If you have a family, moving can be a doubly stressful time. The following moving tips for young kids can help you get through the process without too much difficulty.

Advice for Getting Young Kids Through Moves

As stressful as moving is for adults, it's even more so for kids. While the adults have to worry about things such as where to move to, when to move and how to pack, kids have to worry about even more scary ideas - changing schools, missing friends and ending up in a new bedroom. Young kids are even more susceptible to these stresses because they are not as used to change as older kids and adults. Here are some moving tips for young kids that can help to make the transition as easy as possible.

The first thing to do when moving with a young child is to let them know that you are moving. All too often, parents don't include their kids in important discussions about what's going to happen. Let them know that the family is moving to a new place, and try to be as upbeat as possible about the idea. After young kids learn that the place where they live is going to change, they may get frightened or upset - but as long as you're reassuring and calm about the idea, they will pick up on that emotion. Also remember that the stress of the move may make you a bit frazzled and harsh with the family, so be sure to let your child know that they haven't done anything wrong.

Say goodbye to the old house and things around the old neighborhood before you leave. Let your child mourn the loss of these familiar sights and things, but try to encourage them to look forward to their new place. There are also books and stories that can help to ease anxiety about a move, so reading these to your child might make it a bit easier for them to tolerate. Be sure to reassure your child that they will still be able to see their old friends and people they care about after the move.

When packing to leave your old home, leave important items - such as bedding, clothing and stuffed animals and toys, until the last. If possible, take a few treasured mementos with you in your transportation. Don't pack everything away. It's important that your child has the comfort of their usual things. Packing may be stressful for your child, seeing their belongings put into boxes, but be sure to let them know that everything will come back once you've gotten to the new house.

These moving tips for young kids can help to make the transition from one home to another as painless as possible. Expect some trauma from your child after the move, this is common - but it should fade as your child gets more used to their new home.

Lou Ross is with MovingCompaniesforYou.com - find moving companies with our free directory.