MOVING HACKS: How to Prepare Your Teen for Your Move

No matter your child’s age, moving someplace new from the place they call “home” comes with challenges. For smaller children, there are certain ways to make the moving process easier- which we’ve discussed in “3 Ways to Make Moving Easier for Your Youngest Kids” Tips included farewell parties, adventures around the neighborhood, and a proper goodbye to the house they called home…But what about moving with teenagers?

For those of you who have the honor of parenting a teen filled with raging hormones, a different set of challenges presents itself.  For teenagers, moving out of town is their own personal doomsday. A teen’s friends, social life, and status within their high school hierarchy has been carefully crafted over years of finding their particular nook in what can be hard to navigate microcosm. 

So, how to make moving and changing schools easier on your teen? Follow these steps below: 

Communicate: It’s important to make your teen aware of the move as soon as possible. They’ll need time to adjust to the concept, accept the reality, and say their goodbyes.

Party: Suggesting a going-away party or a special weekend with their close friends- staging an event will facilitate closure for your teen.

Let Them Decide: If your teen is in protest to your move, allow them to focus on things they can have control over- such as how they want to decorate their new room, which chores would they prefer to take part in during the moving process, and what are some favorite spots in town they want to be sure to go to before heading out on their new adventure.

Did We Say Communicate? If your teen reacts poorly to the news, telling him or her that they are overreacting, being dramatic, etc. only invalidates their feelings and reinforces their angst. The best approach to opening a line of communication is by asking what their worst fears are about moving to a new town and school. Really listen to their fears and try your best to empathize, while still providing a reality check for irrational thinking.

Play Matchmaker: Having even one familiar face in a sea of new experiences can be a lifeboat for your teen. Facilitate new friendships for your teen by speaking to their future principal and asking if any peers would be open to showing him or her the ropes in their new school and town. Suggest they reach out to each other via Facebook, Instagram, or another social media outlet so your teen doesn’t feel alone on their first day at a new school.

Following the steps listed above are some ways you can help make your move easier on your teen. When you need help making your move easier on yourself, call Shleppers Moving & Storage!