During my time as an estate agent, I have helped many families find their perfect family home. Along the way, I have learned a few things about how to help children feel as excited about moving home as you do.

Children often feel anxious when they are told that they are going to be moving home. They worry about whether they will like their new house, will they still be close enough to their friends to see them, will they have to move schools? Like all of us, they simply need to be able to talk through their worries and get some answers to their questions, so I always recommend taking time to sit down with them and listen to their worries and opinions.

Giving your children some autonomy over little decisions such as the colour you are going to paint their new bedrooms and the furniture they would like to put in them can help to give them a sense of control. This can help alleviate the anxiety they may be feeling about moving somewhere new.

I am a great fan of taking your children on a viewing to see their new home. It makes them feel like they have helped choose which property they are going to live in and lets them picture where they are going to be moving to.

However, if at all possible (and I do realise it isn’t always possible), I recommend avoiding taking them on your first viewings. This will allow you to concentrate on looking around the properties and will avoid a potential situation where your child may fall in love with a house and you don’t!

Once you have had an offer accepted on a property, it can be a lovely idea to take your children on a tour of the local area. That way, you can all find out where all the local parks are, where a nice cafe is, and if there are any exciting activities nearby. This will help to turn a worrying experience into an exciting one, as they already know where some things are, so moving home doesn’t feel so daunting.

Make sure on moving day that you pack their most important belongings into a bag that they can keep with them. That way, even when the moving truck is unloaded at the new house and they are surrounded by boxes, they will still be able to cuddle and play with their favourite toys without having to worry about which box they are in.

I am always delighted to help your children feel involved in finding their new home. If you would like me to help you to find your whole family their perfect new home please give me a call on 07920 097 175 or send me an email to linda.stringer@exp.uk.com.