Moving with kids is always an immense challenge. Not only do you have to organize and conduct myriads of tasks yourself, but you also need to give your best to make this transition as stress-free as possible. If you have decided it’s high time you made a change in your life and you are to become a Florida resident soon, choosing Fort Lauderdale for your new home location is an excellent choice. Your family will enjoy ample sunshine, breathtaking beaches, thrilling outdoor activities, and so much more. To help you complete this relocation smoothly and hassle-free, we offer you a comprehensive list of all the things you need to know when moving to Fort Lauderdale with kids.

Choose among the best Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods for families

As is the case in any other city around the globe, in Fort Lauderdale there are neighborhoods that are more family and kid-friendly than others. Hence, take your time to make a smart choice regarding the address of your new home. If you asked the locals for advice, here are the neighborhoods they would most probably suggest:

• Coral Ridge
• Birch Park Finger Streets
• Edgewood
• Bal Harbour
• Victoria Park
• Lauderdale Isles

Analyze the wishes, needs, and requirements of your family and make the final choice. The sooner you decide the better especially if you need to organize a move across the state. Remember, a relocation takes a lot of time, and, when moving with kids, you will need a lot of it to help your children say goodbye to what they used to call home.

Problems you will encounter when moving to Lauderdale with kids

Whenever they have to leave their comfort zone, kids feel insecure and stressed out. They will need immense support to overcome all their doubts and fears regarding the upcoming move to Fort Lauderdale. Some of the problems you will certainly encounter during the process involve:

• Unwillingness to leave their current home – The older the kids the more difficult this seems to be. It is of utmost importance for you to be supportive, patient, and show understanding for all their fears regarding the unknown they are heading to.
• Saying goodbye to their friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. – Being „ a new kid“ in a neighborhood or at a new school is never easy. It takes time to make some new friends again and feel comfortable in the new surroundings.
• Adaptation after relocation – Depending on the age of your kids, you will have to apply different strategies to help them adapt to their new home location more easily. For example, exploring a guide for Fort Lauderdale newcomers and making plans about some exciting adventures might be helpful if your kids are old enough to participate. The sooner they get to know their new neighborhood the better they will feel.

Organize a kid-friendly relocation

To organize a kid-friendly relocation to Fort Lauderdale, start well in advance. Communication is vital and it is essential for you not to allow the moving stress to affect the way you communicate with your children. Let them express their feelings, tell you their opinions on certain aspects of the change you are all going through, and look for solutions together when necessary.

Generally, there is a practice a great majority of parents in a situation like this use. It involves several steps and is very helpful to prepare your kids for what is coming. Here is how you should approach the problem of organizing a kid-friendly relocation.

Have an honest conversation with your kids

Hiding that the move is inevitable is a very bad strategy. Be open with your kids. Explain why changing your home location is necessary. Try to emphasize the pros of this decision and show a positive attitude toward this new stage in your lives. Of course, this is easier said than done, so arm yourself with a lot of patience to answer a whole set of questions your kids may have. Be positive because your attitude is what they will scan to form their own opinion about the endeavor you are about to commence.

Let your kids help with the packing

Kids would want to be included in such an important event in their family. Depending on their age, you might let them help with the packing. They could declutter their own rooms and pack the items they want to see at the new home.

If however your kids are too young for this task, you will have to deal with the packing yourself. Unfortunately, the perfect timing for this activity is the night while they are all asleep. Otherwise, you will experience a genuine one-step-forward-and-two-steps-back experience.

Leave some of the decisions to them

Most probably, your kids will want to make some decisions regarding their rooms at a new home. Let them choose the colors for the walls, for example, or some pieces of furniture. They will feel important and in control of the whole process, which will significantly boost their confidence and make the transition easier.

Organize a farewell party

For some kids, saying goodbye to their friends prior to the relocation is necessary, for others - huge stress. Decide whether organizing a farewell party is a good idea given your circumstances. Maybe, if possible, organizing a housewarming party instead would be a much more intelligent choice. It is all up to you and the needs and wants of your children.

Get a babysitter on a moving day

If your kids are very young, having a babysitter on a moving day is an excellent solution. Seeing all those movers around the house and witnessing all that hustle and bustle may be very disturbing for them. Instead, they could go for a walk, enjoy the time outdoors, or play with other children in the park. Similarly, if you are taking your pet to Florida as well, you will need to hire a petsitter and apply the same strategy.

A simple gift at a new home is an excellent ice breaker

A simple gift at a new home will be a nice surprise for your kids. This small detail might help them forget about the great sadness they certainly feel for leaving their former home. Do your best to turn relocation into a thrilling adventure instead of a reason to despair.

Explore and enjoy!

Once moving to Fort Lauderdale with kids comes to its end, you can relax, explore, and enjoy the city. Fort Lauderdale has a lot to offer to the young and the elderly alike. In recent years, the city has gone through a great change from a partying haven for college students to a family-friendly place. By moving here with your family, you have made a very good choice.