Historically through present day, the military has played a key role in helping to shape and protect Canada. The men and women who make up the Canadian Armed Forces do challenging and important work every day at hundreds of military installations in this country and around the world. The roles they play are not static, rather they change constantly to reflect a mandate to maintain “peace, order and good government“ wherever they are needed.
The result of staffing these military installations around the world means hundreds of military families are relocated each year. And I was one of those families many moons ago. My husband is a Canadian Forces Pilot so I can tell you from first-hand experience as a military wife and real estate agent – that military moves are unlike any other.
The complication comes from the short window of time allocated to a military family in which to sell their current property, then find, buy and move into their new home in a new city.
I have done it a few times now with my husband and our children, so I would like to share some tips I have learned along the way to make it go as smoothly as possible.
My two cents (if we still had cents) are:
1. Have more organizational skills than clutter. These are two sides of the same coin. We all collect too much stuff – it’s so easy to do when we make ourselves at home. But military families don’t necessarily have that luxury, potentially facing moves every few years. If you keep the hoarding down, you are already part way to being ready to pick up and make a new home. But you should also be organized with what you have, knowing the essentials to carry with you and not send via movers, having like objects all in one room for easy packing, and keeping detailed lists and records of everything. I always advocate planning, but this is especially essential for military families.
Another aspect of planning is setting aside savings where possible in case issues arrive during the move, which can be sudden. Similarly, keep your home well maintained so that it can be quickly put on the market and be easier for agents like me to sell. It’s all part of thinking ahead.
2. The other coin you need to think about is planning for your children. I don’t mean finding schools and the like, because you can manage that. It’s the emotional aspect of packing, uprooting and starting afresh. It’s not easy, especially for youngsters. We can treat it as an adventure, and that is the most healthy approach. But you might need to offer more explanation, depending on the age of your children. The Military Family Resource Centre is a great place to start. They offer programs, classes, workshops and advice on planning your family for a relocation. There are also age-appropriate books and videos out there for military families which can help kids understand the process. The important thing is to involve your children in the process and explain in as much detail as you can what the steps are. There will be fears and tears, so just be the supportive parents you already are. Particularly as children get older, leaving friends behind will be hard, but if you emphasize that you are, as a family, all in this together, it will help. Just like the military, your family is a team, and the team must accomplish the mission together.
Planning ahead doesn’t mean being on edge that you could move at any time. But if you’re prepared, then you can put it all out of your mind and simply focus on living – and ultimately that’s what our military is all about: maintaining peace, order and good government – especially within our own family borders.
