For all the parents out there, let’s cut to the chase – no matter if they are five or thirty-five, your children will always seem like children to you. You raised them, you dealt with them throwing tomato sauce all over your new curtains, at the end of the day, you probably care for them a whole lot.
Thanks to all of these reasons, it can either be very difficult, or very easy, to say goodbye to your kid, when it finally becomes the time for them to move out and get a place of their own. Every bird must spread it’s wings eventually, and take all of it’s belongings, including it’s obnoxiously loud stereo system, into a nest of it’s own. Action Moving & Storage has borne witness to many tear-jerking scenes of parents waving goodbye to their offspring as they set off into the real world (or a basement suite), and we can offer some pretty sound advice to those preparing for their child to move out. While we aren’t psychologists of familial counsellors, we do know what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to kids making a big move.
1. Budgeting Is Key
While it would be nice to allocate your kid’s hard earned money towards your comfortable retirement, you probably should not do that. Most youth that are about to move out of their parent’s homes have very little disposable income, and many of them have little experience with budgeting or saving.
Because of this, it is important that you sit down with your kid, and teach them some basic fundamentals of how to live with limited income. Budgeting and familial ties do not generally mix, so treat your discussion with them as if you are in the shoes of a financial advisor. Talk them through what their goals, both short term and long term, look like, the associated costs, and how they plan on achieving them.
For budgeting to work, it must be applied to take into consideration a number of different scenarios. Have a serious conversation with your son or daughter about what they would do if they were to find themselves out of money, or needing to spend a large sum in the case of an emergency. This exercise will not only help put into perspective the importance of being careful with one’s income, but will also give you some interesting insight into how their mind works. If it is clear that their capacity to save responsibly is virtually non-existent, you may want to arrange time for a more lengthy discussion.
2. Independent Child = One That Won’t Starve
Get your kid ready for the real world by giving them some ‘practice’ while they are still living at home. Living on one’s lonesome can be quite the shock, especially after mum and dad have been so considerate as to take care of one’s fundamental adult-oriented activities. It is easy for us to take mundane chores, such as going to the grocery store, for granted. How hard can it be to pick out eggs and milk? For the inexperienced, this may actually be a time wasting fiasco!
So, taking this into consideration, make sure that your kid gets some experience grocery shopping, taking care of their finances at the bank, and booking health appointments prior to their big move. Fostering this independence is going to be an important part of ensuring that they are comfortable and happy in their new domicile.
3. Set Expectations
As hard as it can be, sometimes you have to set rules and boundaries that will help promote autonomy among your offspring. You have to have a stern, but fair, conversation with them, where you explain the ramifications of their newfound freedom. As an example – if they plan on moving out, only to spend all of their money at the casino and come crawling back to your doorstep, you have to make it clear that you will not be willing to help them by simply giving them money.
Setting clear expectations is a fundamental component of being a responsible parent, by ensuring that your kid approaches their independence with a good head on their shoulders. Whether the topic revolves around being responsible with money and bills, or deciding when to come home to visit family, you should be able to provide your child with the knowledge they need to make the right decisions.
4. Get Some Help From Your Friendly Neighborhood Movers
After all of these heavy conversations, you and your child are probably pretty exhausted. The last thing either of you want to do is start packing boxes and moving furniture. If you find yourself in this situation, make the right choice – hire a professional moving company to help ease your workload.
Your child moving out is going to be a big hassle, almost similar to moving your entire home. Between suitcases full of clothing and unwieldy tables and chairs, you may find your hands full quickly. Thankfully, Action Moving & Storage is here to help! Our professional team has an impressive amount of experience separating children and parents (we mean that in a good way), and we are always happy to help make the experience as painless and quick as possible.
It’s always a struggle to say goodbye to your little one. Who knows what sort of mischief they will get up to while living on their own? Regardless of all of the nightmare scenarios that you have run through your head – by following these four steps, you will be doing your due to diligence to prepare them for the trials and tribulations of adult living. Good luck everyone!