If Children Are With You

Decide on school or childcare for this week

Is continuing at their current school possible from where you are? If not, immediate enrollment near you — schools handle mid-year moves all the time, and shelters can help with the paperwork.

Choose what to tell them, sized to their age

Little ones need safety, not explanation: "We're staying somewhere new for a while, and you're safe." School-age kids need honesty without adult detail: "Home wasn't safe, so we left. That was the right thing." Teens may know more than you think — let them ask, answer honestly, and don't make them carry adult decisions.

Pull out any custody paperwork from your document bag

It matters now. What to do with it depends on your state — that's a first-conversation question for legal aid, not something to solve alone tonight.