Let’s Talk About: Top 5 Moving & Safety Tips For Parents w/Young Children

If you didn’t already know, my family and I recently moved into a new home. Along the way, we learned a few things about moving with little ones! First and foremost, we learned that once we packed all of the toys away, the kids loved playing with the boxes and bubble wrap just as much! So my first piece of advice as a parent and play therapist is to save money on store bought toys and find fun in the little things in life that you have around the house! You will save money and your kids will have the opportunity to use their imagination a little more when they play!

 

And here are some more moving tips for families with young children:

 

1. Have a plan! Set up play dates in advance with neighbors, friends, family, or even babysitters for you to get packing done! You’ll think you will get a lot done during nap time or when the kids go to bed, but nap time goes by quicker than you think and by the time you get to bedtime you might be too tired! Maybe that is just my experience, but I do believe there is truth in that. Moving takes a lot of energy – emotionally, mentally, and physically – so call your support team for help and when someone asks you what you need, take them up on it! Also have a plan for your children on moving day!
2. Take a break! Moving will consume you and will take time away from your daily routine and throw everyone off, including your children. So take regular breaks throughout the day and spend some dedicated time with your children to make sure they feel safe and “normal” under the circumstances!
3. Make the children a priority! Children are extremely resilient, but make sure you try to keep as much as you can as normal as possible during the moving period. Keep them in the same school or sports/classes as long as you can before the move. Have your regular schedule take precedence. There will be so much change happening around them, they will need some constant routines to make them feel safe and secure. This will also help keep their anxiety and fears to a minimum. And when you make the move, have closure. Say goodbye to their room, their friends, their school, etc. And when you arrive at the new house, unpack their boxes and put together their room first. The sooner their new room is back to a new normal, the better they will adjust to their new environment!
4. Prepare them! There are some great books out there to prepare children for a move. Read to them. Talk to them. Practice with them. Let them be a part of the process. Let them know as far advance as possible that are you moving and starting a transition. Kids like to be in the know and don’t like to be surprised. If they are prepared, transitions are easier! Let them know in monthly, weekly, and daily intervals leading up to the move.
5. Make your home safe! Cover your electrical outlets around the new house as soon as you move in, install your baby gates, and baby proof your home before you put away all of the items in your boxes! Putting our baby gate up was our top priority to keep our son safe!

(AD) North States sponsored this post, but all of the opinions are my own. 

North States is the leading safety gate manufacture with one mission in mind – keeping children safe. And they have numerous play yards and baby gates on their website to choose from and until the end of the month, you can use the code DRKIM20 for 20% off anything on the site!

 

The gate we chose for our new home is the Light The Way Gate! Whether you need to secure it to the wall or mount it with pressure to the side of the opening, this gate is for you! It even comes with extensions to fit the width of the stairs! Here are the Top 5 reasons we love it:

1. It lights up in the dark! The light-sensing LED will turn on when the room is dark, making it easy for you to see and open the gate at night. As the room becomes light, the LED sensor will automatically turn the light off. I can’t tell you how helpful this is in the middle of the night!
2. The gate can be locked or stay open! When we need it to be locked and shut, it is shut and locked tight. When we want it to stay open, it will stay open (as long as you swing the gate at least 90 degrees). And when we are carrying the baby or some laundry up the stairs and forget to shut the gate, as long as it’s not opened all the way, the gate will shut automatically for me! This is an amazing feature that I’ve never seen before in any of the previous gates we have owned! And I can open and shut it with one hand! It’s almost effortless!
3. It is sturdy and safe! The gate is made of metal and is thick and has a hard to climb barrier. The gate is 29.3 inches tall and I feel so secure having it at the top of my staircase. The North States brand has wonderfully quality made products. I know I am getting a great product when I use anything with their name on it.
4. It is stylish! This gate is not obtrusive and the matte bronze finish looks stylish and easily goes with our home decor. Other gates we have had in the past are eye sores but not this one! Not only does it keep my baby safe, it looks nice, too!
5. The door is wide! My husband and I rarely walk down the stairs empty handed and other gates we have owned in the past have small openings that we can barely fit through! With this gate, we easily fit through the opening with a basket of laundry, carrying our children, or bringing up those boxes that still need to be unpacked!

I honestly cannot recommend a better gate. We absolutely love this gate and we are so happy to have one!