Moving With Children
A time to be extra careful of hazards.
We don't doubt your ability as parents but included the video above as a reminder to us all that children can be vulnerable at moving time. Lack of familiarity with new surroundings, precautions you would normally have in place, their preoccupation with change, leaving friends, or schools.
- Just in case have essential medication handy and a first aid kit, can be useful for adults as well. A spare set of clothes might be unexpectedly needed and other personal items, including a few to help pass an hour or two.
- Keep children away from whatever is being moved and explain that they don't need to help take items in and out. Natural for them to wish to help but others who are moving heavy or awkward items may not see them.
- They can still help at all ages, particularly in the lead up to the move. Who better to be chief toy packer, or responsible for pets, or whatever their age dictates. Being familiar with events and involved does reduce anxiety.
- Prepare a snack box for the time scale you expect and a little longer. We hope everyone's moving day goes as planned but there can be delays, from missing keys to traffic, kitchen facilities when you arrive may also need more attention than expected.
Before you Move
Put together a separate action list.
With many things to think about, not least as moving day arrives, having precautions mapped out can avoid any being missed. Knowing the stair gate fits, spotting hazards in the home and garden, appliances, cupboards, or windows which are not as you would wish.
Your new home may not have been lived in by children, or had the precautions you would like to see in place. They will be keen to investigate and may not spot potential issues, if you can plan to remedy these as a first task, all the better.
We do appreciate you will have thought through most of the suggestions on this page and may be able to add more, which you are very welcome to suggest. Accidents do however happen on moving day more commonly than other days and no harm in avoiding them.
Our best wishes to all your family regarding your move. If that is planned, or under way, we hope the thoughts in our removal advice section helped a little. Should you need more direct support, try our pages on removals in Surrey or removals in Guildford if you are in that area.
