Welcome to day 4 of my 10 day series on Surviving a Cross-Country Move. I’m excited to have my first guest post from Megan Zechman at Education Possible. She has some wonderful tips for helping our kids make new friends!
According to the US Census Bureau, Americans are highly mobile, with 12% of the population moving at least once in their lifetime.
I have personally moved seven times since college and my kids, at nine and eleven, have already lived in three states. Moving is a common stressor that many of us will face, and is especially stressful with kids.
For children, a majority of the anxiety comes from one thing, making new friends. It is hard to say good-bye to the life you knew, the friends you’ve loved and built relationships with. Starting over is challenging, but can also lead to some fabulous new adventures.
How can homeschooling families find friends after moving?
Find a local homeschooling group in your area
Join a church
Find local classes offered to homeschoolers
Get involved in a local sport
Check out your local library
Stay in touch with your old friends
However you choose to seek out new friendships, give yourself and your family some grace. It will take time. You will get frustrated. Your kids will be sad. Take time after your move to spend time as a family, strengthening your bond. After all, you will always be each other’s best friends. I know you need to unpack and do a dozen other tasks, but occasionally set it all aside and go out and explore. Find the gems that are in your new back yard. Who knows, if you’re out sightseeing, you might just run into some other families doing the same thing!
How did your family make friends after moving?
Megan Zechman
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I love homeschooling! Learning is a way of life for our family. Most days you will find us exploring our Central Florida community, having fun while learning. I am constantly looking for new and interactive ways to engage my children. Pinterest is one of my favorite tools for finding fun, hands-on learning activities. Connect with me @Pinterest. — Megan Zechman megan@educationpossible.com
I have a new friend who moved here from FL a little over a year ago. She misses the homeschooling opportunities in FL. CT is a great place to homeschool for the freedoms we have but our groups are not cohesive, they tend to be grouped by either homeschooling philosophy or religion, and many of the things that happen are not well publicized. She said FL offered more activities for less cost and had a much larger group of families that were more open with their friendships and their talents.
I am a bit in awe of what you are doing and I am so happy you are blogging through it!
Yes, it is very important to make a new friend in a new place. To organise a party in a new house is the best way to know & to make new friends.