In today’s world, few families ever stay in one single location for the entirety of their lives. Unlike the times when our parents and grandparents were being raised, an ever-increasing number of professionals are being relocated abroad. As more and more corporations are taking their operations globally, a greater number of families are uprooted to go where mom and dad are being sent to work. It isn’t always easy for the kids, but you can learn to help them adjust when moving abroad. Here are a few suggestions to make it easier for everyone involved.
1. Start Preparing Them Early On
While toddlers and little children might not understand what moving abroad will mean to them, older kids may rebel at the idea. Some will be excited at first while others may make it difficult throughout the entire move. The best advice would be to prepare them as early on in the process as possible. The moment the transfer is cemented with your company, begin talking to them so that nothing comes as a shock a month or two down the road.
2. Choosing the Right School Abroad Is a Must
One of the biggest objections you may get from your kids, especially tweens and teens, is that they will be leaving their schoolmates at home. You should make it a priority to find the right school abroad that will be flavored in such a way as to feel like a school back home, but obviously on foreign soil. The leading UK school with high ratings abroad even has a well-respected and much-loved campus in Thailand. The Bangkok International School has an educational approach that inspires children between 2 and 15 to learn.
3. Listen to Their Concerns
Some parents don’t seem to truly understand what their kids are saying to them when they are expressing their concerns about the move. Although you have much on your plate already, it’s your duty as mum and dad to really hear what is going on between the lines. Your kids may be voicing one concern with something totally different on their minds. For example, your children might tell you that there is no way they will be able to learn because they don’t speak the language. Even if you reassure them they will be attending an English school, they still object. Perhaps what they are telling you is that they are afraid they will not make new friends due to cultural differences. Please sit and listen to what your kids may not be saying.
In the end, you can explain that they can stay connected via social media. They can connect every day after school, once homework is done that is, and they can talk to their heart’s content on weekends and holidays. There is no need to feel like they are being sent to the moon because technology keeps us just a few packets away from our friends and families. Take your time preparing your kids, no matter how busy you are with the move. They are so vulnerable at this age and although you know they will love Thailand, they might not be ready to hear that just yet. Take it step by step, day by day, and when it’s time to board the plane, you’ll find the leaving that much easier. Never rush the move for your sake and theirs.
