Things to Consider When Moving Abroad With Children
Moving overseas as a family is a big step for both you and your children. There are new environments, new cultures and perhaps new languages to learn as part of your family move abroad. Here at Anglo Pacific World Movers, we have watched countless families move abroad and have plenty of experience with the problems they face. That’s why we have put together our guide of things to consider when moving abroad with children to help you prepare for your new life overseas.
Finding a School Overseas
When moving abroad as a family, one of the most important things to consider is how your children will be educated in their new home. A new school can be a daunting prospect for children moving abroad so choosing the right one is important to help them settle into their new home. If your family will be moving to a country where English is not the first language, you will need to consider finding a school that teaches in English for your children or finding a bi-lingual language school that teaches in both English and the language of your new country. Depending on the country you move to, this may include needing to find a private school for your children abroad so it is important to look at this before you move your family abroad and factor it into your family’s moving expenses.
Helping Your Children Learn the Language in Your New Home
Whilst it is inevitable that your children will pick up some of the local language when you move abroad, helping them to learn the language early on is one of the best ways to help your children adapt to living abroad. Before your family moves abroad, you may want to invest in some lessons for both you and your children in the language of the country you are moving to. There are also plenty of online resources and games such as Duolingo that can help you and your children learn the new language in a fun and engaging way. Once you have moved your family abroad, there are usually a number of language schools or private tutors your family will be able to take lessons with to learn the language.
A rising trend, particularly in Europe, is also to have an au pair stay with your family in order for them to learn a new language in their home environment as well as at school and out and about in their new country. Speaking a new language at home can help your children learn a language quicker and help them settle into a new country abroad much quicker so this is a popular option for many families wanting to develop a natural understanding of the language.
Where to Move to With a Family Abroad
Whilst many countries have expat communities perfect for families living abroad, some areas may be more suited to your specific family when choosing where to move abroad. When looking at a new home overseas with your family, some things you should consider are proximity to local amenities. Is your new home close to a school? Is there a park or beach nearby? Are you moving to a town where there will be other families nearby or are you moving to the middle of the countryside where it is very quiet? Where you choose to move will depend on your family and its needs but these are all things worth considering in order to make your move abroad with children successful.
Packing a Few Familiar Items From Home
When moving abroad with children, one thing you need to consider, particularly with younger children is that their new environment will be completely alien to them and may need some getting used to. Taking a few familiar items from your home, such as a few key pieces of furniture, pictures or other objects from their own rooms at home can help children feel more settled in their new home abroad. Fitting out your new home abroad with familiar objects is a good way to help your children feel more connected when moving abroad and make the process a bit easier to adapt to.
Staying in Touch with Friends and Other Relatives Back Home
Something that everyone, no matter what age they are misses when moving abroad is friends and family. If you are moving children abroad away from family members such as grandparents, this can be a hard thing to adjust to. When moving abroad, make a specific effort to keep in touch with loved ones through tools such as video calls or messaging apps to maintain that link with home. One thing that can be a nice thing to do with children who are missing home is to get relatives to send out little items from home in the post such as a favourite chocolate bar or a few pictures of home. Having a physical item can seem like an extra treat and sending items back is a great way to stay in touch with those back home.
Get Children Involved With Making Your New House a Home
When moving abroad, children can often feel that they have no control over what is happening and a new environment can seem all too much to take in. Before your move, show your children pictures of your new home abroad and get them involved in planning how they are going to decorate it and what sort of things they could be getting up to in their new home. Once you have moved overseas with your family, get kids involved with unpacking boxes for their own rooms and choosing where their belongings are going to live in their new home overseas. This can help give children a sense of control over their new lives and possession over how their new home looks and feels to them.
Make Sure Your Family Has Health Insurance When Moving Overseas
One of the most important things to consider when moving abroad with children is making sure that their medical needs are met. Many countries do not have a medical system that mirrors our NHS, so it is important to ensure that you have the correct medical coverage for your family to make sure that if they need medical help they can get it without having to jump through hoops or pay exorbitant fees to access treatment. Look up the healthcare provisions of your chosen country before you set off to ensure your family will have access to everything they need.
Allow us to Help Your Family Move Abroad
Here at Anglo Pacific World Movers, we have a number of years experience helping families move abroad. We have answers to questions for all stages of your move overseas and are happy to help every step of the way. Why not get in touch with the team to discuss how we can help you and your family move abroad? Call 0800 633 5445 or get in touch online now to talk to our friendly international movers about how we can help your family.
