Greater Oakland County Moving With Children
Relocating with children in the Greater Oakland County area or any other for that matter can be a stressful situation, not only for you but the children of Greater Oakland County as well. It is important to involve your children in your home search and your relocation plans. When making your list of things to do before, during and after your move, don’t forget to include your pets as they are as much of the family as well. Moving can be stressful, even dangerous, for pets if their interests are not taken into consideration as well.
Child experts agree it’s a good idea to involve the children when family makes relocation plans to move. You may have mixed feelings about taking the kids house-hunting in Oakland County, however. (It’s hard enough for just two people to decide on a new home!) Here are a few pointers that may help in your relocation move and including children in the process.
Narrow the Field First
The kids don’t need to visit every potential house on the list in Oakland County. If possible, wait until you’ve selected two or three serious prospects of homes before bringing the children along. In any case, limit your kid-accompanied tours to three houses or less per day
Provide Behavioral Guidelines
Remind the kids to treat the home owners and their property with respect. Make sure the kids stay in the same room with you at all times and they “keep their hands to themselves.” If the home owners are present, your family members should also keep their thoughts about the house to themselves until after you leave the property. Making positive comments in the presence of the home owners could work against you when negotiating the price, while negative comments could spark a hostile reaction, causing the home owner to sell to another home buyer.
Make the Kids Your Secretaries
If they’re old enough, your children can each keep a log of the homes you look at I Greater Oakland County, including detailed information about the house — location, size, types and numbers of rooms, etc. Have them describe their feelings about the house, too, particularly what they think it, and what would be like to live there for them.
Locate the Nearest Playground
A post-tour trip to the park (or local mall, if you have teenagers) can be a great motivator for good behavior during tours of Oakland County properties and a nice way to get to know the area as well. Walking the streets in the Oakland County neighborhoods will also give you and the kids a better feeling for the local lifestyle and whether there are other children the same age as yours in the area. Also look for local parks and recreation for children to visit and become a part of.
Offer Entertainment
Bring along books or games to help your kids through the “I’m bored” stage. If you’ll be driving for extended periods, bring some audio books or favorite music. Nowadays usually it is a I-Pad or tablet that keeps them busy, but make sure they pay attention to the particular homes of interest that you have and get their opinions as you go through each.
Time Your Tours for Success
Plan to look at homes in Greater Oakland County early in the day or just after (certainly not during) nap time. Be prepared with snack foods and drinks to keep energy levels up.
Let Them Know Their Input Counts
Although the final decision is yours, your children will feel better about the move to Greater Oakland County if they know you value what they think about their potential new home and neighborhood.
How to Help Your Kids Adjust To the Move to Greater Oakland County
- Children can find a move to Greater Oakland County overwhelming, even to a home within the same area. Here’s how you can help:
- Parents’ positive attitudes about a new environment inspire positive attitudes in children. Try to focus the children on what they can gain, rather than on what is being lost.
- Keep schedules as normal as possible to give children the extra security needed in the new surroundings.
- Call on new neighbors in Oakland County early so your children can meet other children who live nearby.
- Seek counseling or academic tutoring immediately if a child runs into trouble in the new Oakland County School, being sure to give the child lots of encouragement and praise in the process.
- Be available at mealtime, bedtime and (if possible) after school to listen to and share new experiences.
- Sign up your child for one or two activities, sports or lessons so he or she can meet new friends and establish or continue special interests.
- Consider requests for clothing, bikes and other equipment that may not have been a “necessity” in the previous area but can help a child fit in with new peers.
- Visit the old home and invite old friends to your new home in Oakland Country to help your child maintain a sense of roots.
- Exercise patience during the adjustment period. Finding a new sense of “home” takes time.