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Parents have been moved to send me questions concerning how to help their children prepare for a family move this summer to a new neighborhood or area. Well, let me see if I can pack up some information for you to take with you regarding this topic.

While a move can certainly be disruptive for parents, it can also be a major stressor for children who may not be part of the decision or understand why their world needs to change so dramatically.

To help your child feel more settled about this change, I would suggest the following:

Try to keep a positive attitude about the move, whether the reason is good or bad, to help reassure your child.

Keep regular routines and schedules in place as much as possible before, during and after you have moved.

Talk to your child early and often about the move, and include your children in the planning process as much as possible so they feel less that this is being forced upon them.

Visit the new home ahead of time, if it is easy to get to, along with the playground or schools so they can get even more excited about what lies ahead. If not, have pictures of the home that you can show.

If your child is an infant, don’t worry — they are more interested in you than the move. If your child is a toddler, make sure they understand that by packing up the toys you are not throwing them out, and move your child’s furniture into your new abode so that your toddler sees something familiar when they get there.

School-age children and teens may have the hardest time, so it’s good to try not to move until the school year is over. If you are moving out of town, arranging return visits to the old neighborhood, or having your child exchange letters and pictures with their friends who still live in your old neighborhood can help make this transition go more smoothly.

If, despite these thoughts, your children are having trouble adjusting after a month or so, please talk to your child’s health care professional who can help you decide if further counseling is necessary.

Hopefully, you’ll find tips like these to be ones that move you when it comes to needing to move your family to a new place.

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Lewis First, MD, is chief of pediatrics at the University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. You can also catch “First with Kids” weekly on WOKO 98.9FM and NBC5.