Thinking About Moving Your Family Overseas

Above all, thorough preparation to ensure that your family settles in as effortlessly as possible is essential.

Planning to Emigrate

Children will adapt more readily if they feel that they have been actively involved in the decision to move abroad so empower them to take a role in the preparations rather than just announcing it over the breakfast table.

Help your child to carry out some research on the internet or in books about the country to which you are relocating so they can discover for themselves the interesting places to visit or traditions to take part in. Draw out the similarities and differences between the ways of life at home and abroad and present the idea of change as a positive.

Share stories about emigrating to help your children to understand their mixed emotions (because, in all honesty, they will probably be feeling rather confused). The Mission of Detective Mike: Moving Abroad or Sammy’s Next Move are great examples of stories you can enjoy together.

Above all, your family needs to understand that the move is permanent or else it will be regarded as a holiday from which they will return. Allow the children the opportunities to say their goodbyes properly to family and friends, expect them to be upset and support them through this process. Time heals but it’s not instant.

Settling In

For children of 5 and over, school is the central part of their life and they will experience many similarities and differences in their new school abroad. Establishing a positive relationship with your child’s teacher is important to help your child to feel able to share their worries and fears until they feel more tuned in to the education system.

Friendships will form quickly (in fact, children tend to be curious about newcomers from other countries so your child may be swamped with attention) but foster these by accepting invitations to parties, sleepovers or play dates.

Don’t pretend that life in the UK never existed even though the farewells have been said; keep in contact with family and friends by email or telephone (your children’s reliance on these old friendships will lessen over time). Maintain the routines that your family is used to, such as enrolling the children in after-school sports, music or drama if this is what they enjoyed before.

When unpacking your possessions in your new home, focus on the children’s bedrooms first so that they have their familiar toys and belongings to hand immediately. This will help them to feel more at ease in a place that, at least initially, seems strange.

Communicate

Above all, remember that at first emigrating may seem difficult and your family is bound to experience a wide range of contrasting emotions. Talk openly and help your children to understand that as time passes they will come to identify the new country as ‘home’. Pretending that their feelings aren’t real and should be ignored will only lengthen the settling-in time and make the whole process less exciting and more uncomfortable.