Shifting is time and again ranked in the top 10 most stressful life changes. Shifting tends to have a similar effect on children, but it can be even more disorienting by their inability to understand the reason for shifting. 

 

While the move itself is not really a problem when using the right movers, the reality of life post-shifting is the cause of all this stress. Children don’t understand why they’re in a new place, why they can’t see their friends as often anymore, also coupled with the fact that they have to make new friends at their new school.

 

 

The ability to adjust to life’s unavoidable changes is a crucial talent for both adults and children. Unfortunately, it is not a natural skill for many of us, especially young children.

 

Shifting is a difficult experience for everyone involved because it usually entails leaving behind friends and family to begin a new life. It’s a stressful time for adults, but it’s even more so for children who don’t understand why they have to move and leave all of their friends behind. 

 

A lot of children also find it hard to adjust to a new environment after moving. They must be assisted and prepared for the changes in their lives so that they do not experience any trauma as a result of the shift.

 

Although change is unavoidable, knowing the fact does not necessarily make it any easier. Some people have little trouble adapting to life changes, while others struggle to adjust to a new location and surroundings. 

 

Too many changes at once can create a domino effect, leaving individuals, particularly youngsters, feeling overwhelmed. When considering shifting, ensure you understand what you’re getting yourself into and the impact your decision will have on your children. You must assist your child in coming to grips with the move and adjusting to their new surroundings.

 

Why Is My Child Afraid Of Their New Environment?

The majority of children are outgoing, curious, and adventurous. However, some are born cautious, and they can be sensitive and afraid in new environments.

 

If you have a sensitive child, you must provide support, encourage them to be social and bold, and model appropriate behaviour in new environments.

 

It’s normal to be anxious when confronted with new events and encounters. When children are terrified or nervous, their brains react in a survival-like manner. Their adrenaline levels rise to assist them in escaping danger. 

 

More sensitive children may be hyperaware of the new environment, consequently triggering their fight, flight, or freeze response.

 

As a parent, understanding them and the challenge that shifting poses is the first step to helping them adjust to and thrive in the new environment.

 

8 Tips To Help A Child Adapt To A New Environment

 

 

Here are a few things that can help your children adapt to a new environment.

 

1. Prepare your child for the change early enough

It takes time for children to comprehend the meaning of shifting or its implications.

 

As soon as you realize you’ll be shifting, inform your children. Please don’t wait for the movers’ arrival to inform them. Make them understand why you are relocating, and what it will mean for their lives. Tell them that you’re moving because daddy got a new job and that they will be moving to a new school.

 

For younger children, play therapy helps massively in getting them to grasp what moving means. Act out a family relocating from one house to another with dolls and toys. Alternatively, they can chat about what will happen with their beloved stuffed animal.

 

2. Help them understand

Honesty is the best policy, and it can never go wrong for children. You’ll need to explain the reasons for the shift to your child as clearly as possible, making sure they realize that it will be advantageous and in their best interests. Be open and honest, and avoid making extravagant promises that may cause the child to get confused later.

 

3. Validate your child’s feelings

Validation demonstrates to your kid that they are significant enough for you to pay attention to them. If your child does not feel heard or understood, he or she may react with emotions and actions in an attempt to encourage you to pay attention. Your child will sense that you value them and accept them if you use validation.

 

During a move, it is common for your child to be sad. You must help them understand why the change is important for them and you as a family.

 

Reassure them that, while the house and city will change, their lives will not. Ascertain that the activities they enjoy will be available at the new location.

 

4. Show them around their new home

It could be tough for children to imagine what a new city would look like if they moved there. If you can’t take your children to the new house in person, show them a video tour.

 

For school-aged children, take them on a tour of their new school and show them photos or films of how it looks. Schedule an online appointment with a new teacher if possible. Such an activity will help children anticipate their new surroundings. Knowing what to expect makes the shift go more smoothly.

 

5. Incorporate stories

Even with a video, very young children may not understand why they need to move. Make a storybook about your relocation. Begin as any good story should. Use characters they can relate with depending on age and give the story a happy ending.

 

 

Reading and storytelling to young children increase brain growth, imagination, language development, and relationship strengthening. 

 

Children enjoy rhyme, rhythm, and repetition in books, songs, and stories. A good book or story can be enjoyed at any time and can greatly help their understanding.

 

6. Maintain their daily routines

Routines are beneficial to children. Even older teens feel more at ease when their daily routine follows a predictable pattern.

 

When you move to the new house, try to establish a familiar routine from the beginning. If your child is used to eating dinner at 5:30 p.m., bathing, and going to bed at 7:30 p.m., try to stick to that schedule.

 

Children, especially while living in a new environment, must anticipate what will happen next. While keeping routines may be tough during the first few days of the relocation, getting into a routine as soon as possible is critical.

 

Practical tips for moving with young children

 

Setting up the bedrooms for the children is an important task for your first day in the new residence. Make the bedrooms for your children the last thing you pack in the old house and the first thing you unpack in the new one. Sheets, blankets, and familiar pillows will go a long way in assisting your children in adjusting.

 

7. Be Patient

It’s crucial to keep in mind that a child’s developmental requirements and ability to accept change differ significantly from an adult’s. Because young children lack the cognitive ability to grasp abstract concepts, your patience will go a long way in helping your child adjust to a huge shift, the ability to adjust to change will also be different with children. Some will adjust very quickly, while others will take time. No matter the length of time the child takes, be patient with them.

 

8. Allow your child to take part in the moving process

Your children may feel entirely out of control due to your relocation. Allow them to make some decisions based on their judgment.

 

You can consider:

• Allowing them to choose their new room’s paint colour.
• Providing older children with a budget and allowing them to purchase room decorations.
• Allowing children to mark moving boxes containing their belongings.
•  Give the children a tiny box to fill with their most treasured possessions.
• Allowing the children to choose where the furniture will be put by movers will also be a great activity.