Moving Books for Kids

[SuzySunshine]

Anyone have any suggestions for books on moving for the kids? I'm really trying to do a better job then I did last year and I want both kids to be happy and excited about the new move and the new adventure. I know they'll be sad but I'm hoping for an easier transition...

There are literally like a dozen books on Amazon, I don't know where to begin, so if anyone has any suggestions I'd appreciate it. A is 4 and R is 2.

[SoonerTexan]

Orlando's Little While Friends is one my mom used for moving years ago. I still remember it.

[Auspicious]

H brought me one of our moving books to read this morning-- reminded me of this thread I never responded to.

I like We're Moving by Heather Maisner and the Berenstain Bears Moving Day.

Didn't find Boomer's Big Day to be worth it.

And the Usborne Moving House is just okay. That one just kind of lays out what events happen in a move but doesn't empathize with the emotions of moving like the other two books do.

Anyway, you've probably already resolved this, but I kept meaning to respond to this one.

[SuzySunshine]

I appreciate that Julie, I think I ended up with 4-5 books. I have them but haven't given them to the kids yet because I want to read them first and haven't gotten around to that. I need to do that tonight.

[Ladybug]

Put together some quick photo books on snapfish (etc.) too. She'll enjoy taking the pictures, documenting, remembering and talking through the process, looking back, etc.

You're a thoughtful mom. I promise you'll get through this phase. It's extremely difficult, but it's not forever...Thank God!

[GrayMatterWife]

DS (7) LOVES MAPS! I have shown him on a map the cities where we are considering going. And we talk about the geography, topography, history, etc. of the regions, to help him imagine it. I plan to have him help me "map out" our road trip to move!

I am not sure if that would help with your A, and it definitely wouldn't help with R. But with A, you might be able to do a modified version of it, showing her pictures of KC famous sites, the state flag, talk about the weather, etc. As soon as you close on a house, give her a picture of it, and of her room. Anything that would help her visualize what's coming.

And take her to Target or somewhere to pick out new bedding and a lamp or something for her brand new room!

[Deebs]

Totally forgot about maps! We did this - starting with our move when DD was 4. I marked where we lived, where we were going, and where close family/friends were located. She got it and it really helped to see hat while she was moving away from friends, she was moving closer to family.

[SuzySunshine]

She also loves maps that is a good idea, we did that when we moved here. She will get to paint her room, she picked all new bedding when we moved here, not sure she'll want to change them already.


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[ms.conception]

There is a Berenstain Bears book about a Move. I think it's called The Berenstain Bears moving day. Our kids LOVE those books. They're boring and stupid, but they all have a feel good message in them. It's amazing how quickly young kids adjust. We moved 18 months ago and the same afternoon that we were in our new house our then 7yr old was next door talking to the new neighbours and our then 2yr old was calling it his new house. There were no feelings of longing for our old place, except by the hubster and I.

[alison]

Go to the library and ask a children's librarian! They know everything.

[Urowife]

SuzySunshine - which books did you end up buying? My DD (almost 3) really responds to reading books over and over and discussing how they apply to our lives, so I'd like to get a couple for our move in a few months. I'm looking into the ones that were posted already!

[SuzySunshine]

So I've decided on these 3 books.

http://www.amazon.com/Moving-First-T.../dp/0753457393

http://www.amazon.com/Berenstain-Bea...9196521&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Boxes-Everywhe.../dp/031070815X

I think they should all be good for my 2 and 4 year olds. DH and I were talking about it tonight though and we're wondering when we should start reading them. The movers will come 8 weeks from tomorrow. I don't want to start to early but I also don't want to start to late.

Any suggestions??

[Deebs]

We have the first one and it's great. You know your own kids, so you'll have a good idea of when to start. If you start packing things up at all, I'd at least introduce one so that they don't think you're just getting rid of your stuff. I think I've probably mentioned this, but we've always kept the focus on the fact that we're all going together. Our move has always been within reasonable distance (the furthest was 13 hours by car, I think), so this may not work for you, but

I put a rubbermaid bin in my kids' rooms. I told them that if there was anything they were worried about leaving behind or not having right away, to put it in there and it would travel with us (you could do the same with a suitcase). I reminded them that all of our things would come to our new house, but that I wanted them to have their most special things right with them. It helped.

[peggyfromwastate]

We have all those books. And then some. They are part of our regular books. Lol.

I would say start talking now. They already know something is up (A does anyway) and the more time they have to process the better. It might be really anticlimactic though-- you might say-- we are moving, and they say... Oh, can I watch TV?

Honestly the easiest thing about my move this summer has been sthat the kids have known we are moving for years. No drama there. They all knew we would move, and it's just not a big deal to them. It's just a different house. And the love the storage unit we rented for thinning our stuff. They think it's so fun to go there. Maybe my kids are weird. I don't know.

[Auspicious]

Every time I have any plan of when to start talking to the kids about something, there's some *other* time where it comes up naturally anyway.