Tips for Staying in Corporate Housing with Kids
The option to stay in Corporate Housing is a massive benefit for families all around the world. Whether for a long- or short-term stay, temporary housing accommodations provide a stable place to call home during a time of transience in family life. While adults are capable of processing major changes, children naturally take in new surroundings in a different way. Here are a few helpful tips for parents moving into a Corporate Housing apartment with kids.
Make it Feel Like Home
When you begin the process of packing for the big move, consider a few specific items if the whole family is coming along. Favorite blankets or throw pillows perform double duty as protective cushioning in boxes! Tuck familiar features of your home, such as photos of loved ones and trinkets from travels, into nearly filled boxes. While unpacking, the kids will find comfort from discovering these beloved items in a new place. Perhaps they will even get to find the perfect spot for objects of honor!
Invite Kids to Help
Children will sense the hustle and bustle of the move. Involve them in age-appropriate tasks throughout the process whenever possible. Once you've made the temporary housing accommodation feel like home, begin establishing additional structure in the new space by introducing tasks.
Set aside time in the week to participate in chores together to demonstrate the importance of caring for shared living space. For example, when you make favorite comfort food from home, have kids watch and assist you. The process of cooking together gives children a new way to explore their past and present while making tangible, meaningful contributions to their family.
Use the Space
A major benefit of staying in Corporate Housing with kids is the additional space available in these purposeful units. Offerings vary by city, but some families find great relief in knowing they will be moving into a furnished or serviced apartment. These options are especially helpful when families are relocating internationally, as furniture can be quite a hassle to pack and ship.
Corporate Housing units are mindful of the needs of their diverse residents. If you are staying with your family, be sure to take advantage of the helpful amenities that are offered. While the options differ (such as pool access, concierge services, cleaning teams, dry cleaning pick-up, and so on), the extra assistance will give your family more time to spend together.
Review Safety
In a new setting, safety is top of mind for parents. Within the first few days of arriving in your new home, remember to dedicate time to review safety with your children. A few points to cover with kids include:
- memorizing their new address, including floor and unit number
- learning any new phone numbers, including how to contact local medical and police services
- writing a list of emergency contacts and keeping the list in a handy place
- walking the hallway to find the closest exits
- designating a meeting place where the family will gather in the event of an emergency
- how to lock and unlock doors, identify guests, let guests in
- establishing places or features that are "off-limits" without an adult
- giving ample time for children to think of and ask questions so an adult can provide thorough answers
Explore the Area
A move, no matter the distance, is very exciting for kids. Instill a love of adventure in children by exploring the new neighborhood together. Find the nearest public transit stops and practice using a map to navigate the city. Let kids pick a few destinations (like the grocery store, library, parks, museums, school, or a cafe) and spend a day uncovering new favorite places.
Dwellworks Living: Global Solutions for Corporate Accommodations
Dwellworks Living is committed to providing our clients and their employees with the best possible corporate housing and serviced accommodations experience. With a global network of property partners, a tri-regional team of customer experience and supply chain professionals, and a wide range of services for global mobility and travel customers, Dwellworks Living can provide the perfect corporate housing solution for any need or budget.
Dwellworks Living is the global corporate housing solution of Dwellworks, an award-winning, business-to-business provider of global mobility and business travel services. As a global leader in corporate housing and serviced accommodations solutions, Dwellworks Living is uniquely positioned to meet the temporary living needs of businesses and their employees who are relocating or traveling on short-, medium- or extended-stays. With 60,000 high-quality professionally managed properties in over 125 countries worldwide, Dwellworks Living is the preferred housing solutions partner of many Fortune 1000 and leading relocation management companies.
Dwellworks Living's corporate housing and serviced accommodations solutions are designed to help businesses attract and retain top talent, support employee productivity, and ensure a smooth and successful relocation or business travel experience. In addition to our core global accommodations management services, Dwellworks Living, through our worldwide network of local experts, is uniquely capable of offering our clients expanded and related services, such as area orientations, group move assistance, destination services and intercultural training.
Whether you have corporate housing needs for an individual employee or a large team, Dwellworks Living can provide the serviced accommodations solutions you need anywhere in the world to ensure a safe and successful stay. Please contact us to learn more or visit our Properties page to begin your search for global corporate housing accommodations.