Reno Relocation : New home, new school

Moving to a new home can create stress and excitement for both parents and children. We recommend using a lot of communication in the process. Let your children participate in as much as possible--from the home search, to selecting a real estate agent, to moving in. Children, even as young as 3 and 4 years old, can contribute a lot. They can surf through pictures of home and quickly indicate their preferences. You might be relieved to find that your child is more interested in that house with the pink bedroom than the house with the pool, or that your child would rather have that big tree in the back yard than the 3 car garage. If your child feels included in the process, she'll have a chance to give valuable input that will make the move less stressful.

Walk your child through the steps of saying good-bye to the old home and neighborhood. If the move is across several states or cities, you may want to brainstorm a list of friends or parks to visit one last time. Let your child blow a kiss, give hugs or verbally say good-bye. And then talk about how you'll be needing to find new parks and new friends in the new location.

Giving your child the words will boost their confidence. Teach your child the words for the relevant cities and states: Reno, Nevada.

The first stop in your new town should be the library and the park nearest to your home. These can act as a home base, not only in this town, but in any future relocations.

Restore your child's room with the favorites: blanket, stuffed toy, picture on the wall, night light. Show your child that it can be exciting to get NEW things, as well as rely on the cherished favorites. You don't need to be in a hurry to unpack all the toys or decor. Allow your child (and yourself) to slowly integrate into the new home. Take advantage of those open, empty spaces in those first few weeks, and fill them with quality family time rather than furniture!

Welcome to the neighborhood!