Moving With children

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If you are moving abroad with children, getting them settled in will be a big priority. Periods of transition are inevitable, but preparation is the key to success.

Moving abroad can be challenging. You move house and country, change jobs, and can lose contact with friends and support networks. You may even have to learn a new language.

It is no easier for your children. In fact, the older they are, the more important their friends become, and sadly they cannot come too. The responsibility for settling the children in falls inevitably to the parents, who need to devise creative, appropriate solutions, and fast.

How to make moving with children easier:

For advice on how to help the whole family relocate to a new place, you need look no further than the experts. Dave Pollock and Ruth van Reken, authors of ‘Third Culture Kids, Growing Up Among Worlds’ recommend that parents moving with children build a RAFT.

• R - Reconciliation of conflicts
• A - Affirmation of important relationships
• F - Farewells performed in culturally appropriate ways
• T - Thinking realistically and positively about your destination

A good goodbye:

Of all the elements in your RAFT, it is maybe the Farewell that is most crucial. Here are three ways to help your children make a good goodbye:

• Children place importance on possessions. Try to make sure that young children help with packing and unpacking their own boxes of special things.
• If you have youngsters, take lots of photographs of the place you are leaving, particularly those that are involved in daily routines.
• Invite young children to draw you a picture of all the things they will miss. If they include football, vow to find out about football teams. If they draw their cuddly toys, make sure they accompany you on the plane not the sea freight. Recognise the importance of sports and hobbies for all the family.

And once you arrive:

Each child will have their own adjustment experience when moving abroad. Try to accommodate each one’s needs. Organise play dates for younger children, and for older children, do not under-estimate the importance of staying in touch with old friends. An Internet connection is a priority so that they can continue with social networking and other online communication. There is no doubt that children pick up on the attitude of their parents. For children to adjust smoothly to a move, parents need to manage expectations and do their best to remain positive about the move.

More moving with children information:

For more information about our moving with children services, or any of our other moving services, including moving with pets, contact us today.