Hi Everyone! We currently have our house for sale and are hoping to build our "dream home" after we sell. Since we're not brave enough to start building before we sell, we'll have some transition time between closing on our home and moving into our new home while we build. During that time we'll be living with my parents - whom our daughter just loves!
My two questions are:
1) Our daughter has just gotten to a point where when we are driving home from daycare and get near our house she says "home! home!" and gets very excited. When we are certain places and she is ready to go she will tell us "Mommy, go home now?" How do we help her understand (once the time comes) that isn't our home anymore?
--and--
2) I'm sure, loving my parents the way she does, she will be very attached to them after living there (we'll probably be there around 6 months). How do I help her transition into our new home when it will be just us again?
My neighbor did the same thing over the summer (they are the Grandparents). Their son, daughter-in-law & 3 year old daughter moved in with them over the spring and summer so they could build. I remember in the beginning (about a week or two) she said it was hard on her grand-daughter, mostly at bedtime. But after that she was fine! Congrats on building your dream home!!!!
We did this same thing two years ago...we sold our house, moved in with my parents, and then started looking for a new one. What we did to make the move easier on our son and daughter, who were 3 and 1 at the time, was to have their room and as many toys as we didn't pack set up prior to them arriving at my parent's house. I think they understood and were calm seeing all of their familiar things and their bedding all set up and knowing that we were staying there...but that their important things were still around and remained the same. When we moved to our new house we did the same thing.
As for leaving your parent's house, it'll be just fine....after a small adjustment. My children love my parents too and now appreciate their visit even more now that we've moved from their house.
Children are resilient and your daughter will be just fine. Best of luck with the house selling and building! What an exciting year you'll have!
Make sure that she sees your house empty once you move out. That really helped our daughter when we moved. When she saw that all of her things and her bed was no longer there, there was a sigh of relief. Good Luck!
Congrats on building your new home!! :) It's good that you've taken the precaution not to be without a home while you sell. :)
When I lived near my folks, my son's daycare used to be a few blocks from my old apartment, and my parents' house. He knew (even at a year and a half) that we were near Nonna and Nonno's house (my folks) and would ask to see them every evening. We moved about 10 miles away after we completed our lease, and he still asked about them at dinner time (when he'd normally see them). I let him call them at supper time or bed time, whenever he wanted to talk. After a few weeks, we let it slip till just bedtime for saying good-night.
All I can say is keep a positive attitude about your new home. Let your enthusiasm for your new house carry over into all aspects of her life. Even though she's young, let her pick out her new curtains or paint color for her room; or sheets, stuffed animals, or a new pair of pajamas. When she does, let her call your parents to say "Hey Nana, look what I just got!!". It gives her a form of control over a new atmosphere, and you get to have the joy of watching her make her new home her own. :)
Congrats again on finding your Dream Home! :)
