So just to give you a back story, we sold our two bedroom, two bathroom condo in April of 2010. As you can imagine, in this market we lost a significant amount of money on the place as all the condos in our complex are pretty much all the same. Since we were expecting our third child in September and really couldn’t decide on an area to live, my Mom (often referred to in the blog as Nana) offered for us to come live with her until after our newest addition arrived. We thanked her profusely and moved in for the next 10 months while we looked for our dream home. Fast forward to February 2011. We have kid number three, the renovations to the “new” house are complete and it is time to move the circus… AGAIN. Now two moves in a year could quite possibly rock any kids world, but I must say the kids just took it in stride. Brian and I did try our very best to keep things as “normal” as possible for the munchkins and the routines were very tight while we were making the transition, but it is like they didn’t even know we moved. Here’s how we did it: First things first: any stuff that the kids use daily must be put into an “OPEN FIRST” box. Beds, bedding (unwashed for the familiar smell factor), sippy cups, dishes, clothes, potty chairs, favorite jammies, and toys. Those things were unpacked when we walked in the door. A few days before both moves, I made a list of what we did every day and what the kids favorite toys and books were so that I could make sure those things got packed separately and were put away right away when we arrived to our destination. Secondly, the three areas that were put together first were kids rooms, kitchen, and play area. At Nana’s we didn’t bring any furniture except for the crib, pack and play, and toy shelf. However, all of our own bedding was brought for the kids to be comfortable. Also, in Nana’s kitchen we had a few of our own cabinets for sippy cups and the kids favorite snacks. In Nana’s family room we put up our toy shelf and brought all of their favorite toys. When moving to our “new” house I set up the kids rooms, the kitchen, and the family room so that were completely and totally functional. We have yet to add the “extras” such as art on the walls and finishing touches, but all the areas were functional and comfortable for the little ones upon their first steps into the house. Thirdly, when we talked to the kids, we tried to keep the stress talk of the move to a minimum. We talked about it like it was a new adventure. We talked about how big the backyard is, and how George was going to sleep in a big boy bed. We told them that the new couches were cushy and perfect for watching their favorite shows. When questions were asked about the move we answered them as honestly and positively as possible. Russell’s favorite question was: “What color is my new room?Lastly, we stuck to the routines of the house like glue. Our kids pretty much do the same things every day, but sometimes we do switch it up a bit to accommodate a trip to the zoo or a family event. However, for the first few weeks, the routines of the house were uninterrupted. For example, when the kids wake up we get dressed, eat, drink milk, watch a show, play, eat lunch, take a nap, wake up, eat a snack, play, help make dinner, get jammies on, say our prayers and get into bed. (I know you wish you were me right?) We did what we do every day, but I made sure that we were consistent so that the kids knew that they could be comfortable in their new space and not much was changing other than where we did everything.Ultimately, we just did what made the kids happy, and tried our best to keep them comfortable during this crazy transition.Anyone out there go through a move with kids? How did you do it?
