Date Published: 02/04/2022 Show
Last Updated: 02/11/2022  Relocating abroad with kids can be truly rewarding / GETTY IMAGES Want more expat content?
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| Clara Wiggins, author of the Expat Partner’s Survival Guide | Theodora Sutcliffe, freelance journalist and nomad | Jaimie Seaton, writer, journalist and editor from US |
Tip 1/ Getting ready to move
Ask seasoned expats and they’ll agree that it’s important to get the kids involved in researching and preparing to live abroad. Talk to your children about where you’re going and why, and the opportunities the move offers. They might be excited about the move, but if they’re worried, listen to what they have to say and discuss the issues with them.
- If at all possible, visit the place you’re moving to ahead of time – you can even give older children the chance to give their input when choosing a home.
- Try to research the weather patterns of your chosen destination – moving abroad where it is sunny can be more appealing to younger members of the family!
- We also recommend researching local and traditional celebrations in your new destination. Christmas and New Year is traditionally a time to be spent with friends and family. If it is the most celebrated time of year in your family, imagine your first Christmas in your new country where you do not know anybody, you may not even be able to buy a Christmas tree and all the gifts sent by post have not yet arrived.
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“If you are not able to take children on a look-see, I would recommend doing a video for them
or even a live Facetime or Skype so they can get an idea of where they are going.”
Tip 2/ Research children’s healthcare
Concerns about your children’s health will be one of the items at the top of the agenda when you move to a new country. It’s important to research what’s available when you choose your location:
- Will your child be able to access state healthcare and what is the standard of that healthcare?
- Will you be living within easy reach of doctors’ surgeries and hospitals?
- If your child needs specific medication or access to ongoing treatments, how accessible will these be?
- If the company you’re working for is providing health insurance, will it cover your children?
Once you get to your new country, be aware that many health issues can be prevented by using common sense. Make sure that your children understand safety rules about drinking water; for example, can they brush their teeth with tap water? The same applies to food safety, especially at street stalls and markets. Call local hospitals or doctors, and seek advice from other expats via online forums and Facebook groups.
But given the incredibly varied quality and availability of public healthcare from country to country, not all expats will move to a location that offers reliable local medical services. You may even be expected to foot the bill for private healthcare, so having international health insurance cover in place is vital before you go anywhere.
While her family were posted in St. Lucia, Clara knew that if there was a serious health incident, they would be medically evacuated under the terms of her private insurance plan. But she also suggests preparing for the unexpected. Clara points out that it is also important to know what the procedure is when you arrive at the hospital, for example, do you need to pay for treatments up front?
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“I always recommend doing a ‘dry run’ to your local emergency department or hospital and
making sure its location is in your GPS and number is in your phone.”
Tip 3/ Education for expat children
Expat parents have a couple of choices for education for school-age children:
- Local schools
- International schools
Again, it’s important to do your research before making a decision on where to live. Whether you choose to send your child to a local school may depend on the standard of state education in the country you’re moving to. However, one advantage of doing this is that it will undoubtedly help your child learn the language of their new home – something that will stand them in good stead in the future.
On the other hand, an international school will enable your children to meet others in a similar situation to them, which may help them settle in.
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Tip 4/ Think of safety
Make sure your children understand safety issues in their new home, for example, which neighbourhoods are safe, whether it’s safe to travel alone and any natural hazards to watch out for. In Bali, where Theodora and her son are based, the beach is a great place to meet other kids but there are dangers to be aware of. “Make sure you and your children understand water safety: the currents in the sea are no laughing matter,” she says.
Finding a place to live in the right neighbourhood is an exercise in patience. It’s also an investment in time that many people simply do not have when they arrive. But it need not be a minefield. It’s far easier to have all the data presented as a clear comparison of available properties in your city. Services vary by country, but many real estate websites have robust search engines that allow you to customize your search for a home.
With the right pre-move preparations and support from relocation agents, most expats settle in well during their first year; the majority go on to enjoy a richly rewarding experience. But the importance of finding the right place to live in the right neighbourhood cannot be overstated. Also make your kids aware of any cultural issues that could get them into tricky situations. Seaton also ensured that her children understood cultural differences before they moved to Thailand from US.
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“Frame the move as a great opportunity and adventure, not as a challenge.
Do research as a family of your new home, teach them about the culture, look up fun things to do in the new country.”
Tip 5/ Make your new house a home
Before you shop your possessions to a new country, even letting your children make small decisions about what to take helps them feel in control and a part of the move. Younger children may become distressed seeing all their toys and possessions being taken away; make sure to explain to them that they’re just being moved to their new bedroom.
When packing your survival bags for the move, ask your kids to pack their three desert island essentials to keep them entertained on the journey or while they await the delivery of the rest of their belongings. You can also ease the transition by bringing familiar things from home on the plane, rather than waiting for them to arrive later.
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“We brought my younger daughter’s fairy lights for her bedroom, and we also brought their duvet and pillow covers.
The first few nights in a new place can be hard so making their rooms feel like home is one way to help."
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