Son Adjusting to Move

A.,

My little dude and I live with my Mom and Dad, because at two months old he needed round the clock care and I had to stay home from work longer than planned. So, in the near future I too, will be making that move and have done tons of research on how to make the transition smoother for me little man.

Unfortunately, it all kind of says the same thing...consitency of routine, and of course positive reinforcement and love. But, one thing I have started and have done since my son was very small was special Grandparents time. It started as a means for me to get out of the house to get a haircut and has evolved into a routine all of it's own. My Mom and Dad, either together or apart plan special outings with my son, for just them. Sometimes it's the park, the zoo, or simple things like Target/Grocery store. But, it's just them and it's something my son now looks forward to.

This is also a great age for conversations. My son hasa been through a lot and I've always tried to talk to him about what's going on. As a result, he is very vocal about how he feels, and this helps us work together to get through rough patches...like trantrums or long wakeful nights.

I hope you are able to find a way back to your nights of comfort and sleep with your baby, but know this it will pass...just a little love and guidance is all you need.

Best of luck.

Hi A.,
We moved from a condo to a house when my son was 2 1/2. He complained every night for months that he wanted to go back "home" to the condo. He finally got over it by the time he was 3. Your son will too but he probably misses Grandma. Try to have him spend some quality time with her or maybe have her stay at your new house a couple of nights so he knows that he will still get to see her.

Good luck!

We moved a few months ago and my son was a little over 2 yrs old. His sleep patterns/needs changed quite a bit at that time, and it took a little while to get him back to sleeping through. He is also a cosleeper, and breastfeeder, so it was difficult, but I'm glad I stuck with tending to his needs and waiting it out.
Regarding grandma - can you do video instant messaging, or have a picture of her that he can look at frequently? You could also try pretend phone conversations.
Good luck!

It most assuredly is the move. My son and I just moved out of my parents home a few months ago. He is 5 and we are still adjusting. He went from sleeping soundly through the night in his own bed to begging to be in my room/bed every single night. I think he has slept in his own room the entire night maybe 4 times since we moved.

Moving is just as hard on the kids as it is on us. Maybe even harder because sometimes they just don't understand it. Try to keep his routine as close to the same as possible, unpack quickly and make the home as much his as it is yours. Also be sure to have Grandma come visit often in the new house and go back there. That will help him transition some and learn that it is fun at his new home.

A.,

We just made a move 6 hours away from my mother in law, whom we lived with for 2 years. Both of our daughters were born why living there. I was also a working mother at the time. The girls were both close to grandma. She was a caretaker for them most of the time when I was away. They are now 18 months old and 7 months old. The 18 month old daughter was 14 months when we moved, and the 7 month old was 3 months old.

It was a major adjustment for both girls when we moved. Grandma was not right there at every whim. She was used to picking them up each and every time they cried. My husband and I are in our first house without parents, I lived with my parents until I got married. With lots of patience and love, all of us have adjusted well to the move. The girls share a room, so they have each other to comfort the other. One wakes up and the other one "talks" to her until she goes back to sleep.

Grandma sure misses the girls, but, that makes her visits even more special to the girls when she does come or we go see her. Best of luck on the move. Remember, love and patience will make it all work.

K.

Wow, I will be going through the same situation in about 7 months. My 18 month old lives with her grandmother too! My husband and I moved in with her after my father-in-law died. We are to stay 2 years, and then move out. I can't say that she is really attached to her grandma, but she definitely fond of her. So, I'm not to sure how things will go when we move away.
Was your son very attached to his grandmother? Does he have a different routine? Maybe he needs a striker routine? Be strong when disciplining, and don't back down......ever.
Good luck!

A.,

It will take a little time for the little one to adjust... he's a baby still and his little world this is a very big big big deal and change...

Our son had trouble adjusting when we recently downsized from a 2 bedroom semi-house type home to a 1 brdm apt in a building that has 2 floors and 24 apts in our building.

His way of comparing the 2 is that we moved from a little house to a big house. Go figure what we thought was downsizing, in his little world was upgrading... b/c of the building size... funny huh...

So now when he hears someone run by, he has to see what it was through the window or we tell him it was someone walking by or our upstairs neighbor is running or their dog is jumping and that helps settle his nerves a bit.

At first he was getting startled alot and he'd start crying for no reason. it's been some 3 months since we moved and he's getting better about it.

Like I said it just takes time for them to become comfortable again... and yes, grandma is definitely part of his reaction... so just bare with him.

Good luck.

C.