Reading Time: 3 minutes Preparing To Move Abroad With Your Family
This is a collaborative post by Ellie Jo with tips on moving to another country.
We all dream of moving somewhere else on occasion. Whether it’s for personal or professional reasons, going to another country when you have a family is one of the biggest undertakings.
But if you are preparing yourself to take your family to another country, what are the things that you need to consider that make the process smoother? And also, what do you need to make sure that your children aren’t overly stressed by the situation?
Tips for Moving Abroad With Your Family
Preparing Your Documents
Before you start to consider the emotional repercussions, you have to be aware that there is a tumultuous amount of forms to fill out.
You will have to apply for visa status, but also so make sure that you have the finances at your disposal so you can pay the fees. Migrating to another country can be a legal minefield if you don’t know where to begin, but there are migration agent services out there that can give you the professional help that you need.
It’s easy enough for everybody to think that “it’s just a few forms online,” but it can prove to be overwhelming. Professional help can mean the difference between a stressful preparation process and a positive one.
Helping Your Children
When you start to teach your child about the world you are trying to pique their interest in what is out there. But there will be times when our children need home comforts. Uprooting your children and taking them to another country is going to be one of the most stressful things for them and you.
It’s a very long process because your children will regress or be very cold with you. It’s important to help your children throughout this process. You have to focus on keeping routines as much as possible but you also need to think about what is going through their minds. In one respect, you can be taking them away from everything that they know.
This is why you have to help demystify the process. Give them ownership over aspects of the planning and preparation, while also showing them what their new life will be like in as much detail as possible. But also, highlighting why this is all better for them can help to get them a bit more excited.
Preparing For Setbacks
Financially, logistically, and emotionally there can be many setbacks. It’s important that when we are getting ourselves ready for a big move that there will be times when we take two steps forward and one step back. When our children are stressed out about the process, this can cause us a lot of anxiety.
It’s important to have a plan. The structure will keep you focused but will also give you positivity when these setbacks occur. There will be issues but this is where you have to be able to cope with the stresses.
Think about the best practices to calm you down. You are going through a lot, and on an individual level, you can feel the pressure. And you may believe you need to take the stress so your children won’t feel it, but this isn’t healthy for you.
Ultimately, going to another country is about a new start and it can be an exciting journey, just as long as you have everything set.
Rachel is an Austin blogger, educator, mom, wife, young breast cancer survivor writing about health, saving money, and living a happy life in Austin, Texas.
Rachel has written for HuffPost and Hometalk and has been featured on KXAN, Studio 512, Fox 7 Austin, and CBS Austin.