How to prepare your family for moving abroad

Moving is a big change. Moving abroad – it’s colossal. It’s an undertaking paved with chores, challenges, and important decisions. And a long journey only serves to increase the tension. Fortunately, everything is not so bleak. Because even an endeavor of such magnitude can be made easier. More than that – it can be exhilarating and enjoyable. For that, you need to properly prepare your family for moving abroad and the support of reliable international movers. And Transparent International NYC is here to help you with both. With the emotional support of your family, and our skills and knowledge, you will always come out on top.

Start planning ASAP

A good plan can vastly improve your relocation experience. It will help you save time and energy. But, more importantly, it will help you avoid mistakes.

A checklist can make your life easier

With the sheer number of chores involved in moving, it’s easy to forget some details. The problem arises if that detail is significant for the success of your relocation. With a good and detailed checklist, you can make sure this doesn’t happen. Therefore, grab your phone and jot down everything and anything you think can be even remotely important.

A good checklist should contain:

• Tasks – The best way is to write them all down and sort them in order of importance.
• Timeframe – Time is a crucial and limiting factor in every relocation. Therefore, you need to be sure you’re wasting none.
• Additional notes – With the hustle of moving, it’s easy to forget everyday tasks or specifics of important ones. But if you write down everything you won’t forget anything.

Book good movers…

The help of professional movers will not only make your relocation more bearable. Their experience and skills can turn it into an amazing experience. One that you’ll love and enjoy every minute of. That’s why hiring good movers should be at the top of your checklist.

… and do it promptly

It is important to book your movers way ahead of time. That way, you’re ensuring you have the moving company that fits your needs. This is especially important if items in your household need special attention. For instance, you would never leave your precious piano behind. And if you have excellent international piano movers, you won’t have to.

Another reason is that this way, you can actually cut the cost of your relocation. If you book movers ahead of time, you can avoid paying more – even if you’re moving during peak season. In many cases, you can get a discount for booking a few months ahead. And the discounts are always good!

Prepare your family for moving abroad – without losing your mind

Moving abroad is not a small thing. Also, it is not a decision that you can make lightly, or alone. Open and honest communication is key when you want to prepare your family for moving abroad.

Talk to your family as soon as possible

Think back to how you felt when you found out that you’ll have to move abroad. Shocked? Scared? Thrilled? All at once, probably. It’s safe to assume that your family will feel the same, once you break the news.

It’s perfectly understandable if you’re not exactly excited about this conversation. But here’s the thing: one way or another, it will have to happen. And the more you delay, the harder it will be. So rip that band-aid, and do it as soon as possible. Preferably, the moment you find out about the relocation.

Keep your cool

When you set out to tell your family about the move, you have to expect some degree of resistance. Even more importantly – you have to be prepared for it. You’ll have to deal with outbursts of emotions, especially from your teenage kids.

The most important thing here is not to lose your cool. Take the time to prepare your arguments, so that your family can see things your way. But don’t try to impose your opinion at all costs. That way you’ll only alienate them. Be tactful and understanding and, sooner, rather than later, you’ll find a common ground.

Moving abroad with kids

If moving is hard for you, just imagine how your kids must feel. They are about to be ripped from their comfort zone and tossed into a new, strange, and scary environment. That’s why you need to pay special attention to them if you want to properly prepare your family for moving abroad.

Talk to them like they’re grown-ups

Children don’t like change. But do you know what they like? Stories. So, when you talk to them, tell a story about their new place. Describe details vividly, show them beautiful pictures, tell them what games they will play at the new playground, friends they will make. Just don’t overdo it. Tall tales can have quite the opposite effect. Dealing with their disappointment can take ages so it’s best to keep moving expectations realistic.

Another thing to keep in mind when you’re doing this: Be mindful not to overhype them. “When are we going?” is a pre-move equivalent of “Are we there yet?”. And you’ll be hearing both. A lot.

Include your children in the moving process

Going through relocation is taxing and time-consuming. You will be constantly busy, and your kids will notice. Worse, even – they might feel neglected and think it’s somehow their fault. And that will make moving even harder for them. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to reverse this. Simply include your kids in the moving process. And we mean, the entirety of it. Planning, decluttering, packing, decision making – the whole deal. That way they won’t be under impression that relocation is happening to them. Instead, they will feel like they’re an important part of the process, and that they contribute. You know, like grown-ups.

Find a way to keep the kids occupied during a long trip

Let’s say that you’re moving from USA to Spain. That’s a ten hours flight. You’re on the plane, so you can’t go out and play with your kids. Entertainment options are severely limited. There’s not a lot of room for fun activities. The initial excitement of staring through the window will wane rather quickly. After that, your kids can become increasingly nervous. And the last thing you want is to be stuck with a cranky kid for that long. After all, we’ve all seen that video clip of a screaming kid on the plane…

With this in mind, it will do you good to find various ways to entertain your kids during the trip. Video games are always a popular option. Car games can be fun for the whole family, and fellow passengers alike. Their favorite toy is a little piece of home that will soothe their anxiety. The possibilities are infinite and only limited by your kids’ imagination. And remember – you only need to keep them occupied until they fall asleep.

Moving abroad is an amazing experience

The best way to prepare your family for moving abroad is to approach it as an adventure. Because – that’s what it is. You will see bewildering new landscapes that will leave you in awe. Meet new people and encounter a different culture that will enrich your life. You will cross the ocean like a true explorer. How many people can say they’ve done that? Moving abroad will open so many opportunities, that you won’t know which one to seize first. And having your family beside you will only make it better.