• Remind your family the new adventure that awaits all of you. Gather information together on new and exciting opportunities.  For instance, if you now live in the Midwest and have been offered a job on the Gulf Coast, remind your family of all the great activities living on the Gulf provides.  There’s water skiing, deep sea fishing and plenty of beaches to visit.
• Make a family pact that you’ll always listen to the other’s reservations.  A physical relocation can be tough for everyone, but if you have teens or pre-teens, as with all things at that age, it can prove to be quite traumatic.  If possible, make plans for a trip for their friends to visit or maybe a trip back home after six months to visit their old friends.
• Share your excitement about the new career opportunity. Remind your family that a good job has its merits, including better pay and other perks.
• Encourage your spouse to begin his or her new job hunt before the relocation.  EmploymentCrossing.com has thousands of jobs located all over the United States.  It just might be a better job position awaits both of you.
• If possible, plan a quick trip to your new town as a family as you search for new housing.  Take in the local flavors; find things to look forward to as your return home to wrap up things there.
• Allow your kids to have one big final sleep over so that they can say their goodbyes and ensure physical and email addresses are exchanged.  It’s a great way for them to come to terms with the new changes they’re about to encounter.

As A. Harrison Barnes tells his clients, it’s always a difficult transition, but the end result is always a better future for both you and your family.  Encourage your family to verbalize their concerns and don’t discount them.  As exciting as it is, it can also be a bit scary – especially for the little ones.

Finally, remind your family members that everything you do is for them.  We all want what’s best for our families and sometimes, an address change is necessary in our efforts to make the future brighter.  Remember too that each of us grieves differently and we all adjust to new surroundings at different paces too.  Don’t underestimate the stress, but don’t allow the good things that await you to be swept aside either.

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