Here are a few common considerations for a move and tips to help your child cope.
If possible, keep your child in the same school or district.
Changing schools can be particularly difficult for children in the elementary and middle school years.
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These effects can be long-lasting and can limit the number of quality relationships in adulthood.
Keeping to your child’s current routine as much as possible can help foster a sense of stability.
Allow your child to communicate with and see their old friends whenever possible.
One study found that children who wereintrovertedwere more likely to experience lasting negative effects from a move.
This might be because introverted children have difficulty forming relationships, which moving tends to disrupt.
A child who has no peers to connect with may withdraw from school and social activities.
A physician can determine a cause and prescribe treatment, if appropriate.
It is extremely important to identify andtreat depressionearly in children.
Ask for a referral to a new provider in your new town.
This could be especially helpful if they’ve experienced past episodes of depression.
They might even have sleep disturbances, which should resolve without treatment in several days.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
A Word From Verywell
Moving can be stressful and even traumatic for kids.
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How Do Children and Adolescents Experience Depression?
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