After the move, get involved with the children in activities of the local church or synagogue, PTA, scouts, YMCA, etc. If a son or daughter is a senior in high school, consider the possibility of letting him or her stay with a trusted family until the school year is over. Let children participate in designing or furnishing their room. Help children keep in touch with friends from the previous neighborhood through telephone, letters, e-mail, and personal visits. Frequent moves or even a single move can be especially hard on children and adolescents.
Studies show children who move frequently are more likely to have problems at school.
Moves are even more difficult if accompanied by other significant changes in the child's life, such as a death, divorce, loss of family income, or a need to change schools. Moves interrupt friendships. To a new child at school, it may at first seem that everyone else has a best friend or is securely involved with a group of peers. The child must get used to a different schedule and curriculum, and may be ahead in certain subjects and behind in others. This situation may make the child stressed, anxious or bored.