Moving can be stressful, costly, and challenging for many when it’s just you and your cat, but it can seem like an impossible task when there are kids involved. And it’s the school year, and they don’t want to move, and you’ve got a million other things to take care of before the big day. Undoubtedly, moving with kids is overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean that you should give up your plans because there are many ways you can make this transition as seamless and efficient as possible for everyone involved. 

Whether you are transitioning into becoming a homeowner or moving into a new rental (perhaps even abroad), you need to prioritize your children’s needs so that you don’t jeopardize their academic future. After all, if you handle this transition poorly, it could have lasting effects on their emotional well-being, which can lead to subpar performance in school and their social circles.

With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at the five essential tips you need to incorporate into your moving strategy to move smoothly during the school year. 

No matter the age of your children or how big your family is, you need to have a proper sit-down with your family members to discuss the new situation as a team. This is not the time to be stern or cold, nor act as their superior and simply inform them that the move is happening – instead, focus on providing guidance and emotional support. Remember, this is going to be an emotional time for your children, and it’s up to you to make the transition as easy for them as possible.

Ideally, you should get them on your side and inspire them to think positively of the move. You can start not by informing kids of your decision but by asking some questions. Ask your children if they would like to meet new friends, explore new places, and experience new and exciting things in their lives? Ask them if they ever wanted to visit the place you’re moving to and how they would feel if they lived there for a while. 

Talk to them, keep the conversation going, and then slowly weave in the idea of the relocation. When you do that, you will have already won them over. 

You can’t expect your child to adapt to the new location and lifestyle if you can’t paint a picture for them or if you, as the parent, don’t know what they’re getting into. The worst thing you can do is to concentrate only on the move itself, your job, and your needs, thinking that your kids will acclimate on their own over time. Chances are that they won’t, not without your help and support.

With that in mind, make sure to thoroughly research the schools in your new city to find the ideal fit for your kids. Then, educate yourself about your new neighborhood so that you can talk to your kids about all the exciting stuff that waits for them there. Needless to say, if your research uncovers anything that’s potentially bad for your children, you should look for a different neighborhood and rental. 

When you’re moving abroad with a kid who is about to start college, the whole thing can become very complicated very quickly. In the US, kids go off to college and mostly live in dorms, but in the rest of the world, the majority of college kids stay home with their parents. Regardless, you need to make it easy for your child to adapt to the new curriculum at their university, which you can do by helping them leverage online resources.

For example, this is a popular trend in Australia, as your kids can find learning material for popular universities online easily in a country with high digital transformation. The University of Queensland is one of those places, and pre-college kids moving to Australia can find UQ resources on learning platforms to get acquainted with the curriculum and make their transition easier. 
 

Now, whether you’re relocating to Australia, Europe, or anywhere else in the world, use this example to find online learning resources and help your child start off their university more efficiently. 

No matter if you’re moving abroad or across the country, you can bet that there’s going to be a lot of paperwork involved if your child is switching schools or colleges. Organizing, applying for, and managing all paperwork should be your top priority as a parent, and you should start doing this as early as possible because you never know what other documents you might need to submit or how slow-paced the administration may be. Don’t risk it —get on top of the paperwork right away and talk to your school’s administrative office. 

You’ll notice that we haven’t really talked about hiring a moving company and researching the best movers for your needs, and that’s because this is a given. You need professional movers to help you organize this challenging task and make it as efficient as possible for you and your family.

Now, while the movers will make sure that you’re relocated quickly and safely, what you can do is prioritize some tasks to make the move easier on your kids. Make sure to properly pack and label their school supplies, clothes and uniforms, and all the essentials they need at the new home so that they can easily make it to their first day of classes.

Don’t make them rifle through stuff and stress on their first day. Instead, make everything easier by simply prioritizing their needs for the move.

Moving the school year is definitely not an easy task, but it’s not impossible. Make sure to follow these essential tips, and you should have no problem relocating efficiently and effectively with your kids. Plus they’ll be happy and excited about the whole thing – it’s a win-win!