Happy Moving!

Yes, relocating is challenging. But you can make it easier for your kids with smart suggestions from a mom who moved continents, two kids in tow. 

- Geetika Sasan Bhandari

GOODBYES have never been easy. But when you’ve just packed up a home that’s been lived in for 28 years, sent off a container with 104 pieces by sea freight, and packed 19 pieces of luggage to go with you, goodbye seems like the easy part. Ask me!

But truth be told, it’s not just the physical sorting and packing, or the new schools and homes to settle into, it’s also the emotional upheaval that the family goes through—especially the children. With old friends and nurturing teachers left behind, kids sometimes feel the pressure of relocation more intensely than adults do. The good news is, most of them, barring a few sensitive ones, are rather resilient, and cope well with it.

We’ve seen this happen. We shifted from Gurugram to Lagos, Nigeria, two months ago, which is not just a city away, but an entire continent away. Our container has not yet arrived and we’re managing with the things we brought along or have bought, but the kids (a 10-year-old and a 6-year-old) are doing well. And it’s not me; others have noticed this too!

They’re well-settled in school, neck deep in activities and sports, and have a smattering of friends. My 6-year-old even has a ‘best friend’. But do we have super smart, emotionally well balanced children who just went from Gurugram to Lagos in a whoosh without batting an eyelid? Definitely not. They have the same tantrums, and the same issues as every other child. But then, we did a few things to ease them through this transition. Try out these moves to see if they work for you.

sensitize them to the new environment