Living in a rented house can be challenging since you can’t complain about the sudden increase in the charges, can’t decorate the house as per your desire, and so on.
In the rented house, you need to install child safety guards on the balcony, or go out of your neighborhood to access safe play areas or parks.
To ensure that your kids feel stable in the new location, keep the routine the same as it is, be it meal time or bedtime.
Prioritize your children’s spaces to give them a safe corner they can retreat to.
Don’t stay cooped up in your house when you move to a new area, and let your kids feel at home by exploring the new neighborhood together.
No matter how long we live in a rented house, it’s never truly ours; that’s why it’s often complicated for many people to raise a family in those surroundings.
After all, with limited flexibility over how you decorate and the present chance of having to move when your lease is over, renting can require a lot of compromises.
There are about 102 million renters (31.7%) in the U.S. as opposed to 221 million homeowners (68.2%) (Source: self.inc).
With such a big portion of the population renting and living in one house, establishing a safe environment is vital for a child’s development.
Long-term rentals boost the feelings of security, reduce stressful relocations, and strengthen community ties for families.
For more useful tips, you can continue to read this article.
Common Concerns When Renting While Raising a Family
Raising a family and kids in a rental house comes with its own aspects of challenges, some of which include:
Stability
An increase in charges and the possibility of moving are something you would expect when living in a rented house.
Even in cities with strict rent control policies that restrict such hikes, homeowners can still decide to sell their property, disrupting your family’s sense of security.
As a result, the lack of full control over what happens to the property means tenants still have less housing stability.
Personalization
Another significant concern for families that rent is that they often have limited control over how they can decorate.
In this case, say your landlord has a strict no-painting policy, you wouldn’t be able to redo the children’s rooms to more friendly colors appropriate for kids.
Simply put, the act of mounting shelves for easy access to toys and to minimize clutter within the house would, in some cases, result in your security deposit being forfeited.
However, some families get around these issues by installing temporary wallpaper, using wall decals, or opting for multi-functional storage.
If you opt for the latter, most rental properties in that category may not come with families in mind.
For example, you might have to go the extra mile to add child-proof locks to the balcony or leave your neighborhood to find adequate, safe recreational areas like parks.
As such, these may skyrocket your stress levels in case you had rented a house located in a family-friendly neighborhood.
For this reason, any area selected must be equipped with facilities like playgrounds, good schools, and quality entertainment places suited for children.
Now let us examine the various age groups and the proportions of them who are homeowners or renters.
Tips to Make it Easier for Kids to Adjust
To help you know how to ease kids’ adjustment to a rental property, I have given some tips below.
Maintain Routines
If you are in a constant moving phase, it can be hard to establish a defined sense of grounding for the kids in an environment that is new to them.
Though children can adapt to changes, having a consistent factor can make it much easier for them to adjust to transitions and changes in different places.
Instead of trying to create a new one every time you move, establish one that sticks with regular meal times, bedtimes, and other family rituals.
In the long run, familiar routines give your children a better sense of stability, irrespective of where home is.
Do You Know? Bermuda’s capital city of Hamilton is deemed to be one of the most expensive cities in the world, where a 900-square-foot apartment can cost $4,058 per month.
Create a Safe Space
If you plan on relocating every few years, settling down becomes a lot of work as the need to personalize the space increases, and that can make it harder for kids to adjust.
Instead, put in the extra work of using easily movable items with soft toys, books, and bedding to decorate.
Especially considering how hard it must be to leave their friends and classmates behind during a move, these items can give them a sense of freedom.
Besides personal items, you can also opt for furnishings like stick-on posters or plug-in nightlights that are easy to pack up and move if you need to.
They may seem like small things, but they go a long way in helping your children feel at ease in a new space.
Introduce the Neighborhood
When you move to the new area, don’t just stay cooped up in your house, and even allow your kids to meet or engage with people living in the neighborhood.
Besides being a fun family-bonding activity, helping your little ones get familiar with a new environment also improves their safety.
It would also be great to take a look around with small walks to check out nearby parks, libraries, and community centers, reducing their chances of getting lost.
It’s also a great opportunity for them to feel like they’re part of the community and quickly settle into a new place.
Conclusion
It can indeed be challenging to create a stable environment if you are living in a rented property, as your landlord can at any time decide to hike the rent or sell the property.
What can be more overwhelming is to find kid-friendly spaces and personalize your home due to lease restrictions.
In spite of such policies and concerns, you can still help your children adjust by opting for easily movable furnishings and personal items.
Don’t make changes in the daily routine and activities, and let your children engage with your neighborhood so they can feel more at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I decorate the rooms even if I live in a rental house?
Yes, you can, but make sure you don’t use nails to hang up shelves, always take permission from your landlord first, and only use removable wall stickers.
How can I make my children feel stable if we move frequently?
You can try not to make changes in the daily routine and activities, such as keeping the same mealtimes, bedtimes, and weekend activities.
What family-friendly rental areas include?
The area should be surrounded by schools, playgrounds, and parks, as all these will help children to settle easily, and even as a parent, you’ll be comfortable.
How can I make my children feel at home in a new location?
You can give your children personal space by setting a room for them filled with their toys, blankets, books, and other treasured items, or introduce them to neighbours.
