Relocation > Buying and Selling a Home in Saratoga - Tips For Moving With Teens

Now that you’ve found the perfect home, helping the kids get settled in their new environment becomes your first priority! Kids can have deeply mixed emotions about moving. They are sad to say goodbye to friends, places, and things they may have been close to for a very long time, yet the prospect of moving is also exciting! A new home, new friends and new adventures can be extremely appealing to younger children.

But older children and teens can often have more of a difficult adjustment. Letting them express their feelings and fears can go a long way toward making them feel more comfortable with the move. Becoming vested in the relocation and feeling a part of the process, can make all the difference in how they cope in your new home.

You can help your teenagers feel part of the decision-making process from the beginning. Ask them to gather information for you on your new home’s location, such as the nearest parks, sport facilities, malls and movie theaters. Invite suggestions on arranging and decorating their new room. Engage them in choosing new paint colors, carpet or furniture. Ask them for another important contribution: helping their younger siblings deal with the change.

Saying goodbye to close friends, their neighborhood and school can be very hard on teens. Reassure them that with cell phones, text messaging, e-mail and social networking on the computer, they can stay in touch better than ever before! If you decide to have a going-away party for your teen, provide a sign-in book where all their friends can put their addresses, phone number, and e-mail contact information.

Give older children and teens time to adjust…the more they become invested in the move, the more positive they will feel about the change!