have to experience stress. Confused? Let us elaborate. By being careful and planning your move you can make so that you children are not engaged in the more stressful parts of the move. That will require you to make the move as stress free as possible and to shield your kids from those parts that cannot be made any less stressful.

Talking about the move

The first of childproofing your move is discussing the move with your kids. Talk to them about what is going on. Do not use complicated explanations to tell them why and how things are happening. Just walk them through the family move and let them know what can they expect. Be sure to answer any question that they might have and help them understand what is going on. The biggest cause of stress is the unknown. Therefore, the more your kids are familiar with the move the better job of childproofing your move you will do. There will be a lot to do before moving day, and if they understand what is going on they can even help out.

Spare them from the stress

But, no matter how much you introduce them to the move, there is going to be some stress involved. This depends on the age of the child, but as a general rule of thumb, you should try to shield your kids from the stress. If they catch you while you are stressed about the move (for instance you are having a hard time finding affordable movers) you shouldn't shy away from explaining to them what is going on. But, don't make them suffer needlessly. The most stressful day is going to be the moving day. If possible, you should definitely consider sleepovers for those couple of days. The more time you have to deal with the move and not worry about kids, the better.

What your movers would like you to know

You cannot deal with both your kid and your move. No matter how competent you are. Both kids and moving require full attention and you need to pick one if it is going to work out. If you would like to take care of your kids during the move, go for it. Hire reliable local movers Texas to help you out and simply sit out the move. But, if you want to join in, you should try to have your child taken care of.

Moving is going to be loud, dusty and stressful and there is no reason why a child should be present. Furthermore, children are curious. A child might want to explore all the new things happening around them (which they should), and they might end up getting hurt. The best way of childproofing your move is to make sure that movers and your child do not meet.

How can kids help you

Even though moving is a complicated project that requires skilled hands and manual labor, there are still things in which kids can be helpful. The best trick is to make them feel like they are playing a game. Nobody likes to work. Especially kids. But everyone likes to play games, especially kids. Tell them a story about how you are moving to a faraway land and that they have to help you out so that the dragon doesn't come. Make them feel like they are in a fairytale and they will listen to you and work hard like you wouldn't believe. Now, this, of course, depends on the child's age and preference. But, if you know your child and dedicate a little time to it you can figure out how to make relocation interesting.

Let them pack themselves

What they definitely should do, regardless of their age, is pack themselves. Of course, if they are so little that they cannot walk, they cannot pack themselves. But, if they are physically capable, let them. Packing will be a great learning experience as they will have to think, plan and work. They will need to manage their time and think about their possessions.

This is not an easy task, but that is exactly why it is valuable. You are guiding them to learn about their environment and about their possessions. And there are no stories or books that can give them what first-hand experience can. You can give them advice on how to pack, but let them do it. Even if they are ten times slower then you are and even if they say that they don't like doing it. You are doing them no favors by packing them.

Help with making lists

Another thing you kids can help you out with is making lists. If they are old enough to write let them make the entire list. If they are not, make the list for them but let them fill it in. You can even use an app on your tablet so that they can fill it with a simple touch. But, make them a part of the project. They need to feel what is it like to be working in a team. They will have to learn to pay attention and to be careful. Mind you, you probably should keep a separate list of your own just in case. But, do not miss this learning opportunity. Give your kids some valuable lessons while moving.