Get Ready! The Grandkids Are Moving In!!
See Below: TIPS, IDEAS & SUGGESTIONS WHEN GRANDKIDS MOVE IN
This Post is About Important Tips When Grandkids Move In with Grandparents and Finding Comfort in Their New Surroundings.
7 Tips to Prepare Your Home When Grandkids Move In
Grandchildren living with grandparents can be challenging. Here are 7 important tips when grandkids move in. Ready or Not, here they come!!
Living with Grandparents Instead of Parents
Although our grandkids used to visit my husband and me frequently, we typically only made quick accommodations to have them for one or two nights.
But, after gaining legal custody, our two grandchildren, were moving into our home. Living in our house. Where would we put them? Unfortunately, at that time, we were not prepared to have two young children in our home.
Regardless of our lack of preparation, they were moving in, so we needed to get ready quickly. Here are some tips we used for preparing our house for our grandkids.
This post may include affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. For full disclosure read here.
Rearranging Space for the Grandkids
After our adult children moved out, we utilized much of the bedroom space for other purposes; an office, a guest room, a craft room.
One of our daughters returned home to stay with us after spending a couple of years on the west coast. (I was always secretly jealous of her living her best life on the California coast!)
But, when she came home, she decided to go back to college to obtain another degree, so with an empty house, we welcomed her home. Honestly, it was nice to have her back!
Making Grandchildren Feel at Home in your Home
When grandchildren make an unexpected or expected move into a grandparent’s home, with or without their parents, they generally sense something unusual.
Regardless of how young the children are, they understand this type of change may be difficult to get used to.
When grandchildren are moved without their parents, they have additional fears and worries about their family’s future. Typically, they don’t and can’t understand if their family structure will ever be the same as it was before the move.
Regardless of the specific situations in which your grandchildren are moving in with you, an honest and direct conversation is needed. Children should be informed about all of the expected changes in their lives.
Will they be moving schools? Where are their parents? How long will I be living here? These are all important and valid questions children need to know.
Being as open as possible with children will help them understand the reasons for their current situation. Since they will be experiencing many changes, they should be included in conversations, even at a young age.
Our Grandson’s Experience Moving In
But now, our two grandkids were moving in. That meant we needed to quickly restructure our living & bedroom spaces to accommodate them. My grandson was 12 years old, nearly 13 at the time, and needed his privacy.
Growing up, he spent a lot of time alone and often took care of his own needs. He was very independent but struggled with social skills. He was and is, a funny kid with a great sense of humor, but also a great sense of anger.
So, it was important for us to try to become more connected to him. My husband and I rearranged our third floor for his bedroom. He had his own large space and his own bathroom. He loved it and felt very comfortable living with MomMom & PopPop.
Our Granddaughter’s Experience Moving In
Our granddaughter was only 8 years old when she moved in with us. She was scared and anxious. She missed her Mom but knew she needed to get therapeutic support.
My husband and I transferred our extra space into her room. Once it was set up she loved it! She was excited to have her own bed and area she could call her own.
The BIG problem was, she suffered from too much anxiety to be alone. Sadly I was unaware of her deep-rooted trauma and insecurities, which I quickly learned.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to sleep on her own or even be by herself in a room, including the bathroom. At night I read to her and snuggled with her until she would fall asleep. Yet, most nights she woke up with night terrors, which took me right back into her room for the rest of the night.
Over the months, she eventually felt more comfortable being in her bedroom alone, but it took lots of time and a lot of therapy! For support information for children suffering from fear and anxiety see GRANDPARENTS UNDERSTANDING FEAR AND ANXIETY IN CHILDREN.
Since then, both grandkids have adjusted well to living with MomMom and PopPop. I think they truly enjoy living in our house. They were and are here to stay. This is their home!
Shopping Ideas When Grandkids Move In
Here are Some Excellent Options for Bedroom Furniture Ideas:
Some purchase opportunities when rearranging to accommodate when your grandkids move in may be TJ Max for small furniture and kids clothing. Other ideas for kids clothes are: The Children’s Place, Aeropostale, American Eagle, Hanes and OshKosh B’Gosh.
For girls accessories, try Claires, and The Disney Store.
Shoes & other items for boys & girls: Finish Line and Kohl’s.
Looking for Storage Organizers to Help Keep Your Space Clean and Tidy When Grandkids Move In?
Other Necessary Supplies Needed When Grandkids Move in:
For more information about what you may need when grandkids move in see 5+ BASIC NEEDS OF A CHILD MOVING IN WITH GRANDPARENTS.
This Post is About Important Tips When Grandkids Move In with Their Grandparents.
This post may include affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you. For full disclosure read here.
TIPS, IDEAS & SUGGESTIONS WHEN GRANDKIDS MOVE IN
- When grandkids move into your home it is emotional for both you and the children. Be sure to give them their own space, but stay close by to give them a sense of security. They may not act scared, but believe me, they are!
- Give your grandchildren LOTS of love, affection, and attention. They need to know that you are there for them no matter what they do or how they behave.
- Touching their arms, rubbing their back, and giving them hugs shows them you care. Don’t be afraid to be overly affectionate when they first move in. They may need extra love. Let them be your guide.
- Don’t overly fret about the cleanliness of their room. Yes, they do need to respect their environment, but be sure to not panic if clothes are left on the floor.
- When giving cleaning instructions, be extremely specific, such as; please pick up all of the clothes on the floor and put them in the hamper. Please throw all of the trash in the trash can. They may not have the tools to know exactly what you mean if you only say, “Clean your room”. See this detailed Chore Chart.
- Make sure they have space for their new things and their old things. If they have sentimental items from their previously home, be sure to make space for those items and allow them to be visible. They may only last a short while, but the kids will decide in their own time when they want to let them go. Memories from the past are important. Don’t deny or ignore them.
- BE PATIENT!! Your Grandkids may have not had structure throughout their life time. It may take time for them to get use to the new rules of your house. Give them love and support to find their way to feeling comfortable in your home.
