Teenagers are creatures of habit. They become set in their favorite activities. They don’t like to change schools. They especially don’t like to change homes. Changing homes and downsizing can be downright devastating.
I remember my parents moving to a smaller home early in my senior year in high school. It was a temporary move, but I was convinced that my parents were purposely trying to ruin my life. My reaction was not unique.
A New York Times article, When Home Shrinks, profiles a few families and how downsizing affects their lives. In these cases, teenagers were going from luxury homes complete with private pools, separate baths, and custom play areas to being crowded into a home where they have no private space whatsoever. The teens and young adult children whose parents have decided to downsize are inconsolable.
Teens say they have felt lied to (about their lifestyle and sense of security). They have become unhappy at home and distant with their parents. You might think that these kids are being ridiculous and bratty, but when you are raised a certain way, or have even tasted a great lifestyle, reducing that can be difficult. I remember fighting more with my siblings and even acting out in the same situation. The real issue for me was not in being sad about moving to a smaller but, but in losing their social status by moving to a smaller house and poorer neighborhood.
So how do you get your kids to accept this serious change in home size and even social status? Make them aware of the worse case scenario. Show them stories and TV shows about the new homeless. Those who used to live the good life and are now finding themselves on skid row are the same people who tried to hold on to their bigger, better lifestyles and have lost everything. Take them to homeless shelters and food banks and let the see why you decided to downsize instead of risking losing anything. Hopefully such a wake-up call will be a serious mood adjuster.
If you liked this you should also read my other posts at the home blog, the homeschooling blog, the parents blog, and the frugal blog. You can read my recent posts here.
Also read:
Dealing with Limits in the Economy