Relocating to a different country, in this instance, Switzerland, is tough enough when you are relocating alone. However, it gets significantly harder when you have to move with your children. There are numerous challenges that you will face as you try to ensure that your kids adjust accordingly in their new home, but there are also some common tips on how to overcome these challenges.
Some of the challenges you will encounter will include:
a. Heightened strain on familial relationships
A relocation to a different country can put a lot of strain, not only on the finances of a family, but also on the dynamics of relationships amongst the family members. When you relocate your family, you are moving them from where they had strong networks and support systems. Some family members especially the kids might feel a disconnect with their new surroundings. Loneliness, dissatisfaction, and a feeling of being unheard can also surface, and this might create some serious tension between you and your kids, and might have a significant effect on the quality of relationships within the familial structure.
b. Stressed out adults
Moving, especially to a different country, can be quite stressful for the adults, and if the parents are stressed, this is bound to affect the kids as well. Expatriate mothers usually bear the brunt of the stress of moving because they are usually thrown into the role of stay at home mothers until everything is settled. Heightened levels of stress and unhappiness can be disastrous for a family with perceptive children.
How can some of the issues above be solved?
1. Join an expat community
Joining an expat community will prove important as it will provide the support and the base that each member of your family is looking for. Your kids can find children their age to play with and befriend, which can considerably ease the stress they are facing from being uprooted from where they came from. Your kids will have a much easier time getting used to their new environment if they find kindred spirits that have gone through the same.
In addition, you will find other individuals who have gone through similar moves, and learning from their experiences can significantly ease your own transition. You will also have a strong support network when you need one, also decreasing your levels of stress.
2. Seek the assistance of professionals
You should seek out professionals who can help you along this process in order to make it as easy as possible for you and your children to adjust to living in this new country. For instance, getting expert help from companies such as Cosmos Values Real Estate when looking for apartments to rent can save you a lot of stress at home, as well as help you spend more time getting your kids adjusted.
You can also seek out the professional services of tutors who are well knowledgeable in handling the education needs of children who have just relocated into the country.
If your kids need a little bit of counselling in order to adjust, then it is probably best to enrol them in professional counselling sessions for their mental and emotional well-being.
3. Listen to your child
Children might act out as they try to understand their emotions in regards to the move. This might be a communication issue rather than a behavioural one. The best action in this case is to deeply listen to your child intensely and deeply. Acknowledge your child’s pain and discomfort, and talk it through with them. Sometimes all they need is a listening ear.
Be present in the moment so that your child is able to confide in you. You might notice that your child is clingier than usual, but this could be because they are scared and you are the onlysource of comfort. Do not push them away when this happens, otherwise, their behaviour might worsen, making the tell more difficult than it should be.
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