Telling DD about moving

We are contemplating a move out of state and just looking for advice on how to tell DD. She is 5 and will be finishing up kindergarten. She’s going to be absolutely devastated and that reason is honestly the biggest reason that we wouldn’t move. I know she’d adjust but just wondering if anyone has any tips or advice? Or if you did a big move with kids that age how quickly did they adjust?

Message edited 3/8/2018 2:36:17 PM.

Telling DD about moving

Do not tell her until it’s definite. My parents moved us so much as kids and honestly it was easier on my than my sister. I think because I was still in elementary school and the kids aren’t as cliquey. My parents never told us til it was set in stone. And I’m glad they did it that way.

Telling DD about moving

It's not a big deal at that age, IMO. Tell her she can decorate her room and have a say in some things. It will be fine.

Telling DD about moving

We are selling our house and moving to a rental house once we sell. I’m starting to explain it now since I’m boxing up our things. My dd will be 5 next month and she is upset that she will be going to a different school and she will miss our house. We told her now as she likes to work through her feelings. She also sees that dh and I are both sad, happy and nervous so she has tons of questions. We keep reassuring he and uptalking how great her new school will be. She has a monkey picture and a pinwheel that has been hanging in our living room for the past 2 years that she made. She got emotional when she saw me pack them.

Re: Telling DD about moving

We moved last fall from our house that we owned into a rental, and we'll be moving into our "forever" home this summer. We positioned it as a fun thing to our children - that they would have bigger bedrooms with room for big girl/boy furniture, a bigger backyard, etc. It was a bit harder for DS (5yo) than DD (2yo) at first because he missed our old house. When the house was empty, I let them walk around the house and say goodbye to every room for as long as they needed. DS sat on the floor in his bedroom and talked to his room, crying his eyes out. I sat with him and held him for as long as he wanted. It gave him the closure he needed. For a bit, they would ask us to drive past our old house sometimes since we were still local. I also saved the pics of our listing of the house so the kids could see it when they wanted (which was only once!).

It's been 5 months now and the kids don't mention our old house anymore. At first they were not excited about moving again this summer, but now that we've found our forever home, they are talking about what colors to paint their new rooms, etc, and are getting excited.

We tried to include them in the "decisions" as much as we could. They came to look at every house with us so they could feel involved, and we'll let them be involved in choosing their paint colors and new furniture, as much as we can let them. For our kids, involving them in the process instead of having this just be something that's happening to them really helped in the transition.

Message edited 3/9/2018 11:33:51 AM.

Re: Telling DD about moving

Re: Telling DD about moving

My older daughter was almost 5 when we moved. I bought a great book: Little Leopard on the Move. She loved it. We planned her new room together. We told her that she'd have a playroom in the new house, a bigger yard, etc. She was hooked lol. It was absolutely fine.

Just focus on all the positives and act excited.

Message edited 3/9/2018 1:53:21 PM.