EPISODE 29 – [1st Time Homebuyer] - HELPING YOUNG CHILDREN DEAL WITH A MOVE

Moving to a new home can be stressful for the entire family, but it may be especially difficult for young children who are leaving behind their friends, school, church, and the only home they have known.

In Episode 29 of the Happy Homeowners Hub Podcast, Fred Turner breaks down how parents can help children cope with the emotional side of moving. Drawing from real-life experience and practical strategies, this episode provides simple and effective ways to support your child through this major life transition.

Fred also introduces his new children’s book, The Happy Homeowners Helper, designed to help kids understand their emotions, feel heard, and look forward to new beginnings.

If you are planning a move or currently going through one, this episode may help you make the process smoother for both you and your child.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

• Why moving can be emotionally challenging for young children 
• Common fears and anxieties kids experience during a move 
• How to talk to your child about leaving their home 
• Ways to help children express their feelings 
• How to involve your child in the moving process 
• The importance of routines and stability 
• How to create a proper goodbye experience 
• Simple ways to help your child feel hopeful about the future 
• Mistakes parents often make during a move 

New book - The Happy Homeowners Helper
A children’s book created to help young kids cope with moving to a new home, new school, and new environment while understanding their emotions and building excitement for what is ahead. Available on Amazon.com. 

Books available from Happy Homeowners Hub and sold on Amazon.com

For more details on these books, check out HappyHomeownersHub.com 

                       Click on the Amazon book links below

The Happy Homeowners Handbook for Navigating Property Claims

The Happy Homeowners Property Claim Documentation Booklet 

The Happy Homeowners Handbook for First-Time Homebuyers 

The Happy Homeowners Handbook for Selling Your Home by Owner 

The Happy Homeowners Home Maintenance Journal 

My Newsletter, just go to my website HappyHomeownersHub.com, and fill out the “Contact Us” page and put the word NEWSLETTER in the message box.

