Three Tips For Handling Military Relocation When You Have Kids

30 August 2017
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Having to relocate due to military orders is never easy, but it's that much tougher when you have kids in tow. You need to account for their emotions and do all that you can to make this change a bit easier. on them. Here are three tips for handling a military relocation with kids.

Do your best to move straight into your new home.

You may be tempted to move on-base at first and then search for a more permanent home in the area. However, having to move twice will be more traumatic for your kids than moving straight into a new house or apartment off-base in the new city. Find a good realtor in the new city as soon as possible, and let them know you need to find a new house or apartment ASAP. This may mean you need to be open to renting rather than buying if the closing process takes a while in your new state.

Let your kids help you look at new homes.

Moving is generally easier on kids if they feel like they have some sort of role or "say" in what is happening. They can't pick their new city, but you can allow them to have some degree of input into choosing their new home. Take them along to meetings with your realtor (or let them in on the Skype sessions if you're doing this remotely.) Ask them things like what color room they want, if they want to live near a park, and so forth. And take their input seriously! If your kids really want to live near the park and there are affordable, available homes in the area, then go for it.

Plan a goodbye party.

Leaving the old home behind can be even harder than adapting to a new place. To help your child say goodbye, consider hosting a party for all of their friends and everyone that you've gotten to know in your current neighborhood. If you're really short on time, you can make this a packing party in which everyone who attends has to help pack a box. Have all of the attendees leave special notes in a binder or notebook so your child can look back on these notes for comfort when they're feeling lonely in their new place.

Military relocation can be hard on kids, but with the tips above, you can ease the transition. For more help, contact real estate agencies like Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty that specialize in military relocation.