There is hardly anything more stressful than organizing a major move to a new home, unless it’s planning that move when you have children. Kids will have formed strong attachments not only to their school, friends, and neighborhood, but to the home itself and may be very resistant to change of any kind. While older kids are probably more capable of handling the physical realities of a move, they may also be more attached than younger children.

While parents may be more concerned with the financial and physical aspects of moving and be wrestling with everything from how to find a home in another city to whether to hire cheap movers or handle the move themselves, kids are definitely more concerned with the psychological and emotional stresses associated with change. Parents would do well to frame any move as an exciting opportunity for everyone to experience something new and fresh. If there is distance involved in the move, talking up interesting attractions in a new town or turning the move into a vacation of sorts will help kids get on the bandwagon.

Younger children will need to be comforted throughout the process of moving. Reassuring them that they get to keep their toys, bed, and that the family is staying intact will be very important to their emotional security . Another important step with kids of all ages is to include them as much as possible in the move. By giving them ownership of some of the packing and input into decisions about the move, they are more likely to be comfortable with the idea and begin to accept and even look forward to the coming changes.