Tips for moving with toddlers

If you thought that moving was difficult, just wait until the moment you have to move with a toddler. This is the age when kids are inquisitive, curious, and downright difficult. How do you manage to take care of your child while also making sure that everything pertaining to your move goes right? For starters, you’ll have to make sure to have reliable Worcester movers by your side, helping you along the way. And then you’ll need this article to give you a few pointers as to how to handle moving with toddlers. It certainly won’t be easy, but it’s completely doable.

The process of moving with toddlers requires lots of additional help

Contrary to what you might believe, we are not referring to the process of hiring movers if moving to Worcester MA or any other place. We are thinking about getting some much-needed help with your kid on a moving day. That’s right, we are talking about a third person taking care of your toddler on the day of your move, maybe even the days leading up to it.

Now, this is a 100% convenient option. So what’s the problem with it? The problem is that this option costs and it can cost a lot. And with all the expenses you will have during your long distance or local Massachusetts move, paying additional money may not be an option. In that case, try to enlist a good friend or a family member in helping you out for free. After all, who could love and care for your toddler more than his/her grandma?

Your toddler’s belongings should be packed last

Oh, how well do all parents know the feeling of annoyance at the sight of all of your child’s toys lying scattered around the house! So when packing a house for relocation, we are pretty sure you will be tempted to clear the mess and pack all those toys first. And that’s when you would make a cardinal mistake. Can you even imagine how much your child will cry and scream if they can’t find their favorite toy? Or pacifier? Or a blanket? All of that can simply be avoided by leaving the packing of your child’s belongings for the very end. Wondering what to pack first when moving? Why not start with your seasonal clothing? Any items that you don’t frequently use are a good place to start!

Be upfront with your child

Depending on how you look at it, you will probably realize that moving with a toddler is much more difficult than moving with a school-aged child or even a baby. Babies are completely unaware of what is going on around them while school-aged kids already understand many things like a grown up. But toddlers? That’s when things get tricky. They are still too small for a normal conversation and yet too big to completely neglect the fact that you are switching homes. So how do you handle it?

You handle it by putting yourself in your toddler’s perspective. You handle it by trying to explain the situation as much as you can and as clearly as you can. With toddlers, using a made-up story to convey your message is a good idea. Speak slowly, use full sentences, and avoid baby talk. Watch how they react and pay attention to their behavior and non-verbal cues. Also, mention that all of their toys will remain with them and that nothing will be left behind. Toddlers love their toys, so this will be a big deal for them.

Moving with toddlers requires lots of patience

Be very careful – your toddler is bound to show some signs of rebelliousness, even if they are completely calm by nature. Just because you are trying to be understanding and patient doesn’t mean you should completely disregard all the rules – and vice versa. Instead, pick your battles and impose a slight punishment when and if they really go overboard.

In all the other instances, be there to listen. Answer all of their questions about your household move, no matter how ludicrous they may be. We are talking about kids, after all, so some questions are bound to be superfluous. Even so, give clear answers, and try to instill confidence and calmness into your toddler. You’ll soon be able to see all the benefits of doing so.

As soon as you arrive, unpack your toddler’s room first

Remember a few minutes ago, when we mentioned you should not pack your toddler’s belongings first? Well, the complete opposite goes for unpacking. As soon as you arrive at your new home, and after you’ve had some necessary rest, unpack your child’s room. Relocating with toddlers is so difficult exactly because they lose their sense of normalcy. If you want to make it easier, just bring back the ‘normal’ and create new habits and rituals and everything will be fine. In order for that to happen, your child will have to have his/her room right away.

Keep your cool

At the end of the day, it’s completely normal for you to panic and stress about every little thing when moving with toddlers. You do care about your child more than anything else, and they will have a hard time during your relocation. Just remember that this is kids we are talking about – they are resilient and will forget about it very soon. They will get used to the new home and not even remember the old one. And that’s a certainty. There is no point in you losing your health over it, so just remain calm. And remember that everything will be okay.