Moving is stressful enough, even for adults who have been through it, so just try to imagine how children would take it! Place yourself in your children's shoes - would you like to be told only to be silent and stay still, as if you were just another box being moved? I don't think so. Here are 10 important things you shouldn't do to your children when the family is moving.

1. Don't let them wonder
Don't leave them in the dark about your plans. Explain to them why you have to move, and especially how you feel about that, so they start speaking about how they feel, too. Take them to the new place and present all the interesting new things there, so they can picture their future - children cannot think abstractly like adults!

2. Don't keep them away from the moving process
Don't keep them insulated  -let them meet and speak to everyone, and touch and smell everything. Most adults tend to act like the children aren't there, even if they are underfoot. You don't want your children to feel invisible whole day!

3. Don't keep them away from the packing and unpacking
The best way to prevent the children from getting into mischief during the move is to keep them busy. Packing and unpacking are neither too complicated nor too difficult tasks that children cannot perform them. Have a patient adult supervise the process and handle the precious items and the breakables, but let the kids get excited about wrapping, packing and unpacking.    

4. Don't stress them out
No matter what happens, no matter what children do, don' yell at them on moving day! Actually it's a pretty good idea not to yell at anyone on moving day because you have to stay calm in the chaos. Yelling, along with isolating them and leaving them thirsty or hungry, are the biggest stress factors for children in general.

5. Don't lose sight of them
To prevent potential trouble, even if unintended, have the children near you the whole time. You can transfer that crucial task to someone else, but only if it's an adult you and the children know and trust.

6. Don't let them leave unannounced
Have the children say their goodbyes to everyone properly - prepare some sweets for their mates at school, in the kindergarten, on the football team, at the ballet school, or the playground. It would be a nice touch if you could throw a real mini-farewell party for the children and their closest friends, so they can have fun together one last time.

7. Don't refurnish their room(s)
Especially if the children are under 10 years old, make sure their new room looks exactly like their old one. They will adjust much faster if the surroundings are familiar.

8. Don't leave them to brood by themselves
Children can feel homesick and miss their friend just like adults, but they cannot comfort themselves with the thought that it was for the better. You are the one who has to do the comforting and explaining.

9. Don't expect them to make new friend by themselves
Finding new friends is difficult, if you don't know how. So take time to go out in the park, in the yard or on the playground with them several times, and help your children to ask others to play with them, or share toys or snacks with them. Having just one interesting thing is what makes a child popular. Same as adults, eh?  

10. Don't send them directly to school
Don't pressure the children to go to school or kindergarten directly after moving day. Ask if you cannot take them there for a few hours a day for several days, so they can get familiar with the place, the teachers and the other children there.

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