Santa Fe A/S : Seven challenges when relocating with children

Posted: 24/07/2017 Author:

Relocating your family to a different country can be a choice you make for all kinds of reasons. It could be a great new opportunity to boost several rungs up the career ladder. It can be an opportunity to discover new cultures, or reconnect with your heritage. To your children, those things are less important. They may find relocation a stressful experience and may not find your reasons as compelling as their own motivation to stay: friends, familiar places and food.

Before you move

Finding the right school

Your first instinct might be to look for a place to live, but instead you should focus on picking the right school. In almost every city in the world, you'll have a range of choices of houses or apartment, but with schools you may face limited choices. The best schools may be full, or have a waiting list, or their fees may be too expensive for you or your company to consider. Try to get in your application as far in advance as possible, and consider home schooling as a stop-gap if you're relocating at any time other than the beginning of the school year, which most people do. You may also find it better to move in stages, with the international assignee moving first and the rest of the family moving at the end or beginning of term.

Picking the right house or apartment

Location is key. If you've decided on a school, you'll have a good idea whichlocationmight work best, both for your commute and your children's. But parks, shops and other sorts of entertainment are also important factors. Try to bring your children with you if you have a chance for a look-see visit, and make some time to have fun so that they have a positive impression to go with the boring trudge from property to property.

Tell your friends and family - and get them to visit

Also consider whether you can easily accommodate guests. This might be hard in Manhattan, but easier in New Jersey. Your kids will see relocation as cutting them off from their friends - if you can persuade some of them that visiting you would be a cheap holiday, you'll keep things positive and exciting. If you're not moving to a major tourist destination then try to find some hidden diamonds in your region.

When you move

Making sure they have everything they need

Packing is always a challenge, but unpacking is usually much harder. Even with relocation assistance, the most comprehensive inventory is unlikely to list which box a particular stuffed toy is hidden in. Unpacking can seem like a never-ending chore - many people find one or two sealed boxes when it's time to go home - so try to make sure that your children's things are easy to find. Obviously, you'll pack overnight bags with their most precious possessions and clothes. If your budget allows, also use an air shipment for those things that can't fit in a suitcase but your children can't live without for too long.

Don't forget to take some treats

In some countries, you'll find it hard to get hold of the sorts of food your children like, which can be one of the biggest challenges for family relocation. You can take it with you - and not just Marmite and Dairy Milk chocolate. Some families have taken frozen sausages and cheddar cheese to Delhi, surviving the journey and the heat intact, or long-life crumpets and semi-skimmed milk.

Settling in

Set aside some fun time

After you've arrived, it'stime to settle in. You'll have a lot on your plate - work, sorting out details like internet access and phones, where to buy food and so on - but don't forget to make time for some fun activities, especially early on. The first impressions can make a huge difference to children, particularly younger ones. Doing something on your first weekend in your new location away from home, even though it means leaving those important tasks unfinished, will give everyone a break - and it will give your kids something to look forward to.

Tap into your new networks

It's also very important to cement new friendships. Don't rely on school for this, even in some places where the expat community revolves around life at school. Relocating with kids means putting in work to create new networks. You may be able to find clubs, email mailing lists and other informal groups by talking to your relocation advisor.

There are many challenges to relocating with kids, and it can feel overwhelming, however much you know that they will be getting a fantastic experience that will help them grow into rounded individuals. Santa Fe Relocation Services can help makefamily relocationas smooth as possible - get in touch through ourContact Uspage today.