Preparing to move can be confusing and stressful for kids, in part because they generally have little or no involvement in the process. Including your children in house hunting can calm their nerves, and your own, and help them get excited about relocating.
Discuss the Upcoming Move With Your Kids
Tell your kids where you plan to move, when and why. Explain that you need to find a new house and ask what features are most important to them. When you look at houses online, focus on critical factors such as the number of bedrooms, layout and price, but also keep an eye out for the things your children mentioned.
Narrow the List of Houses
If you’re moving locally, it might be a good idea to visit several houses without your kids, narrow the field to a handful of top contenders, then take your kids along for a look. If you will be moving a long distance and will need to travel for two or three days to look at homes, do your best to limit the number of home tours so your kids won’t feel overwhelmed. If you cannot bring them along, consider video chatting during your walk-through to keep them involved from home.
Create a Home-Viewing Strategy
You know your kids. If they have limited attention spans and throw tantrums when they’re bored or frustrated, don’t try to fit in too many home viewings without giving them a break. If your children take naps, make sure viewing houses won’t interfere with naptime. Bring some snacks, toys, games and books to keep them occupied on the drive and when you’re talking to the real estate agent.
As you walk through houses, talk to your kids about features and point out any that they said were important to them. Discuss how they might decorate their rooms, where they would play and where you would eat dinner as a family. If your children are old enough, ask them to take notes about the characteristics of each house so you can review them and compare houses together later on.
If you have young kids, keep an eye on them at all times so they don’t touch something they shouldn’t, climb on furniture or do anything else that could cause damage or injuries. When you need to talk to your real estate agent, make sure your children are within your sight at all times, or bring along an older sibling, spouse or family friend to keep an eye on them.
Leave time in your schedule to explore the surrounding area. Look for places and activities that your kids would enjoy, such as restaurants, parks and movie theaters, so they will be able to envision the area as their future home.
Know How Much (and How Little) to Involve Your Kids
It’s a good idea to include children in the search for a new home, but parents have to make decisions based on factors such as home prices, property taxes, school quality and distance to work. Make sure your kids understand that while you value their input, you will make the final decision.
