Relocating abroad with children is an issue for parents who want to make a new start with their family in a new country. Parents worry though that moving overseas may not be fair on the children.
In fact often I think children find it easier to move overseas than their parents do. A young child will typically learn a new language much quicker than their parents - how often do you see a 5 year-old acting as the family interpreter?
Certainly younger children who are forced to move as refugees often do better than their older relatives. The trauma of taking on a whole new culture seems less in the young than those older people who much more invested in memories of what is not anymore and friends and relatives a long way away.
What though if relocation is a choice rather than survival? How to prepare kids for the move. The most important thing I think is to let children know what is being planned for the family sooner rather than later. These days even if you are moving to the other side of the world it doesn't mean that children will lose contacts with their friends. Older children and teens will stay in contact using MySpace and email - just like they do when they are "talking" to someone in the same room!
Also consider timing your move for the start of a new year. Starting a new school at the start of the year is always easier than coming in part-way school. So time a move to the southern hemisphere for January or to the northern hemisphere for August. Consider also the differences in curriculum especially for older children. Some subjects may not be available, others may be totally new: move to Eir and you will be studying Irish language, move to New Zealand and you may have to take some Maori culture courses.
Make sure children have what is needed to "fit in". If the norm in your new home is to go to school with sun hats and backpacks don't send them off with baseball caps and briefcases! Its always an issue joining an entirely new peer group - don't make it harder than it has to be with your rigid parental values.
Before they move children may be worried about "what ifs" - just the same way as you are. Don't say blandly "it will fine" - listen to their concerns and if there are easy questions (What time does school finish?) get on the Internet and find the answer for them!
Keep children involved in the huge family adventure of moving overseas - its not entirely their choice to relocate, but make it as easy as possible for them - after all as a family you need to pull together in a new country.
Moving overseas is a big decision for anyone to take. Mary has lived in six different countries and knows a lot about the issues involved with migration and living abroad. Mary created the Moving overseas: How To website to help others considering the big move to a new country.
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