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Author Gwen Payne
When relocating to a new home, everyone hopes for a stress-free move. However, between hours of packing, unloading, and setting up your new home, the process is often filled with ups and downs. If you have a child facing one or more disabilities, the moving process often becomes far more challenging and anxiety-provoking. Ensuring that they are both safe and happy while relocating needs to become the #1 priority.
Thankfully, there are tips that you can use from start to finish to make the moving process smooth for both you and your child. Love Certified invites you to explore top strategies below.
Research homes with accessibility features
When researching important details such as home prices, school districts, and the like, also look for homes that already have the accessibility features you need. Even though they can be difficult to find, there are homes with features such as wheelchair ramps, chair lifts (for two-story homes), and other essential accessibility modifications.
If you are having a challenging time finding for-sale properties with these kinds of features, enlist the assistance of a realtor. Your realtor will have a firm grasp on the available homes in your chosen neighborhood, and which ones come with accessibility modifications.
Renting instead of buying? That’s no problem. Sites like Apartment List can help you find apartments in Denver that fit your needs and lifestyle. You can search by number of bedrooms, price, and neighborhood, giving you a bit more control over the properties you’re searching for.
Explore available accessibility modifications and costs
If you are unable to find a home that already has the accessibility modifications that you need for your child, you can opt to have them installed after closing. Research contractors in the area you’ll be moving to, and start calling around for quotes. Instead of waiting until you move into your home to do this, it is much more cost-efficient to get quotes prior to making an offer. Once you know how much the modifications will cost, you can factor this into how much you spend on your new home.
Begin discussing the move with your child as early as you can
If your child is on the autism spectrum, start having conversations about the move as early as possible. Change (both small and large) can be a massive hurdle for children who are on the spectrum, and can cause panic attacks and behavioral issues. Keep them comfortable and relaxed by having early and frequent discussions about moving. Also, show pictures of the new house and provide details of the move when possible.
Work with a counselor if your child is struggling with the idea of moving
In the event that your child is having a tough time coping with the idea of moving, schedule an appointment with a licensed counselor. Counselors — especially those who specialize in working with children — can give your child effective tools for working through their emotions.
Over the course of a few weeks, your child can learn emotional-regulation skills and how to better express their feelings. This can be powerful in helping them handle such a big life transition.
Set up all needed modifications and your child’s room in advance
No matter what disabilities your child faces, setting up all necessary modifications in advance is crucial in helping them stay safe and feel comfortable. Schedule all remodels, upgrades, and installations well in advance of your actual move date. This is especially crucial for features such as fences, ramps, and anything else that is pertinent to their safety and ability to move around easily.
Also, be sure to set up their room prior to them arriving at the house. Having familiar items can go a long way in helping your child adjust to their new surroundings.
Advanced preparation is key to a stress-free move when you have a child with disabilities. Planning out everything as much as you can will give you the greatest degree of control throughout the entire process.
Love Certified Child Care provides a number of services for parents, including babysitting, long-term child care, child care consulting, and even virtual child care. To get the process started, fill out this form so we can learn more about you and your family.
