Moving Often Negatively Affects Children's Academic And Social Skills

Moving houses is a part of life and children learn to adjust to new surroundings as they try to blend in with the new community they become part of. However, new research has revealed that moving often causes a decline in children's academic and social skills.

Researchers looked into a sample of 19,162 children in the United States that were part of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study and tracked from kindergarten to eighth grade. The aim was to see if the effects of moving were accumulated or surfaced over particular period and if there was more impact when moving also meant changing the children's schools.

Children's social and academic functioning is impeded when their families move often https://t.co/JrZVZU4bim via @EurekAlertAAAS

— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) May 25, 2016

Effects of Moving On Children Time-Dependent

EurekAlert reported that the effects of moving were dependent on the time the moves happened. "Moves during both early and middle childhood were associated with decreases in children's social skills and increases in emotional and behavior problems, and these effects lasted for years," lead study author and psychology professor Rebekah Levine Coley said.

"In contrast, moves during middle childhood and early adolescence--after children had started school--had shorter-term effects on children's reading and math skills, and those effects diminished over time," Coley added. Small declines in functioning that accumulated over time as multiple residential and school moves happened were also observed.

Moving Causes Disruption In Children's Lives

According to SBS, it has previously been documented that more frequent house moving is a cause of stress and disruption of routines in children. Moving houses also reportedly had negative effects on development.

Moving houses might be traumatic for children, according to Kids Health. Talking about the move to the children would be helpful, and parents are recommended to share as much information about the move and to answer all questions truthfully.

How can parental intervention lessen the damage that can be brought about by moving houses? Share your thoughts below.