How I'm Prepping My Son For A New Home

Hey, Ready To Dad Crew!

We're thrilled to have you here! If you enjoy today's content and aren't subscribed, sign up below to receive our latest updates.

Already a subscriber? Fantastic! Please enjoy and consider sharing this newsletter with a friend who might benefit from these insights. Your support helps to grow the Ready To Dad community and continues to bring you valuable content.

Thanks for being part of our journey!

In This Week’s Newsletter:

• Quote of The Week - What I love most about fatherhood is the opportunity to be a part of the development process of a new life. - Seal

• Javaree Talks - How I’m making a move smoother for my son

• In The News - Cash parents, Meta updates,

JAVAREE TALKS

Helping My Preschooler Through a Move

Next week, my family are moving from one house to another. We’re preparing for move, and I want to ensure my preschooler transitions smoothly to his new home. While he’s excited about his new room and bed, he’ll miss the familiar space where he’s created so many memories with family and friends. Here’s how we're helping him—and how you can apply these techniques to other transitions, like bedtime and bathroom routines.

1. Create Routines: Children thrive on consistency. Establishing predictable routines for daily transitions, like bedtime or leaving for school, provides a sense of security for the child which is allow a priority. This security can reassure us that our son is well-prepared for the transition. For our move, we’ve created a moving day routine, including packing his favorite toys last and setting up his new room first on the day of the move.

2. Preview and Countdown: Communicate upcoming changes clearly and in advance. Role-playing and countdowns (e.g., “In 10 minutes, we’ll start packing up the toys. In 5 minutes, we'll put bubbles in the tub for your bath”) help children prepare emotionally, reducing anxiety around transitions. We’ve been talking to our son about the move daily, showing him pictures of the new house, walking by the new house, and counting down the days until we move.

3. Use Visual and Auditory Cues: Songs and visual aids can make transitions fun and engaging. For younger children, a simple song can signal it’s time to clean up. At the same time, visual schedules can help all children understand and anticipate the steps involved. We’ve created a visual with pictures of the moving process, from packing to setting up the new room.

4. Ensure Attention: Connecting with our child ensures they know about the transition, which might mean making eye contact, gently touching their shoulder, or having them repeat back instructions, especially for children who may struggle with attention.

5. Use Rewards and Positive Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement encourages desired behaviors. Use small rewards or praise to celebrate successful transitions. Over time, as children develop better habits, these rewards can be phased out.

6. Appropriate Consequences: If a transition doesn’t go smoothly, remain calm. Ignoring minor resistance while using appropriate consequences for significant misbehavior helps children understand boundaries without escalating the situation. We focus on staying relaxed and redirecting our son’s attention when he gets upset about the move.

7. Praise Good Transitions: We recognize and celebrate when transitions go well and look to be specific in your praise, highlighting what your child did that was desired. We do this to reinforce positive behavior and build confidence in his decision-making. We make it a point to celebrate each successful step in the moving process with our son, acknowledging his efforts and cooperation.

IN THE NEWS

DAD JOKE OF THE WEEK

How do you make a tissue dance?
.
.
.
.
.
You put a little boogie in it!