Transcript

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This podcast is episode 29, and today we're talking about something that often gets overlooked during a move, and that's helping young children deal with leaving their home, their friends, their school, their church, and moving to a new home with new friends, new school, new church, and new unknowns. Moving can be exciting for adults, new house, new opportunities, maybe even a better neighborhood. But for young children, it can feel like their whole world just changed overnight, and they can often be sad, anxious, and scared about their future. They're not thinking about interest rates or house square footage, they're thinking about their room, their neighborhood, their friends, their school, their church, and even their favorite tree in the backyard. They are going through a lot of change, and change can be very scary for young children and can cause anxiety. Welcome to the Happy Homeowners Hub Podcast, where we share real life stories and break down the lessons, mistakes, and wins that can save you time, money, and stress when buying your first home, navigating your property claim, selling your home by owner, and home maintenance and repair tips. I am your host, Fred Turner, and each week I'll guide you through these four topics so you can become a happy homeowner with no regrets. Why moving can be hard on children? Let's start with understanding what a child may be feeling. A young child does not always have the words to explain emotions like adults do. So instead of saying, I feel anxious about uncertainty, they may say things like, I don't want to move, I want to stay here, I will miss my friends, I don't like this new house. Or sometimes they may not say anything at all, and it may come out in their behavior. Here are a few common emotions kids may experience fear of the unknown, sadness about leaving familiar places, anxiety about making new friends, confusion about why the move is happening, and a feeling of losing control and what they have known for many years. These feelings are normal. Most children go through these emotions when they have to move. I once heard about a family that was in the process of moving to a new home. During the move, the parents were excited about upgrading to a bigger home, more space, better schools, and a great neighborhood, but their six-year-old son was not excited at all. He kept saying, I want to stay in the old house, even though the new house was clearly better in every way. After a little digging, the parents realized something simple but powerful. His best friend lived two houses down and they played together almost every day. To him, the move was not about the house, it was about losing his close best friend. Once the parents understood this, they made a plan to schedule regular visits and video calls. They even planned a few sleepovers. That small adjustment made a big difference and eased their son's anxiety. Now let's talk about what you can actually do to help your child through the moving process. Number one, talk to them early in the moving process and often. Don't wait until the last minute to tell your child about the move. Explain why the move is happening, what the new home will be like, and what will stay the same in their life. Keep it simple and age appropriate. And here's something important. Let them ask questions. Even if the questions seem repetitive, answer them calmly. That reputation is how young children process change. Number two, let them express their feelings. Avoid saying things like, Oh, you'll be fine. Don't worry about it. This is better for us. Instead, acknowledge how they feel and say things like, I understand you're sad about leaving your friends. It makes sense. All of this change feels very scary. I would feel that way too. When children feel heard, their anxiety often decreases. Number three, involve them in the process. Give your child a small sense of control. Let them help pack their toys, clothes, and bedroom items. Let them help choose their decorations for their new room and pick out a new comfort item for the move. Even small decisions can help them feel included instead of pushing them along. Number four, keep routines as consistent as possible. During a move, everything can feel like it's changing and chaotic. Try to keep these things consistent. Bedtime routines, mealtimes, and family traditions. Consistency creates stability, and stability creates comfort. Number five, say goodbye the right way. Don't just leave and move on. Create a proper goodbye experience for your child. Visit favorite places one last time, take pictures of the old house, special places, and their friends. Have a small goodbye gathering with friends. This gives closure, which is very important for young children. Focus on what they can look forward to. Balance the loss and change with hope. Talk about new parks, new friends, new activities, new adventures, new family activities, and fun things in the new home. But keep it realistic and don't try to oversell it. Well, this is exactly why I created my new children's book, The Happy Homeowner's Helper. This book was designed to help young children understand and cope with moving to a new home. It walks them through leaving their old house, dealing with emotions of saying goodbye to friends, school, and church, being a helper during the move, building new friendships, and the new adventures awaiting for them at their new home. And most importantly, it helps them understand their emotions and gives them hope for what's ahead. The goal is simple to help children feel heard, safe, understood, and more excited about the future. There are even discussion questions that you can go through with your children. This book is available at Amazon.com or you can see the show notes, or for more details, go to my website, happyhomeownershub.com. I heard of a family that used a simple approach that worked incredibly well when they had to move. They created what they called a new adventure list for their children. Before the move, they sat down with their children and they wrote out things they were excited to try in the new town, places they wanted to visit, activities they could do together as a family. Instead of focusing only on what they were leaving, they started focusing on what they were gaining at their new home and their new location. That shift in mindset made a noticeable difference with their children. And I want to save you a few headaches. These are things you should try to avoid. Ignoring your children's emotions, rushing the process, making promises you cannot keep, comparing their feelings to adults' feelings, assuming they will adjust eventually. Children often adjust, but how they adjust depends on how they're supported along the way. If you're preparing for a move, here is a quick checklist you can follow. Talk about the move early and often. Listen to your child's concerns and ask them questions. Involve them in the small decisions. Give your children tasks to help you with the move so they can feel involved. Keep routines consistent. Create a meaningful goodbye. Focus on new opportunities and adventures that await them. Use tools like my new book, The Happy Homeowner's Helper, to help guide them through. Now let's quickly recap today's episode. Moving can be emotionally challenging for young children. Their concerns are often about relationships and familiarity. Communication and listening to your children are key. Involving them in the moving process helps reduce anxiety. Closure, like a meaningful goodbye, and a routine create stability. Hope for the future helps shift their mindset. Tools like the Happy Homeowners Helper can help guide them through the process. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter. Go to my website, happyhomeownershub.com, and click on the contact us page and simply type the word newsletter in the message box or go to the show notes for details. Thank you for listening to the Happy Homeowners Hub Podcast. Remember, knowledge is power, and the more you understand the process, the more confident and less stressed your children will be during your move. My goal is to make your homeownership journey smoother, smarter, and way less stressful for your entire family. If you found value in this episode, consider sharing it with a friend, neighbor, coworker, or relative who might be interested. And be sure to follow me so you don't miss future episodes. I've got some great stories, tips, and occasional guest experts coming up in future episodes, so stay tuned. And remember, your home is your biggest investment. Have a blessed day. Goodbye.