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Moving from one house to
another is seldom easy and never fun for anyone; and if the parents fail
to plan carefully, a move can be needlessly traumatic for the children.
If, on the other hand, parents deal with their children's concerns and
needs thoughtfully, much of that distress and discomfort can be avoided.
To
a parent this house may be only the place they recently lived—a way
station on the road of life. To children, however, it may be the only
home they have ever known—their house, the place of safety and
comfort.
A
house is much more than a roof and to a child. It is the center of his
or her world. A move threatens to take that away and leave something
totally strange in its place. The familiar friends, schools, shops,
theaters, streets, trees, and parks—all that will no longer exist for
them. Everything soon will be strange; they will live in someone
else’s world.
Probably
the best tactic is to get the children actively involved in the whole
process. Don't just promise to let them decorate their own rooms—take
them to the paint store and let them bring home color swatches. Shop for
bedspreads, towels, and carpets.
You
may be faced with many more problems in your new community than they
will, but remember—you can handle them more easily than they can. They
will need your help, and you should plan to give them the support they
need.
If
they—and you—aren't making new friends fast enough, throw a
welcome-to-the-neighborhood party for yourselves and invite all the
adults and children on the block.
Remember—the
newness will wear off. New friends will become old friends and best
friends. This new house may become the family homestead which the
grandchildren will visit every holiday season. There will be
discomforts, but ultimately everything will work out fine.
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