We are about to launch a property in Bramhope. When I visited yesterday, the owner’s small daughter showed me around the property prior to staging. She was very engaging and was totally aware of what home moving home meant to her and her younger sister.

This got me thinking, that as adults moving home, you are about to move home and are enthusiastic about the future and entering a new phase of your family life. Moving house represents a transition in life and whilst the ‘grown-up’s’ in the house may focus on many of the practical elements of moving, change is easier for adults to accept than children

For a child, moving home can have a greater emotional impact, certainly in terms of the losses the move represents. This may be the loss of a safe and familiar environment, the potential of leaving friends behind, having to start again or being a new person at school. The impact can be huge, but there are ways to keep your children re-assured and enthusiastic about the future move.

• Talk to children about the move and do it at an early stage so that they have time to get used to the idea – offer re-assurance every step of the way.
• If your child can’t join you when undertaking viewings, take some photos or a video of the potential new home and the area in which it located, think about the school, play areas and outdoor space
• Discuss the new home with them, and give them lots of facts and information, not only about the new home (where they will eat, sleep and play) but the surrounding area too – use facts that are appropriate for their age group and level of understanding.
• Although children can’t get involved in the bigger aspects of the home purchase, they can get involved in helping decide on colour schemes and decorations, by doing this they will feel part of the process – have them draw pictures of how they will arrange their new room and what colours they will use – give them new pens and an album they can keep adding to.
• Moving day can be stressful for parents – children are always listening and may pick up on your anxieties, plus on this busy day, it may be a good idea for children to be with relatives or friends. If the children are with you, get them to document the move through photographs and then create a ‘moving day’ chapter for the photo album.
• Just before you leave your old home, walk through each room and say “goodbye” – this helps young children to develop closure.
• When toys are being packed into boxes, explain why and where they are going, otherwise a child may worry that they are disappearing for good.
• Don’t buy a new bed or bedding when you initially move home – this can create a feeling of insecurity – prioritise your child’s bedroom as the first to unpack
• If you have a school age child, the big question is whether they will like their new school and make new friends – if the move takes place over the summer holidays then the child has more time to get used to the idea and is making a fresh start with the rest of the children – although the child may have to spend summer without their old fiends – organise things so that children are not bored or lonely.
• Arrange for friends and family to visit – if they are too far away arrange a video call and before you leave your old home – give your child an address book, arrange a party and have each friend add to a ‘goodbye memory book’.

Once you have moved get back to the status quo as quickly as you can, children are resilient and will adapt well to the move quickly – they will almost certainly enjoy their new home and the lifestyle that goes with it as much as the old one, but by following simple steps you can ensure the lead up to the big day and beyond is stress free and one of excitement for your child.

The North Leeds area has some amazing schools, we frequently find families want to move to the area specifically for schooling. National Offer Day was last week, we hope that parents managed to secure the school of their choice for their child. If you are keen to move before the November Admission deadline for Senior schools, then now is a great time to look for a new home. If you are looking to move or sell your home then now may be an ideal time to start marketing of your property.

If you would like a free market appraisal with David Phillip FRICS then please call us on 01134 676 400 w: davidphillip.co.uk a:86, Leeds Road, Bramhope, Leeds, LS16 9AN

Covering Bramhope, Otley, Pool-in-Wharfedale, Adel and Cookridge