How to Help Your Child Feel at Home After a Move 

Parenting Perspective 

Validate His Feelings First 

When a child says, ‘this does not feel like home,’ what he is really expressing is a deep sense of loss for the comfort and familiarity he once knew. His sadness is not a rejection of your new place but a longing for the sense of belonging and safety that the old one gave him. The most important first step is to validate his words. Instead of reassuring too quickly, acknowledge his feelings by saying, ‘I understand that you miss how things used to be, and that makes sense.’ This allows him to feel heard rather than dismissed. 

Create a Bridge Between Old and New 

To help him feel rooted again, create a bridge between old and new. Preserve small traditions from your previous home, whether it is family meals, bedtime routines, or the way you celebrated special days. At the same time, involve him in shaping the new home environment. Giving him a say in decorating his room, choosing where certain things go, or finding a family spot in the new city can restore a sense of agency. 

‘Home’ Grows From Relationships 

Connection with people will also help him feel settled. Encourage him to invite a new classmate over or explore a local activity together. The feeling of ‘home’ grows not only from walls but from relationships and memories formed over time. By guiding him gently to build new connections while honouring the past, you help him carry both continuity and growth in his heart. 

Spiritual Insight 

Our True Home Is With Allah 

Islam reminds us that earthly homes are temporary stops, while our true and lasting home is with Allah.  

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al-Ankabut (29), Verse 64: 

‘And this worldly life is nothing but (destined for ultimate) destruction and (temporal) amusement; and indeed, the abode of the Hereafter, is the eternal life; if only they can become aware (of this reality).’  

This Verse can help children understand that while changes in this world can be unsettling, our final belonging is with Allah, and every move is part of His wisdom for us. 

Be in This World as a Stranger or Traveller 

It is recorded in Sahih Al Bukhari, Hadith 6416, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Be in this world as though you were a stranger or a traveller.’  

This Hadith gently teaches that feeling unsettled at times is part of life’s journey, but it also invites us to carry our faith and values wherever we go, making any place feel meaningful. 

By connecting your son’s feelings to these teachings, you can reassure him that while it is natural to miss the old home, Allah has placed him here with purpose. With your support, his sadness can slowly transform into resilience, and he can begin to see that home is not just where we live, but where we carry love, faith, and connection.