Introduction
As a child, I noticed that many families moved around a lot. Some families moved several times a year. As a social worker, I want to better understand the effect the moves have on the children.
The Main Section
It is known that children need routines and schedules to thrive. Moving disrupts this routine and causes chaos. Every time a child moves, they have to adapt to new surroundings and possibly a new routine. This can alter their sense of security, cause them stress, and impair their development. (Rumbold et al, 2012) A study conducted on household chaos found that the moves can serve as a predecessor to poor attention skills and problems in school. (Shamama-tus-Sabah & Gilani, 2011) Instability has a negative impact on children ranging from infants to teenagers. Each move worsens the effects.
The most profound impacts are shown in school. When children move, they often change schools. This change interrupts the learning process and sets the child back. Moving to more affordable housing often means moving to a lower quality school and neighborhood. The moves are worse for elementary and high school students. During elementary school, children are being shaped and molded and learning how to make connections.(Sandstrom & Huerta, 2013) Changing school disrupts this and the child has to start all over.
Frequent moves also affects the relationship between parents and children. Parents in these situations are stressed and become less involved with the children. Children pick up on parents’ stress and in turn, they become stressed. There is often a shortage of both emotional and material resources in unstable homes. These things are vital for the healthy development of children. They need emotional support to properly adjust to their changing environment.(Sandstrom & Huerta, 2013)
Age / Impact, Causes, IssuesBirth to School-aged /
- Weakened levels of security
K-5 /
- Increased internalizing behaviors like sadness, anxiety, and withdrawal
- Lower vocabulary, reading, and math scores
- Externalizing behaviors like disobedience, opposition, and bullying
6th-8th grade /
- Negative social behavior
- More likely to be sexually active
- Poor social development
9th-12th grade /
- Negative social behavior
- Poor grades
- More likely drop out
Summary
Imagine being in the 6th grade and suddenly being ripped away from your favorite teacher and your best friend next door. Picture a 4th grader moving schools around the time of standardized testing. Or imagine being a senior in high school applying to colleges and not having a good address to use because you know you’re moving soon. Moving is stressful for any child at any age. But those are only the immediate, conscious effects caused by unstable housing.
Stable housing is very important to childhood development. Moving from place to place causes several hiccups in a child’s life. The cause of unstable housing is usually financial. Some of these findings can also be attributed to low SES. Whether it’s a single mother who always struggles to make ends meet, or a couple who fell on hard times, it can happen to anyone. Many American families are on the verge of homelessness. We must work harder to help to make sure these families have access to the resources they need to keep their children in a stable environment. This is not just their problem, it is our problem. Stable housing and security are at the bottom of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. How can a child truly thrive if their basic needs aren’t met?
References
Rumbold, A. R., Giles, L. C., Whitrow, M. J., Steele, E. J., Davies, C. E., Davies, M. J., & Moore, V. M. (2012). The Effects of House Moves During Early Childhood on Child Mental Health at Age 9 Years. BMC Public Health. 12(1). 583.
Sandstrom, H., & Huerta, S. (2013). The Negative Effects of Instability on Child Development: A Research Synthesis. Urban Institute, 28-38. Retrieved April 1, 2016, from
Shamama-tus-Sabah, S., & Gilani, N. (2011). Household Chaos, Attention and School Problems in Primary School Children. Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 21(1), 68.