Moving overseas is a big change, even for adults, but for kids, it transforms their whole world. With that in mind, doing everything you can to make sure they settle into their new life in a new location is crucial. The good news is you can find out how to do this below.
Allow them to choose what to pack When moving overseas you must give your child control over what they can pack and take with them. There are several reasons for this including that having items from their old room will make their new room seem more like home. Additionally, because larger items like beds and other furniture are usually too expensive to pack, the smaller items can make a real difference.
Last, of all, the sense of control that you give your child by allowing them what to bring can be very important in a situation where they may feel what is happening around them with little of their input. In this way, it can make the transition easier.
Enroll them in a great school ASAP
Another way you can help your child settle in as quickly as possible when moving overseas is to enrol them in a great school quickly. This is because the sooner they start going to school and getting into a routine, the sooner they will make friends with others their age and start to settle in. Of course, there are a range of schooling options that you may wish to consider when moving overseas, Although, many people like to send their children to a place like KIS International School Reignwood Park, offers excellent facilities and globally recognised qualifications. Indeed, as most international schools use English as their first language, sending your child there can make the overseas transition a great deal easier for them.
Encourage them to join extracurricular clubs
In addition to sending your child to school as soon as possible, it also makes sense to encourage them to enrol in extra-curricular activities and clubs. This is because by joining clubs in which they are interested they are likely to improve their social skills, as well as meet other like-minded individuals that they may not cross paths with during the school day.
Help them to stay in touch with friends and family back home
While you must encourage your child to get out there and make new friends after an overseas move, it’s also important that you help them stay in touch with people from their home country too. The good news is that this is easier than ever with instant messaging, online video gaming, and video calling. Where possible set a time in the week when your child can call their old friends or family members and catch up. By doing this all parties will be much more likely to follow through and so maintain those all-important connections.
Explore the area together during your downtime
Last of all, to help your child settle in it’s a good idea to explore the place you are now living when you have some downtime. This may mean heading to the local malls and grabbing a bite to eat, exploring the historical or cultural sites, or even heading out on some hikes. Just be sure that you choose activities that you know your child will enjoy as collecting positive experiences can help them settle in in your new location.