Being a military family, you move A LOT! This doesn’t usually come as a surprise to people outside of the military at first. Because it’s something that’s expected. But once they hear that this is our 6th move in 7 years, their eyes widen. And trust me, others have moved even more than that. It’s pretty wild! Then you add children in the mix and it becomes even harder. 

        This past move was our first with a child. And let me tell you…we learned so so much! I want to share some of our experience in hopes that this helps not only other military families, but any family about to make a move with children. 

         First, take the help! I hate asking for help. And this goes the same for taking help whenever friends or family offer it to me! I learned really quickly that that was a mistake. If a family member or friend can come over for moving day (even better if they can come a couple days before) do it. They can keep the kiddos busy and can keep an eye on them while you focus on the move itself. We didn’t do this and my husband basically took care of the first half of our move by himself. We did have packers and movers, but you still have to give them direction and keep on eye on them while they’re doing their job. Meanwhile, I was running around chasing my daughter, keeping her fed and out of the way of the workers. It got hard and overwhelming. 

          Second, try to keep the kids on their typical schedule/routine EXCEPT on moving/travel days. We had 2-3 travel days with this last move because we moved to a new state, and the Army typically only allows you to travel a certain amount of miles per day. On the days leading up to the travel days, we kept Ellie on her usual schedule to make sure she was well rested for the days ahead. Then on the travel days, we allowed her to sleep whenever she wanted in the car. She was so wiped from all of the change that this didn’t affect her night sleep too much if at all. 

            Third, remember that children are resilient. That’s something I’ve always heard, but until you experience it for yourself, you don’t truly get it. I was so worried about this move and how it would be on our daughter! We had our rough moments and a bit of an adjustment period, but ultimately, she handled it like a champ. I know this can be different for everyone, especially depending on age, but they will handle it better than you think. 

            Lastly, mentally prepare for things to not go as planned. I thought I had it all planned just perfectly. I had snacks… lots and lots of snacks, new toys for the car ride, movies downloaded, a music playlist, etc. But we still had things go awry. And that’s OK! We all adjusted and took our time. 

There are many more tips, but the ones mentioned above are the most important. I wish I could say I am a pro mover at this point, but I learn something new each and every time. Life as a military spouse is definitely not easy, but there’s something special we experience at each and every move we make. Whether that’s traveling, meeting new friends, or figuring out more about ourselves, we make happy memories everywhere!