Summer is typically a busy time for moving van companies, U-Haul and other rental truck and trailer companies to help us get all our “stuff” moved from one location to another.

Employees and companies pick summer to move when children are out of school and have a chance to acclimate to the new home and neighborhood before starting a new school. Everyone in the family is going through an adjustment as new colleagues, neighbors and friends are met. Many companies provide EAP’s for employees and their families to get some advise and assistance to get through the move emotionally smoothly.

August and early September is the time for the BIG move for college freshmen. Out of Mom and Dad’s house to the dorms or college town apartments. Do you remember doing that? What fun! What anxiety! What suspense as we went off to college to party, work hard, and earn our degrees. Hopefully in just 4 years. 

My wife and I got to experience 4 moves in a 4 month period this summer and to say the least, we are worn out. Don’t even mention the stress and anxiety of moving 3 college graduates (2 children; one with a spouse) without jobs from school to home or other temporary accomodations. There were plenty of “discussions” on how to get all this done efficiently and cheaply. Who was paying rent and who wasn’t. And of course, with this poor economy and job market not really knowing how long we would all be in these temporay accomodations.

After a challenging summer for all, I am pleased to say that 2 of the 3 have their “Dream” jobs as of mid September. What they went to school for and are actually using their degrees. My daughter-in-law as a high school counselor here in Denver and my daughter as a meeting planner in Chicago. Of course going to Chicago meant one more move, this time using a POD. That was a new experience for everyone and worked out quite well. But there were a few sleepless nights wondering where the POD with all her belongings was when it didn’t show up in Chicago. All worked out.

So now we still have my son looking for a job and he is feeling plenty of pressure to find something. But, at the same time he is taking it all in jest declaring his wife (the high school counselor) the “sugar mama”. Mom and Dad don’t see the humor with the large amount of student loans to pay back.

We all face many challenges in life, some more challenging than moving, but there is a company that can help. MINES & Associates provides EAP services to companies for their employees and their families. If you need some help with your personal life challenges check with yours or your spouse’s Human Resource or Personnel Department for information on what assistance is available to you. You can also look on the MINES website to read about various issues you may be experiencing. www.minesandassociates.com.

Have a good day!

Allan Benson

MINES and Associates

720-979-8046