Americans say moving is the most stressful event in their life, more so than divorce or even having kids, says Fox News. Add a child with special needs into the mix and it’s a lot like having to climb Mount Everest (with an arm tied behind your back). If you want to make it a smooth and stress-free event for your whole family, we recommend preparing yourself mentally and emotionally and putting extra effort into organizing things.
Falla Associates, expert real estate agents with bucketloads of moving experience, offer suggestions on how to smoothly move house when you have a child with disabilities:
Broach the Subject of the Move Cautiously
Moving can be a nerve-wracking event for children, reports Psychology Today. For them, it’s leaving behind everything comfortable and safe and venturing into the unknown. Temper tantrums, resistance, and meltdowns are common. Carefully explain the move to your child, with reassurances. Draw pictures of what it will involve so they know what to expect. Do everything you can to make them enthusiastic and happy about the – positive – event.
Collect Your Child’s Paperwork
You can’t ever afford to be lax with your child’s paperwork. You’ll need all their medical reports, records, certifications, and education plans to get them settled in quickly once you relocate. Not having an important document can cause significant delays. Gather all the paperwork and put it in a file for safekeeping and easy sharing.
Research Your Child’s Medical Options
The most overwhelming part about the move will be replacing your child’s existing support structure – the one you built up so carefully over time – with a new one. Finding the right doctors and schools, with the right kind of reputation and credentials, won’t be easy. Leave plenty of time for the research and prepare for a series of introductory visits.
Sell Your Current Home
Selling your home and buying a new one involves jumping through many hoops. You need to evaluate your credit score, figure out the financing, prepare paperwork for lenders and insurance agencies, find an appropriate estate agent, and negotiate hard. It can take weeks or months, be prepared. Finally, keep in mind you must be on point with the house-sale calculations. Include real estate agent fees, the outstanding mortgage balance, and the average sale price in your neighborhood.
Consider Your Child’s Needs When You House Hunt
Every child with disabilities will have unique needs. Some common ones include extra rooms for care equipment, accessible entrances for wheelchairs, and a sensory room where the child can let down their guard. You may not find the perfect house, but you can modify and redo a big-enough one. Again, this is a time-consuming process and requires organization and planning.
Prepare for the Move Carefully
First, consider taking your child for a tour of the new home if possible. This will take away some of the stress. Second, make setting up your child’s room a priority before you unpack anything else. This will help them settle in quickly, which will make it easier for everyone involved. Lastly, keep the things your child loves around them before, during, and after the move. This will reduce the feeling of loss associated with the event.
Take Care of the Logistics
There will be countless logistical details for you to manage. Consider making a moving checklist, which prevents you from missing important details.
- Pack or donate your old items.
- Find a good mover – they’re more than worth the investment.
- Consider child-proofing and cleaning your home.
- Ask for assistance from friends and family.
- Arrange for insurance.
- Network with the locals.
Conclusion
For the most comfortable moving experience for your child, make sure to preserve their routine and existing structure as much as possible. Familiar furniture, the same mealtime and bedtime, and favorite games and music will all keep the fear at bay. Finally, don’t forget to look after yourself when you look after your family!
