Moving? Breaking the news to the kids.

By Beth Hall

Moving is a family affair in which certain family members don’t get a vote. As an adult, you get a vote. Together my husband and I have prayed, weighed pros and cons, planned, prayed some more, and waited for God to lead.

As a kid, you are a vote-less family member. My first state-to-state move took place when I was only 10 days old. As you can imagine, I had no vote, and this move had no impact on me. Even my moves during my preschool years had little impact. My security came from my parents. Home was where they were, where my toys were.

I am the mother of 2 non-voting movers.

Our two most recent moves, just 18 months apart, had huge effects on our sons. Middle school and elementary school are tough enough when you stay in one place, but add a new neighborhood, new friends, and a school to the mix and suddenly, life gets very difficult.

After living a comfortable and secure life for 8 years in the nation’s Heartland – Iowa, we found ourselves moving to New England – Connecticut to be exact. We were moving from fields of tall, green corn and no traffic to the New York City metropolitan area, complete with bustling traffic and high taxes!

While God opened doors and gave us total peace, our hearts broke for our sons. This news was going to be hard to tell them. They loved their life in Iowa. They loved their friends, school, church, baseball team, and Boy Scout troop.

As Kevin and I tried to figure out the best way to break the news of the upcoming move, I asked my dad for advice. I thought, “He moved me and my sisters numerous times. Surely, he had a gentle way of breaking the moving news to us.”

So, one day over the phone, I shared my dilemma with him. “How do we tell the boys? They’re so happy here.” His reply, “Tell them just like we told you, ‘Get in the car. We’re moving.'”

In case you are wondering, we didn’t use his approach. We thought our way would be better and not nearly as traumatizing. We sat the boys down for a family meeting and told them how God had orchestrated this move. How God had opened doors and that we had total peace.

After our long, gentle, and heartfelt speech, I truly believe all the boys heard was, “Get in the car. We’re moving.” Our announcement that was not supposed to cause any angst was greeted with crying and slamming doors.

When the crying stopped, our 8-year-old, Nathan, put it all into perspective. As he sought comfort behind his slammed door, he began reading the book of Psalms. He stumbled upon Psalm 27:4.

One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

Psalm 27:4

Ah, wisdom from God’s word, through an 8-year-old. Our true home is with the Lord. Don’t we all look forward to the day when we gaze upon his beauty and dwell with him in our eternal home?