So, you’ve been living in the same family home for years and years, but you decide that it’s time for a change. Maybe you want to move to a different city with a better atmosphere or you want to move to attend a great school, and of course, you want your family to come with you!
After looking and searching for the perfect home in the perfect city, you finally found the home that checks off every single box on your list.
You were diligent; you did your research and you looked at many options.
The hard part is over, right? Well, depending on your family, the hard part may be just around the corner.
If this new home is way on the other side of your state or in a different state altogether, you may have a difficult time convincing your parents to move out of a house they’ve lived in for years and away from a city that they’ve called home for decades
Luckily, there are some fool-proof ways to convince your parents to take a leap of faith and move away to a better city for a better life and better opportunities.
How to Convince My Parents to Move
If your parents are against moving away to a new home or are nervous about experiencing a new city, then convincing them to leave the familiar can be pretty tricky.
Whether they don’t want to move for financial reasons or for fear of taking too big of a risk, it’s going to be difficult to get your way.
Here are a few tips and tricks that will help persuade your parents into moving into a new home in a new city:
1. Make a pros and cons list
This is by far one of the best things you can do. Give your parents a visual of what you would all be gaining from moving.
Is the home near a school you wish to attend that is highly ranked? Does the city you want to move to have the best opportunities for the career path you want to follow?
Is the city more family friendly with parades and festivals and a homey neighborhood feel?
Decorate and color-code the list, digitize it. Go the extra mile in making a schematic layout of every good and bad thing you can think of. Odds are the pros will far outweigh the cons.
Your parents will be able to clearly see how beneficial your move will be. Plain and simple.
Pro Tip
For your pros and cons list, be as thoughtful about what they would want as what you want. Consider what sorts of things that your family likes to do and how moving may affect their goals or hobbies. Your parents will appreciate that you took the time to think about them, instead of just thinking about how a move would positively affect you and your life.
2. Do your research on the city you plan to move to
If your parents worry about safety, then do some research to calm their nerves.
Crime rates can seem high with how often news stations cover and sensationalize crime, and this can really make your parents too nervous to move away from what they think is a safer city.
If you do your research, you’ll find that crime rates are never as high as they may seem, so show numbers and figures and charts and statistics to your parents to settle them down.
3. Do your research on how you’ll be able to move all of your belongings
If you’re moving far away, your parents may be concerned with how you’ll be able to move every single thing you own to a new city.
Do your research and find highly-rated (or highly affordable) cross country movers that will easily and reliably get your possessions from your old family home to your new family home in a new city.
This way, you make the idea of moving a tangible event that already has a plan of action, convincing your parents that moving is a possible feat to accomplish.
How Do You Convince Your Parents to Let You Move Schools?
Making the decision to move schools is never easy. You spent months and months choosing the school that was right for you, but you get there and realize that you made the wrong choice.
Whatever the case, it can be difficult to convince your parents to allow you to transfer to a new school for a multitude of reasons.
To start, switching schools can be a financial burden. It costs money to apply to new schools, and it costs money to enroll in a new school. Even more, some schools charge a withdrawal fee if you choose to leave the school. Your parents are likely against the idea of spending money.
How do you convince them to allow you to switch schools when you know it is the right move for you?
Here are a few suggestions when you are trying to figure out the best way to approach them.
- Sit them down in a professional manner: Sure, they’re your parents but you should approach them in a serious, professional, and mature manner if you want them to take you seriously.
- Offer to pay for some of the additional expenses: If you don’t already work, offer to get a part-time job over your summer or winter break in order to offset the additional expenses that come along with transferring schools.
- Remind them that you’re an adult: this is a tough ground to stand on, especially if your parents are financially involved in your education. However, parents often see their children as perpetually young.
Therefore, it is beneficial for you to calmly and politely remind them that you are an adult who needs to grow and learn to be the very best you can be and let them know that you firmly believe moving schools will help you be a better adult.
Convincing them that a new school in a new city is the best option for you will make it much easier for you to convince them to pick up and leave your current family home and move into a better home in a better city with better educational opportunities.
How Do You Deal With Aging Parents?
You never truly consider how difficult it will be to see your parents age until you wake up one day and realize they’ve aged in what feels like the blink of an eye.
How do you deal with taking care of aging parents when you’re so used to the idea of them taking care of you?
- Come to grips with the situation: Aging is inevitable but it’s not your fault for not realizing this sooner.
