How to prepare children for moving abroad

Moving abroad is no easy task. With everything that needs to be done, it’s hard to focus on everything. But, one thing that you absolutely have to do is prepare children for moving abroad. They will be afraid. And they will need all the support that they can get to get through this tough period. Here are some tips on how to make the transition a little bit easier on them. And how to handle your relocation while doing it.

Prepare children for moving abroad early

Children are very sensitive to changes. They got used to living in the same home. From their perspective, they’ve lived there for their entire lives. And changes can be difficult. So, you need to start to prepare children for moving abroad as early as possible. Even before you find movers in Glendale NY and schedule your relocation. As soon as you know that you are going to be moving, you need to start preparing them

clidren with a dog while you prepare children for moving abroad

As soon as you know the date, sit down and talk with your kids

Look at things from their perspective

It’s sometimes hard for an adult to see things from a child’s perspective. But, if you want to prepare children for moving abroad, you will have to try. In their eyes, they don’t have any control over their life. For adults, a decade is just a period of life. But for children that can mean their entire lives. And changing a home after they’ve lived in it for their entire life can be difficult. It’s also quite scary. They are moving to a different country. Where they might not even be able to speak the language. To a great unknown. A place that they may have only heard about on the news or in school. You need to make sure that they learn about their destination. And that they are able to feel at least somewhat in control. 

Start by talking to your children about moving abroad

Talking is a great way to solve many problems. And it’s the same when you want to prepare children for moving abroad. You need to discuss the situation at length. And you need to explain to them why you are moving. Find good things about the relocation and focus on them. But make sure to keep expectations in check. Every long distance relocation brings with it a lot of expectations. Especially if you are moving very far away. Children tend to expect a lot of things due to many different reasons. Out of fear, hope or because you’ve told them only the good things. So, make sure to keep the expectations to normal levels even though you are focusing on the positive

Do some research to better prepare children for moving abroad

A good idea is to do some research on the country you are moving to. You can buy your children a globe and together you can search for that country. Then go online and look for information on that country. Yes, you might know all that, but your children need to get familiar with it as well. It’s a great way to prepare children for moving abroad. Moving is hard for children, much more so than for adults. It scares them because they fear the unknown. Moving into a different country means different culture, language, and customs. And the more they know about your destination the less frightened your children will be. And it will make the transition a lot easier. Both for them and you. 

globe with dolls

Buy a globe and teach your kids about the new country that you are moving to

Make the relocation as easy as possible

The faster the moving process is, the better. If the move drags on for days or even weeks it can make things much worse. Expectation and suspense will make everyone nervous. And especially young children. So, make sure to find quality professional moving companies NYC for your relocation. That way you will minimize delays. And move as fast as possible. And it won’t be easier just for the kids. It will be much easier for you as well. 

Packing

Packing is an important part of every relocation. And it’s a great opportunity to bond and prepare children for moving abroad. It will give them the opportunity to say goodbye to their home. And it will give you the opportunity to ease the pain of leaving. So, even if you hire professional packing services, make sure to spend some time packing with your kids. Go to their room and help them pack their toys and other items that are dear to them. Let them decide what they want to pack first. And how they want to pack it. It will give them a certain sense of control.

suitcase with teddy bear as a prepare children for moving abroad

You should pack toys with your children and help them understand what is happening

Give your children a sense of control to better prepare them for moving abroad

Even though ultimately, you will be the one who is making all the decisions, your children need to feel in control. It will be much easier for them. And it will better prepare children for moving abroad. So, ask them how they want to travel to your destination country. Let them decide what they want to pack. And you can pack up the rest. But they need to feel able to make at least some decisions. It will go a long way in making them more calm and receptive to relocation.

Prepare your children for moving day

Moving day can be very chaotic. Movers will be constantly going through your home. Things will be loaded and shipped. At children can easily get scared or at the very least bored. So, you need to prepare them for moving day. They need to know what they are and aren’t supposed to do. And what their duties will be. And they should have at least some duties. Even if that means watching the door or counting boxes. It will give them a sense of purpose. And they will feel like a part of the relocation. It all comes down to a sense of control.