Cynthia Nagrath is an overseas relocation veteran, a mother of three, and a staff writer for The International Educator (TIE). Published quarterly, TIE features the latest in international school news and developments for K-12 educators around the world. Located in Hyannis, MA, TIE is a non-profit organisation that for 25 years has been dedicated to developing links among teachers and the extensive American and international schools network worldwide. TIE’s website, www.tieonline.com, offers the widest selection of K-12 teaching and administrative jobs available anywhere in the world.
Planning a move with children is never easy, and planning an overseas relocation can be even more overwhelming for both kids and parents. In the months and weeks leading up to the move it’s very important that parents help children with the emotional and social issues their children will be facing and assist them in transitioning as smoothly as possible.
Preparation is the key
There are many tasks and elements that need to be planned and performed before an overseas relocation, but if you remember these three guiding principles – we like to think of them as the ABC’s – Attitude, Begin transitioning and Communication, the move for both you and your children, will go a lot smoother and a lot less stressful.
Attitude
Believe it or not, the most important thing you can do to prepare for your big move is to check your attitude. Make sure it’s positive because children pick-up on the emotional cues of their parents and if they see that you’re anxious and uncertain about the relocation they will be too. One way to do this is to position the overseas relocation as an adventure, or even an extended holiday. Here are some tips for getting your kids excited about the move:
- Take out books, visit websites, and talk to people who are from, or have visited, your destination country.
- Take your children out to a restaurant featuring cuisine from the country or region where you’re relocating to so they can get familiar with the food, flavours, décor and overall ambience of where they’ll be living.
- If your destination country has distinctive clothing or music try to include those cultural ingredients in the festivities.
- If you have teens, plan a fun movie night where they can invite their friends to see a movie related to the country where they’ll be travelling and furnish them with snacks from that country. (Or if all else fails, order pizza!)
Begin transitioning
The biggest concern for kids and parents with regards to a move is school. This concern is felt in two ways – attachment to their current school and friends, and anxiety about the new school and ability to make new friends. The best way to manage both issues is to address them head-on as early as possible.
Old school
First, it is important to talk to your children and let them know you understand how they feel about leaving their familiar school environment and their friends. Assure them that they’ll be able to keep in touch with their old friends and how great they’ll be at making new ones. This can be an emotionally trying time for them (and you too), but it would be wise to talk to your child’s teacher(s) about the upcoming relocation.
New school
Deciding on which school to enrol your child in the new country/city is a big task and one that parents should look into carefully. There are excellent international schools in virtually every major city in the world so the key is finding the right fit. Most of this research can and should be done prior to departure as schools will require admissions applications to be submitted in advance. These will include full school transcripts, medical records, and for secondary students, teacher recommendations.
How to choose the right international school for your child
Choose a school with a similar curriculum to that of your child’s current school in order to assure a smooth transition in the new country and upon repatriation. It is important to make sure that the school is accredited by the relevant accrediting bodies because this will not only ease the acceptance of credits in future schools your child attends, but will assure that the school is held to a certain level of oversight and accountability.
Some international schools are considered international mainly because they offer a curriculum with a global perspective (see article, What makes a school international?). Word-of-mouth reputation is an invaluable asset, so if there are people in your company who relocated to the country or city you’re going to, it would be wise to get the inside scoop from a seasoned veteran.
The most important part of the selection process should be going to the school and visiting the campus. When you arrive at your new location, arrange to take your child on a tour of the new school so you both can see first-hand what it looks and feels like and you can gauge the overall atmosphere of the environment.
Communication
Finally, communication is the other essential piece in making for a successful relocation for your child. Communicating openly and honestly about the move, when (and if) you’re returning, and discussing arrangements about visiting home will all be important as your child makes the mental adjustment that he or she is moving very far away. Be sure to talk to your children about the move and support them in expressing their feelings.
Although it’s very stressful preparing and planning an overseas relocation if you keep a positive and enthusiastic attitude, you will be sending your child a message that the best is yet to come. When they feel apprehensive about leaving behind their home, friends and school, remind them that home is where your family is, no matter what country that happens to be!
(Image: herry)
