How to survive a house viewing with small children
When it comes to moving house, sometimes the best option might seem to keep small children out of the process altogether. However, having recently moved into a new home, I can confirm that it is possible to include little ones and maintain your sanity at the same time.
From turning box packing into a game to letting them pick out new features for their rooms, there are plenty of ways to keep the kids interested and feeling positive about the move.
Do your research
House viewing may be a necessary part of moving house but that’s not to say it’s particularly exciting – especially for kids. As well as being a hassle, it can also start to get boring even for adults if you view too many properties that simply aren’t suited to your tastes. Make sure you do your research beforehand so that you know what you’re looking for. Even the most well behaved children may play up after viewing one too many ill-researched properties.
Take a checklist
What do you get when you cross a house viewing with small, curious children? Distractions, bad behaviour and a descent into chaos! You might have gone to a house viewing to, well, view a house, but it’s incredibly easy to get distracted with kids asking constant questions about what could potentially be their new abode or playing up in an unfamiliar environment. Taking a property viewing checklist with you encourages you to check everything important – including accessible power points, water pressure and noisy plumbing – to ensure you are not pressurised into any hasty decisions. This one, by Everest.co.uk, even has a printable version with a rating system and space for notes.
Ask their opinion
While the decision whether or not to make an offer on a house will fall to the grown-ups of the family, you should make sure to involve the kids. Asking for their view will make them feel part of the process rather than being whisked from one place to another without getting a say. Otherwise, they might feel as though a move has been forced upon them, which can lead to bad feeling and a difficult few weeks.
