While the first day in your new home may be an exciting one for your kids as they run around claiming spaces, rooms and bathrooms as their own, they may change their tune when it comes to the first night. That new bedroom they called ‘dibs’ on earlier in the day, may seem a little unsettling once the lights go out. To ease the transition from their old room to their new room, try these little tricks:
Unpack Their Rooms First
While you may be anxious to get your new kitchen in order, for your own sanity unpack your kids’ rooms first. Once the question of who gets what bedroom is decided, the quicker you can help them make it theirs, the better. In fact with a little luck, your kids will hide out there for a good part of the day organizing their toys, books and clothes.
Who Doesn’t Want to Sleep in a Fort?
With all those boxes and blankets scattered and piled throughout the house, your answer to ‘the coolest bedroom ever’ is all around you. Your kids can literally build the fort of their dreams and call it home for one (or maybe a few!) nights. You can pack it with pillows, blankets, toys and stuffies, and it will be like camping in the living room! Visit them periodically with a few snacks and drinks, and they’ll be living like kings and queens.
Bedtime? What Bedtime?
If you think you’re going to be following some sort of routine when it comes to turning your kids in for the night, you’re probably going to be disappointed. Bathroom toiletries may be missing in action, pajamas could be in a box in the garage and is the bed even assembled? Instead of trying to carve out a formal bedtime, make it kids’ choice. They’ll eventually nod off on a beanbag or a pallet of blankets out of the way. You can give them a flashlight and a well-loved toy and let them control their own sleep destiny for the first night. Remember….this isn’t forever. It’s a treat to help them get comfy in their new surroundings.
Picnic in the Living Room
Let’s face it. On the first day in a new home, all bets are off on formal dining, so celebrate this unconventional set up. Throw a blanket on the floor, plug in a nearby lamp, use boxes as tables and dine on the floor with your kids’ favorite takeout. By the time dinner rolls around, you’re going to be exhausted, so this simple picnic in the house may be just what you need to recharge for the next wave of unpacking.
The first night in your new house is something very special and should be celebrated! If your kids see your positive energy and excitement, they will feel it too. If you’re buying a new home, make sure they have a chance to visit and even help with some of the design decisions along the way – from the purchase to the completion – so it really feels like theirs on move-in day. Cornerstone Communities has many new homes to see and consider for your forever home. Visit our website to see which house could be yours!