Moving to a new home is usually seen as a negative experience for children, especially when they’re young. To be honest, moving houses when your child is anywhere between 4 and 18 can be a struggle. They might have lots of friends that they may no longer see, so it can really hurt them emotionally to move away and start at a new school.
Having said that, there are times when it can be beneficial to move. The thought of finding a new family home might be daunting, but it is genuinely a good idea in a range of scenarios. Packing your bags and dealing with cross-country moving could help your kids enjoy a better life.
Moving to better understand the world
There are constantly new places and ways to explore, finding new adventures to embark on. By boat or plane, children living abroad are constantly learning through language, culture, and interacting with new kids. Your children will experience a sense of wonder, excitement, and appreciation of the world. Being able to integrate into a new culture and society from an early age will expand your child’s verbal skills, knowledge, adaptability, and self-confidence.
Moving to a better neighborhood
A lot of couples will grow up or live somewhere that’s not the best place in the world. You simply choose to live there because of work commitments or the cost of living. Then, you bring a child into the world, and the place suddenly becomes pretty unsuitable. When living alone or with another adult, you can deal with troublesome neighborhoods. But, they aren’t a good place to raise your kids. In this situation, moving to a much better and more family-friendly neighborhood can help your kids grow up in a nicer environment. It might mean moving across the country, but it’s worth it for the good of your kids.
Moving to find better schools
Similarly, your child’s education should always be at the top of your priorities. If they can get a good education when they’re young, it sets them up for all the success in life. Therefore, it can be beneficial to move homes if it means you’re moving closer to better schools. The current place you live might be in a nice neighborhood, but the schools all rank pretty poorly. Instead, you should move elsewhere, giving your child a better chance of an excellent education. It is probably best to do this before they start school, so you don’t have to send them to a school and then make them leave all of their friends. You could also make the move before your child goes to middle school as a lot of their old friends might not go to the same middle school as them anyway.
Moving to escape trauma
Speaking of schools, kids can experience all sorts of things during those years. Unfortunately, not all of these experiences are positive. If your child gets bullied, it can stay with them for years and make it hard for them to go to school. In which case, moving away to a new town can be great for them. It helps them escape the trauma and start afresh - which can be so good for their mental wellbeing. Likewise, if they experience any other type of trauma when living in their current location, moving away can help them heal.
You should always take your kids into consideration when planning a move. It can be tough for them if you pack up and leave when they enjoy staying where they currently are. But, as these scenarios show, there are instances when moving will benefit them - even if you don’t want to move.
