Moving with a toddler – what’s to know?
Moving with a toddler? Get ready for the challenge
A baby boy sitting on a wooden bridge next to a large teddy bear.
The mere thought of packing and moving your entire home is enough to make you feel anxious. Relocation is stressful as it is, but if you’re moving with a toddler, it can really turn your life upside down. Your cranky little boss won’t be satisfied with what you’re doing to his home. The family home and nearby playground are the whole world to a toddler, and the change of familiar surroundings is not likely to go well. Luckily, there are ways to help them cope with this big change. Take some time to create a strategy for the moving day. With a few useful tricks, moving with a toddler doesn’t have to turn into a nightmare.
Include your little one in decision-making
At this age, they are starting to feel autonomous and often confront their parents’ decisions in order to prove their independence. Having no impact on such a huge call can make them even more rebellious than they usually are. Even though your little rebel obviously has no influence on the moving process, you should make them feel as if their opinion matters. Talking to your toddler about the move is helpful in many ways. Firstly, it prepares them for the upcoming change and, secondly, it will make them feel they play an important part in the grown-up business!
Take care of safety!
When you start packing all of your belongings, your child will have easy access to items that used to be out of reach. These include dangerous cleaning products, sharp objects and fragile items that can easily get broken. Heavy boxes should remain fixed on the floor, preferably in a corner, so that your toddler wouldn’t have the chance to tip them over. When you pack sharp objects and fragile items, make sure they are safeguarded, sealed and out of reach.
If you have a number of delicate items you don’t know where to put, think about renting storage units in your neighborhood. This way, you can keep fragile possessions and valuables away from home until the move is over.
Keep your toddler away while packing!
Any kind of assistance is welcome at this point.
Keep your little one away while you’re packing up the nursery
A toddler playing on the floor in a nursery.
Maybe you are not thrilled by the comments your mother-in-law keeps making about the way you’re raising your child, but let it go for a while. If she wants to take care of your little one while you’re busy packing, welcome her with a huge smile on your face. If you don’t want to witness a real drama when you start putting favorite toys into boxes, keep your toddler away when you start packing.
Learn more about your new neighborhood
Wherever you’re going, you will be able to find toddler-friendly places and activities you can enjoy together. Research your new neighborhood and check out a fabulous playground you can present to your little one as soon as you arrive. Is there a fluffy creamy cheesecake just around the corner? There has to be something enjoyable for children of all ages.
Explore the new neighborhood before your move
A mother plays with her little girl in a park.
But that’s not all. If you’re moving across borders, you need to collect some basic information on the location, weather and living conditions in general. What if the climate is completely different? Let’s say you’re moving from South Africa to Florida, for example, where average summer temperatures reach 29ºC? Toddlers do not regulate their body temperature in the same way grownups do. In order to avoid the state of shock, learn more before you move to Florida and make a huge change in your life. In this case, you need to prepare light clothes and invest in air-conditioning. Wherever you’re going, explore the neighborhood and living conditions before you pack up and hit the road with your toddler on board.
Pack the nursery last and unpack first
Moving is a lengthy process, especially when you’re moving with a toddler and without professional help. That is why you should strategize and make a packing list. This will help you organize and set your priorities.
Kid’s room should be the last one on the packing list
Kids’ room with two little beds and a bookcase.
Kitchen tools are necessary until the very last minute of your stay, and the same goes for the nursery. Keep it unpacked as long as you can in order to delay confrontation with your cranky little boss. Keep the peace!
Make your life easier – hire professional help
An ordinary day with a toddler is enough to drain you. A moving day with a toddler can drain you of every bit of energy you have. Do yourself a favor and let professional movers handle your relocation. This way you will be able to devote more time to your little one, and your love and attention will definitely make the whole process run more smoothly. There are professional companies such as Moving Kings Van Lines FL which offer full-range service from packing to storage. You can choose the kind of assistance you need. Hiring professionals will speed up the entire process and make it less stressful for you and your family.
Don’t change your habits
Even though your life is bound to turn upside down on the day of your move, try to stick to the usual routine as much as you can. Toddlers love their daily routine and don’t react well to changes. When they eat, play and sleep at the usual hour, it gives them the sense of security and comfort. The unknown territory will become much more acceptable if they realize that nothing else has changed.
Patience is the mother of all virtues
When you’re moving with a toddler, there’s no easy way out. At this age, they are stubborn, demanding and sensitive. But your love means a world to them. Their reactions often reflect your own emotions. So, have some patience. Have a lot of patience. Relocation will soon be over and your little one will start to enjoy the new family home. Your love and affection matter most of all!