Remember: A move isn’t over when all the boxes are unpacked, so here are 6 tips to help recently relocated families with kids of all ages get off on the right foot at school.
1. Get Organized
Any parent knows a smooth start at school begins with organization—knowing pick up times, drop off times, and after school activity times. This year, have the employee take things a step further by creating a family scheduling center. This should be something placed in the kitchen, mudroom, or other common area that houses everyone’s schedule for the week or even the month. List important contact information, and try color-coding for each family member. While the employee will be starting a new schedule at work, the spouse and children will have their own new routines to get used to as well. Stick to the schedule and keep it visible for everyone.
2. Stock Up
The weekend before the first school day, do some meal prepping and stock the refrigerator with school-friendly foods: snacks on the go, paper bag lunch items, and have employees consider stocking up on the family’s favorite foods. They call it “comfort food” for a reason! Nothing will help family members feel more at home than their favorite meals. Better yet, have the kids join in on grocery shopping and stocking of the fridge. It will give them a sense of control in their new surroundings.
3. Map It Out
How will the kids get to and from school? Suggest the employee plan any pick up or drop off routes ahead of time. While it may be as simple as a bus route or mobile navigation system in the car, it’s always a good idea for parents and the kids to know how to get from point A to B without any outside help, should any emergencies occur. Take a drive and really get to know the new area.
4. Get Involved
Lots of parents enjoy getting involved in school activities, but for new families to the area, it’s even more important. For the parents as well as the children, getting involved means surrounding themselves with others their age in the hopes of making community ties stronger and easier. However, if a tight time schedule makes getting involved at school for your employees more difficult, there’s always getting to know the neighbors. A recently relocated family should never underestimate the feeling of support from building a stable community of friends.
5. Think Ahead
For an even stronger chance of settling in at a new school, think beyond just getting through the first weeks. Have the employee ask his or her kids to set personal goals to accomplish by the end of the term. This can be a sport in which to participate, grades they want to achieve, or activities they’d like to do outside of school with new friends. Setting goals places a positive spin on a new situation and will give everyone something to look forward to while settling in.
6. Expect Roadbumps
Finally, make sure employees understand that—no matter how organized they feel about their family getting back into the swing of things—there will always be the unexpected. The best way to deal with the unexpected when the kids are still adjusting is to experience the associated feelings—anger, “home” sickness, etc.—so everyone can understand what is causing the most discomfort. This will help you make a plan to move on. Some things will be out of their control, but working through it together is the key to keeping everyone on the right track toward feeling at “home” again.
Getting ready for a new school year following a big move doesn’t have to mean chaos. The more you can prepare ahead of time at home to make things go smoothly, the fewer opportunities there are for things that can go wrong.