Moving during a pandemic, keeping your social stars safe

Moving during a pandemic

Whether you move across the country or one neighborhood away, the logistics behind a move can be daunting and time consuming. With the global pandemic limiting movement and access to everyday services, the challenges may be even steeper. — Bridget McCrea

Here are five tips to make the transition smoother:

1. Plan in advance. Start purging what you don’t need, calling moving companies and making a to-do list as soon as you decide to move.

2. Buy extra supplies. You don’t want to find out you don’t have enough moving boxes, tape or newspaper in the middle of the packing process. Shop online to avoid crowds and limit exposure.

3. Focus on safety. Wear masks, keep six feet away from others and wash your hands frequently, especially when touring homes, showing your home or interacting with service providers.

4. Call for hours of operation. Many companies limited or changed their hours during the pandemic, so call for updated hours for storage facilities, donation centers and truck rentals before you go.

5. Read the rebooking policies. Familiarize yourself with the cancellation or rescheduling policies for moving companies and other providers and have a backup plan in case your moving date has to be changed.

Keeping your social stars safe

Interacting on social networks presents dangers that your children may be unaware of. Whether they want to post a dance clip on TikTok, launch a YouTube video channel or set up a Facebook page, here’s what you can do to keep them safe. — Bridget McCrea

Set up parental controls. Most social media sites let parents take the wheel and block certain sites, use restricted modes, enforce usage time limits and monitor the sites that your child visits.

Don’t talk to strangers applies here, too. We all learn not to talk to strangers in person, and this rule should carry over into the social media realm. Have your kids alert you if and when people they don’t know try to reach out and talk to them online.

Follow their accounts. If they know mom or dad is watching — and that your goal is to keep them safe — your kids will be more apt to follow the rules of engagement when posting and interacting online.

Make their accounts private. This ensures that they’re only interacting with friends. Some sites are set to “private” by default for youngsters (e.g., TikTok’s accounts are automatically private for users ages 13 to 15).

Talk to your kids about it. Don’t let social media turn into the elephant in the room. Have an open dialogue with your children about their activity, who they’re interacting with, and any concerns they may have.