Moving can be scary. The news of leaving home and reestablishing in a new and unfamiliar place can feel like a gut punch. And even kids know that change is hard. So when digital creator Lorelle Oliveira Sherman and her husband Greg-Karlton Sherman had to break the news to their 3 children that they were moving from Smyrna, Georgia to Snellville, Georgia, they did it in a thoughtful and intentional way to put their minds at ease and get them excited: with an epic PowerPoint presentation.
"WE ARE MOVING🎉 Greg made an entire PowerPoint so we could share with the kids all the pros of moving to a new city! (The perks of marrying a teacher of 13 years because the PowerPoint was so good 😂)," she wrote in the video's caption on Instagram. "Can’t wait to take y’all on this journey! Shermans in Snellville 🥹."
The video begins with Sherman standing in front of a TV, announcing to his family that they are moving to Snellville. "Smyrna has been great to our family, but it's time to move on," he explains. On the PowerPoint, there is a thoughtful message: "Moving to a new city is a significant decision that involves careful planning and consideration. This presentation outlines the plan for relocating our family to Snellville, Georgia, and highlights the benefits of making this city your new home.
He then goes into a new slide on 'Why Are We Moving?' The slide reads: "Our current house has been great, but it's small and 3 bedrooms isn't cutting it. We need a bigger space so that everyone can have their own room."
Happy Tiny House GIF by JessGiphy
From there, he moves to the next slide that explains the first of many positives the new move will bring–to be closer to friends family. He has many bullet points that highlight the new time and distance the family will now be away from different kin (with their photos!), ranging from 9 minutes to 23 minutes–making it clear to his kids that they are not moving far from the people they love. The kids are clearly excited to be closer to their besties and cousins.
The next positive: the incredible shopping Snellville has to offer, which is a major perk for their oldest daughter and Lorelle. The PowerPoint shows the major stores they will be able to get to in no time: Target, Barnes & Noble, Bath & Body Works, and Sephora (which gets the most enthusiastic response). And of course, he also highlights the restaurant scene--which includes their favorite chicken spot, Raising Cane's.
makeup GIF by SephoraGiphy
The next slide is titled 'Activities', and Greg explains that Snellville has the same awesome teams and extracurriculars they have enjoyed in Smyrna, including a cheer team. In the background, Lorelle can be heard cheering and encouraging their daughter to get pumped about the news.
He moves to the next slide, which highlights the family's 'Moving Plan' over the next five weeks. Each week, the family will have a new goal. Week 1, they will "purge and buy moving supplies." Week 2, they will "Pack things you don't need on a daily basis, like out of season clothes (i.e. Summer clothes)." Week 3, they will "pack kitchen items we don't use on a daily basis." Week 4, they will "TK". And Week 5, they will
Finally, he shares one last piece of awesome news: each kid will get a $150 'New Room Allowance' to spend decorating their new room.
The video got a resoundingly positive response from from viewers. "I’m crying, this is seriously such a nice, respectful, and loving way to tell your kids you’re moving. Something I never got moving around all the time as a military brat, i would just get screamed at for ever feeling upset about moving," one wrote. Another added, "Ha ha! Once a teacher, always a teacher! 😂" And another wrote, "Honestly glad to see dad taking the lead, setting the tone, and managing expectations in the household. The 'why' is important...and shout out to momma for being the best hype woman everrrr!! 😂💜"