How To Prepare Your Kids For A Move Overseas
The following is a guest post * by Robert from Nuss Removals.
Moving overseas can be incredibly tough, especially for kids. Reactions may vary, depending on the child’s age, personality and attachment to your old community.
Some kids may get excited with the idea of moving to another country. On the other hand, there are also those who exhibit signs of stressand separation anxiety.
Moving overseas can have negative behavioral and psychological effects which can permeate even when children reach adulthood. Because of this, preparing your kids mentally and emotionally for the move is important.
As kids will react to the move in varying ways, the type and level of support must be adjusted to suit the situation and each of your children’s needs. Here are a few tips to help you out, arranged according to age group.
Babies and toddlers
Although this age group requires the most attention, theemotional and psychological effects associated with moving abroad will beminimal. The infant or toddler will have limited memories of the move itself. As such, it is quite unlikely that yourgrowing child will have any objections or be affected immensely by your moveabroad.
With babies and toddlers, it is important to stick to their routine before and after the move. Keep a few bottles, clothes, blankets and other essentials packed with your main luggage and within easy reach. This ensures that you have access to whatever your infant or tot needs at any point during the move.
Four to eight-year-olds
As the child grows, their awareness of their surroundings increases. Kids at this stage of their development are naturally more curious but tend to adapt more readily. When moving to a country where people speak a different language, they can even learn the new language with greater ease than their adult counterparts.
Although kids can adapt and easily make friends in any environment, how you explain the situation can affect the speed of how they adapt. When handling kids at this stage, it is important to present the move in a positive light. Make the move sound more fun and exciting. Doing so will encourage the kids to accept the move and adapt more readily.
Pre-teens
Adolescents are difficult to handle. At around nine to twelve years of age, your kids have already begun to establish connections at home or in school. As a result, they may be more resistant to the idea of moving away.
When dealing with pre-teens, take into consideration the following:
- Honesty and transparency are critical when approaching pre-teens. Be open to answering any questions your kids may have about the move.
- Get them involved with decisions that directly affect them. For instance, you can give your adolescents the freedom to decorate their new rooms.
- Have conversations with them about the move as early as possible. Share ideas on what they can do at their new school.
- Enroll them in a local sports club or training camp or an activity that they want to learn. This will give your adolescent something to look forward to.
Find a way for your kids to retain and maintain relationships with their old friends, and share your ideas with them. If they are too young to have a social media account, you can open an email account for them instead. They can use their email address to send messages and updates to their friends back home.
Teenagers
With hormones raging and more established relationships, teenagers are more difficult to convince that there is anything good about the move. Your teen’s friends can be your best allies at this stage.
Invite your kid’s friends to come over more often, especially around the last weeks before the move. They can provide the additional support your child needs at thispoint in time.
With an international move, you will need the help of experienced international removalists to help you pack. To engage your children, you can get them and their friends involved with some of the
Your teenagers will want to keep in touch with their old comrades, too,
Ease them into the transition
By following these suggestions, your kids are more likely to accept the move and see it in a more positive light. Inform them of your plans as early as you can to give them time to prepare and adjust to the idea of moving to a new place abroad.
Author Bio
Robert Wise, Sales Administration Manager at Nuss Removals, has been a respected figure in the removals industry for over 20 years. His attention to detail and the ability to truly understand the needs of the customer have ensured the successful relocation of thousands of satisfied individuals and families.
