Moving to a new country is a huge life-changing event – especially if you are a family with kids.
Very often, kids are always the ones who are most impacted by a move.
They are probably used to their friends, teachers, and neighbors and moving somewhere thousands of miles away can leave them frustrated.
Let us take a look at how you can prepare them for moving to a new country.
1. Let Them Be Acquainted With The New Place
When moving to a new country, visits are not always a possibility.
In this case give them a visual picture of the place through a walkthrough video or pictures of the house and surroundings.
If it is a country with entirely new traditions, you can show visuals of the activities and traditions of the place. Give them a headstart to learning the local language and culture.
2. Include Them In The Planning Process
Don’t leave your kids out of the planning process.
Instead include them from the very beginning and listen to their suggestions and ideas as well.
Let them have a say in how they want their rooms to be designed, the things they want to pack and what they want in the backyard.
This will definitely get your children more excited and enthusiastic about the move.
3. Let Them Have A Say On Their Schools
If you have older kids, it is very important to let them have a say in their education.
Don’t force your child to attend a school just because it has a certain reputation or ranking.
Does it have the subjects your kid is interested in?
Are there enough extracurricular activities or clubs for them to get involved in?
You can give them a list of schools which you feel are suitable for them or even let them research on their own if they are old enough.
A proper school environment will make the move much easier on your child.
4. Listen To Them
Your kids might be very overwhelmed by the move. Your kid might be terrified by the idea of making new friends and joining a new school.
It is important to let your kids open up and talk about whatever they are feeling instead of letting them shut down.
Some parents avoid detailed explanations because they feel like their kids are too young to understand or comprehend.
Your kids are more intelligent than you think and they can absorb things very quickly especially when their brains are still young!
Your older kids will already have an idea, and a lot of questions or arguments but it doesn’t mean you should avoid talking to them altogether.
You should also work on spending more time with them instead of getting all caught up in the moving process.
Hiring external help or a good cross country moving company can lift a lot of burden off your back and you can use this time to focus on your kids.
5. Explain The Moving Process
You don’t want your kids to be caught off guard by anything.
Make sure you explain the entire moving process from start to finish without leaving out any of the difficult parts.
It is important for your kids to know those parts so that they can be prepared for them.
You can even give them an idea of the moving schedule, so they can finish their school work or other projects in advance.
Conclusion
When your kids feel fully prepared and know everything before the move, they will settle into their new place much faster.
Don’t hold them back from asking difficult questions and do your best to provide practical answers.
