Moving kids-any issues? (adapt, job, cheap, schools)

[Prple]

Just wondering what your thoughts are about moving your children or teenagers. I've heard a lot of mixed opinions about the effects of moving children. Do you think stability is important, or do they adjust pretty easily?

Would you worry about moving your kids when they would be going into middle school? It seems like middle school/junior high would be a hard time to move as a kid, however, I think people move a lot more now than they did when I was a kid.

[timelesschild]

Middle school is difficult, period, just due to the ages of the children and all they are going through developmentally. Moving is just one aspect that can make it more so.

We are mid-move, and one of my children is in 8th grade. I would say it is being fairly difficult for her. Sometimes families just have to move, though. As long as you know that you're doing the best thing for your family, that's the best you can do and nobody can ask for more than the best you can do.

[frogandtoad]

Totally depends on the kid. We moved when I was a child. My brother and sister adjusted w/no problems at all. I had a really hard time with it. Really hard.

[Bydand]

I moved all over as a kid and for me personally, I loved it. New schools, new people, new friends. I can go almost anyplace in this country and visit with old friends. I still get together with somebody I met the first day of Kindergarten and that was clear back in 1968. In fact our families spend holidays together now, and it is all because we kept in touch after I moved away just before High School started. We live in the same area again so it was nice having people I still kept in contact with all these years and still friends with.

Sure it can be difficult, but it can also broaden their horizons as well.

[peters1996]

Hello! I am curious to hear parent's experiences with moving children. We are looking to do the same thing. We have three children, 10, 8 & 3. Our oldest will be going into 6th grade and starting middle school. She is a great kid, lots of friends here and is very happy. My dh and I would love to move down south and everything is falling into place for us to move. However, we are so worried that moving, just because we would really like to try it, is not the right thing to do for our children. If we had to move b/c of a job or something like that, then I could feel a little more comfortable with it, but this is something we have been wanting to do for a few years and everything is just kind of lining up for the move.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

[ottomobeale]

Small kids should be no problem except the car ride to the new house. 1100 miles with a 1.5 and a 3 year old... UGH!

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by ottomobeale

Small kids should be no problem except the car ride to the new house. 1100 miles with a 1.5 and a 3 year old... UGH!

I hear you, we have made 2 long distance moves with 4 small kids. Try to remember some "road" games you might have played as a kid and teach them to your kids during the trip, or go online and find some games to play in the vehicle to pass the time. Hate to say it, but a portable DVD player if not already installed in your vehicle is worth every dime. You can get some rather cheap ones that work amazingly well in any of the "Mart" stores. Wal-Mart (while hating them with a passion) has some good deals right now on them. When getting ready to move with small kids, toss in a few small blankets and full sized pillows for them. The travel pillows work well for adults, but not worth a darn for kids in a vehicle. A small fleece blanket for around $5 is worth MANY times more than that for getting kids to sleep in a moving vehicle.

Snacks and waters on ice helps eliminate those frequent stops between fill-ups. We find for snacks, cereal bars work very well because they are easy to handle and stick with them for a longer period. Salty things (chips, crackers, etc...) should be avoided because then they are thirsty, have to "Go" more, and hungry again in nothing flat. If they like flavored waters, it is better to buy a package in your grocery store for a few dollars a case, than $1.39 each at a gas station every time they need something to drink. It doesn't sound like much, but adds up fast on a long trip. We also like to pack a "picnic" lunch for the first day on the road, because it gives everybody a chance to get out and have a real good stretch and break, plus the food is generally better than a fast food joint. The key to traveling with kids is time: Don't expect to make good time on the road, but plan on having a good time on the road. Stops take longer, driving time is shorter both between stops and overall for the day. Go into it knowing this and it is a much better move and experience for the kids involved.

[mawipafl]

It truly is an individual thing. Some kids adapt better or more quickly than others.

Sometimes it's all about timing. I think I can safely say that moving during the middle of a school year is the total pits for kids (happened to me - moved in the middle of 6th grade back in the olden days when that grade was still a part of the elementary school .. and moved with our daughter halfway through her 6th grade in middle school -- neither time was a smooth move at all.)

It's all about location as well. Moving to a community in which people have lived there forever and have gone through all their school years together can be difficult. It's much easier to "break in" to a community that has a lot of transplants.

Moving can be traumatic for kids (and adults), but I agree with Bydand that it truly opens new horizons. Moving is life-changing, but I don't consider it life-damaging. What's more "damaging", I think, is not pursuing something that you feel is best for your entire family.

Originally Posted by peters1996

Hello! I am curious to hear parent's experiences with moving children. We are looking to do the same thing. We have three children, 10, 8 & 3. Our oldest will be going into 6th grade and starting middle school. She is a great kid, lots of friends here and is very happy. My dh and I would love to move down south and everything is falling into place for us to move. However, we are so worried that moving, just because we would really like to try it, is not the right thing to do for our children. If we had to move b/c of a job or something like that, then I could feel a little more comfortable with it, but this is something we have been wanting to do for a few years and everything is just kind of lining up for the move.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

[MCRBLR]

We're moving in 8 weeks and have 2 kids 10 & 7. We've tried to include them in the entire process from looking at houses online with us to designing their new rooms. As for making friends - we'll be signing them up for sports plus getting them involved in local activities and their church. Also, children today have an advantage over when I moved as a child - they have email to keep in touch with each other. Granted there is still going to be an adjustment period for all of us but going in with a great mindset will help ease it along (I hope). Basically involve the kids in the process, respect their feelings and be honest about how scared you are too.

[mimberly]

We are moving out of state as well. I'm not so worried about the youger kids but I am about our 15 year old son. He has a hard time adjusting to new people and he has done really well this year his first year in High School, Anyone else moved with High School aged