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How to Help Your Child Adjust to a New Home & School

August 17, 2025
Published by Garrette Custom Homes

Moving is stressful for everyone, even when it’s a positive change. For children, it can be even more upsetting, especially when they’re also changing schools. If you’re looking for new homes in Portland OR, we have an array of homes that even children will appreciate, and we have some tips to help your child make this big life change.

Breaking the news is often one of the biggest hurdles. Try to give your child a fun day out and then tell them about the move after you return home. Try to make it sound like a positive experience with new things to look forward to, but also let them be upset and even angry. Most of all, be open with them and encourage them to ask questions.

There are a variety of books aimed at children that focus on moving to a new home, city, and school. By giving these books to your children, they may be able to relate to and understand what is happening more easily when seen from another child’s perspective.

Give your children a chance to see their friends and visit favorite spots one last time, if it will help them. A chance to say farewell and make a last memory may help them feel more in control.

When packing, make sure you keep some favorite toys set aside to take with you, rather than packing them all up in boxes. This gives your child something familiar and comforting to focus on during the move.

When it comes to your new home, let your child get involved, going through final walk-throughs and especially decorating their new room. Even just picking out paint colors and deciding where they want their furniture makes them feel more involved. When it comes to unpacking, try to get your child’s room unpacked and set up first if possible if they’re young so they have a safe space while the rest of the home is set up.

If they’re changing schools, set up an opportunity for your child to visit the school and walk around, getting a feel for the new campus and their classrooms. Make sure they visit the cafeteria, library, and other important places, as well as where they will be picked up/dropped off or take the school bus. The more familiar it is, the more comfortable they will be on their first day.

Try to let your kids stay in touch with their old friends, even if just over the internet, but also make an effort to arrange playdates with new friends. Look for places outside of school, too, where your kids can meet and play with other kids.

By getting your child involved as much as possible, while also sticking with usual schedules, such big changes become more manageable. To help you find the right new homes in Portland OR for your whole family, contact Garrette Custom Homes today!

Categorized in: How to Help Your Child Adjust to a New Home & School, Things To Do

This post was written by Garrette Custom Homes