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December 2, 2012 marked six years to the day since I had arrived in San Diego to live with my new husband. In 2006, I simply had a couple suitcases and all intentions of making a life with this near stranger. Six years later; I had.
My husband Andrew and I are a military couple, and our two children make us a military family. On December 2, 2012; it was just me, the hubby and our daughter Keira, preparing to move across the country to Norfolk, Virginia. We had one car, one child, and one dog, but a whole lot of memories. The move was bittersweet. Our family was moving to my favorite coast and I couldn't be happier. However, we were also leaving behind six years of friendships, joys, and memories.
I'm getting sappy, so let's get to the good stuff; how we survived this 3 day trip with a toddler. Keira was 2 ½ and thankfully a pretty calm child. When Jen asked me to write on this topic...I realized just how easy we had it. Preparing for the move was a whole other story.
Would the movers lose our stuff? Would we have to change a tire in the middle of I-8 on a cold December night? What if we lost Boo bear, our daughter's favorite bear? How was I going to sleep in the same bed with our daughter? I never could because she constantly moved around.
Preparing for a cross country move with small children can be an anxiety-filled adventure. Step 1 should be making your local CVS your first stop to pick up those anxiety pills your old doctor prescribed. But....we'll be real. Moving across country with children doesn't have to be difficult. Here are 5 Ways to Keep your Sanity while Moving with Children:
Let Your Significant Other handle the Big Stuff: This is what the old saying, “the wife's job is to mother the children”, really means. Your spouse or whoever is helping you move, should be responsible for moving the big stuff. If you're military; this means they set up the movers (the movers pack), and you take care of the kids.
Pack Activity Bags: Go to the store and pick out bins or bags that the kids can decorate. While the movers are packing up the boxes, this helps keep the children out of the way...and they are doing something for themselves. Take the kids to the dollar store...think Dollar Tree...and set a budget. Then, let them pick out fun toys and games for the car ride. **Important: DO NOT LET THEM PLAY WITH THEM UNTIL YOU LEAVE* Be sure to grab your own bag of toys, so you can use them to trade out in the car.
Invest in a DVD player for the Car: Sure, it can be expensive...get used to it. Both kids...and moving are EXPENSIVE. Having a few DVDs, and even headphones will make your trip go crazy smooth.
Buy a Few New Chapter Books (if you have older kids): This one is if you have older kids....or wait; who are we kidding? Your kids will be strapped in their car seats...read to the babies too. Chapter books not only help time pass by, but it's great for family bonding and enhancing your child's vocabulary.
Give Yourselves Time to Stop: I think this is the most important one. We are often so busy with the stress of life, that we forget to stop and enjoy the blessings right in front of us. Whether you are moving across the country, or just a few hours away...STOP, and enjoy the things in between. You'll never have this moment with your children again....unless you move again...but you get my point. Enjoy what is around you. The breaks will be wonderful for your kids, and for you.
The tips listed above are just a small idea of how to keep your sanity while moving with children. Just remember that people do it every day, and to just breath. Embrace the experience and know that you CAN do this.
You can check her out over at Not Your Traditional Family
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