- Assess their limitations: Odds are if you’ve come to the realization that your parents are aging there is some sort of behavioral or physical change that you’ve noticed. Subtly assess their behavior for any more limitations. This will help you form a plan of action and help you decide which direction to move forward in.
- Establish open lines of communication: Don’t dive into full-blown covert operations where you spy on your parents and subtly try to help them out. Have a discussion about the things you’ve noticed and ask them for their input. It could be that they’re already taking action to help with their new limitations and just didn’t want to upset you or burden you. Or, they could want to take an active part in planning the next steps.
How do I Convince My Elderly Parents to Move?
There are many reasons you may want your elderly parents to move. You may want them to move to a retirement home, you may want them to downsize, or you may want them to be closer to your school or your job.
If you’ve come to the realization that your elderly parents are slowing down and may benefit from living in an assisted care living facility you may be at a loss for how to break the news to them.
It is a completely valid worry that they will be hurt when you bring up such a sensitive topic. They may feel like you are calling them incompetent and… old. And, no one likes to be called old, no matter how old they are.
Even more, finding a good retirement community or assisted living community can be tricky. It is possible that the right fit for your parents will be further away from you than they would like to be, and this can cause them to be even more reluctant to move.
Even if you are not trying to convince your parents to move to a retirement home facility, you may still want them to move to a smaller home in order to downsize and reduce their expenses.
This is a good idea; as they approach retirement age they will be working less and therefore making less money. Downsizing will allow them to live their lives to the fullest and get the most out of retired life!
Here are a few tips for when you are approaching your parents to convince them to move.
Tell them you love them and want the best for them
Open and close with this statement. This isn’t easy for them, and they may feel like you are fighting against them. It never hurts to remind them that you are working in their best interest.
Play up the positives
If you are trying to convince them to move to a retirement home play up all of the good things about assisted living! Paint a picture of how great the amenities are- tell them they won’t have to shovel snow or mow the lawn.
Tell them they won’t have noisy neighbors. Tell them that they won’t have to worry about neighborhood crime. If there’s a pool or gym or arcade or game room tell them about that, too!
If you are trying to convince them to downsize, crunch the numbers and show them how much extra money they will have leftover if they move.
When they see how much money they’ll have to spend on the fun stuff, the idea of downsizing will be much more appealing, if not downright exciting!
Once you successfully convince your parents to move, you’ll need to actually start planning your move.
This can be just as, if not more, difficult than it was to persuade your parents. But, don’t worry! Moving APT is a great resource for all of your moving questions and needs. With us, the moving process will be way easier than convincing your parents to move-guaranteed.
Pro Tip
If you have elderly parents, be kind and patient. Older adults really get nervous when it comes to change, and they may not be the most willing to discuss the options that are available to them. On top of that, they may have been living in their current home for multiple decades, so be sure that you have an answer about their current home that will be satisfactory for them and what they envision for their future.
FAQ
Could I just move without my parents with the help of long-distance movers?
This depends on a few things. If you’re caring for a parent, or you’re underage, then you definitely shouldn’t move without them. Also, if your finances aren’t in order, you may want to reconsider. Consider consulting with long-distance movers to weigh the pros and cons of moving with or without your parents, and make a decision from there.
How can I help my parents to make new friends in a new place?
What do your parents like to do? Find groups or communities that encourage those hobbies. It could be Bingo, a faith community, or even just local farmers’ markets and fairs. Use the internet and help them to find like-minded people with similar interests that they may enjoy spending time with.
Is a retirement community a good option for aging parents?
Yes. Nowadays, retirement communities are becoming really neat places for older adults to live out their later years. Some of them are basically designed as safe neighborhoods where they’re able to get help and care if they want or need it. If it’s doable with your budget, you’ll find that a retirement community could be the best option for your aging family members.
Conclusion
Convincing your parents to move to a new city can be difficult, especially when considering the services of cross country movers or out of state movers for your potential relocation. You want to be certain that you take your time and are patient with them. Change is never easy, and it may not be simple to get everyone on board with the idea in the first place.
By taking the time to really listen to your parents and to talk out your options, which might include evaluating different moving companies, you have a chance of figuring out the best way forward for everyone involved. It’s important to discuss all aspects, from the logistics of the move to the emotional impacts, ensuring a well-thought-out decision is made.
