Parental advice for your dream move
There is no doubt that becoming a parent is a wonderful yet huge commitment. For many parents, the need to move abroad once you have had children is a real possibility. Maybe you have to move for family reasons or work reasons, or perhaps you want to move because you think it will be a great experience for all your family. Whatever your reasons, moving abroad is not something that should be discarded just because you have kids.
As befits such a massive undertaking, you will want to make it as positive an experience as possible for your children. This will allow you all to enjoy your new surroundings and the next chapter in your lives on which you are about to embark. If you have never moved abroad as a family before though, you may need some advice on what to do in relation to your children.
Be positive about the move
One area that you may worry about in terms of the effect of moving abroad with your children is them enjoying it. The best way to make sure that they look forward to the move and are in a good frame of mind to begin a new life is to be positive about it yourself. While the move will be fabulous for you all, it is still a big change for them to handle. Talking about the move in positive terms leading up to it will help reassure them.
Involve them in some research
All kids love their routine and also having a sense of control in their lives. By the time you tell them about moving abroad, the decision has already been made and they have little or no say in it. This kind of enforced change to their daily routine can send some children into a real tailspin! To help overcome this, involve them in the move and all the various bits of research that you will need to do. This will help them regain a sense of control and feel more invested in the move itself.
Consider the language issue
A huge consideration for you all will be the potential language barrier, if the country that you are moving to speaks a different one from your own. For children, the thought of moving somewhere where they will not be understood or able to hear what is being said is very intimidating. Take the time before you move to get them language lessons with a tutor so that they are as up to speed as possible when the move happens. This will make the experience far easier and more pleasurable for them.
Organize their education
Wherever you are moving to in the world, from Cuba to Australia, your child’s education in the new country should be top of your agenda. You need to get this sorted out before you land in your new surroundings so that your child knows that it is all sorted when they arrive. Kids hate uncertainty, so don’t leave this issue hanging around! Get online and start researching schools that look like possibilities, and get in touch with them to find out the application process.
Lots of families now move to Singapore in Asia. This beautiful city-state is a prime example of just what fantastic educational options there are when you move abroad with your family. A Singapore international school is a choice that many ex-pats make for the range of benefits that it brings. International schools not only give a welcoming, safe environment to learn in but also provide top-class qualifications when they finish.
Learn to listen
Whether pre- or post-move, let your child express how they feel and just listen to them. Once they have finished, you can then speak to address their concerns and reassure them. This will let your child know that you are hearing what they say and give them a feeling of comfort with which to move forward.
Moving abroad with your family can work
If you have been offered a dream move abroad for personal or work reasons, then don’t refuse it because you have children. While there are bound to be bumps in the road, moving abroad can turn out to be a very positive move for your kids. The chance to see new places, learn a new language, and meet other children from different cultures are just some of the benefits that it can bring. If you need advice on how to make that dream move work for them, hopefully this article will have been helpful.
Image by Erwin Hesry
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