The Agency has launched a children’s book to help families manage the stress of moving house.
Titled Moving House with your Magic Coat, The Agency partnered with the founder of The Magic Coat Foundation Di Wilcox to produce the book.
The story is the latest instalment in the Magic Coat series, which uses fun characters such as Tate the turtle and Meshell the string of shells, to entertain children while also teaching them coping strategies to minimise anxiety.
The book is available to all families moving house courtesy of The Agency, with sales agents able to provide them to their clients.
The Agency Group Executive Director Paul Niardone said the group understood buying and selling a property could be stressful for children as well as adults.
“I am constantly reminded that the property industry is fundamentally about people – their stories and all of the important circumstances around a move,” he said.
“I’m certain everyone knows someone who has a young child that has been affected by moving house.
“Whether that be the stress of starting a new school or feeling a sense of loss from moving away from friends.
“Partnering with Di and The Magic Coat Foundation made perfect sense and we are absolutely thrilled to bring Di’s expertise to our clients right across WA.”
Author Di Wilcox said the book could also help parents better understand how their children were feeling about moving.
“As adults, we don’t always fully understand the emotions that children are going through and this can be heightened during periods of stress – such as moving house,” she said.
“This book uses a number of psychological cues introducing a common language to the whole family, ensuring the children’s emotions are not forgotten.”
Moving House with your Magic Coat is an adaptation which uses the same characters as the original book, The Magic Coat: Creating Calm, Confident and Caring Kids, which is for Australian children ages two to 11, to assist them to recognise and manage their emotions.
Ms Wilcox said The Agency had also generously sponsored several Magic Coat fundraising events in the past.
“As we got to know each other, it became apparent that we were both aware of young people experiencing worry and anxiety which has been tipped-off through the course of moving house,” she said.
“From there it almost felt like we had to combine our strengths to support these children.”
Over the past 12-months, The Magic Coat Foundation has also worked with Perth school children to send personalised letters of support as well as translated copies of the book overseas to children who have been displaced by the war in Ukraine.
