Tips for parenting an expat teen
but the excitement isn’t always shared by children, especially teenagers. To them, life is being uprooted, they’re leaving everything they know including some of the most important people in their lives.
Parenting an expat teen can be tough, but we have some tips to help.
If your teen is at a crucial point in their education moving them to another school could impact their school results negatively. Could your child see out their education in your home country by staying with a family member?
You might also consider allowing your teen to stay home with family if you feel that moving them could have a negative effect on their mental health. They could spend school holidays and summers at your expat location instead.
If these options are not available, do what you can to ease negative feelings. Pre plan trips home, discuss the move with your teen and their expat school to see what options are available in terms of certification and try to arrange for their friends to visit.
One of the best things about being an expat family is that you’ll get to explore and experience a new country together. Spend time together looking at travel guides and plan trips to the local sites, museums, galleries and other places of interest. Discuss the benefits of your new climate - will you get more sun? Will you be able to ski? What are the possibilities?
Another way to help your teen get excited is decorating their new bedroom. Work with them to create a haven that matches their style and personality.
Teens like to be treated like mature adults. Be honest with them when you explain the reasons for going on expat assignment. Explain the benefits and all the sacrifices being made by each member of the family to help them understand the situation better.
Reassure them that there will be Wi-Fi to keep in touch with their family and friends, that they can have close friends over to visit and can make trips back home and that you are all in this together. Keeping an open and honest dialogue between you and your teen is essential for avoiding or recognising early signs of expat child syndrome.
Parenting is difficult, and parental guilt can be a contributing factor to expat failure. Try not to be too hard on yourselves as parents and remember how you were as a teenager and base your approach on what may have worked for you then.
Give your teen time to adjust and find their identity in their new home. If they react badly to the decision to move consider family counselling or therapy to help ease them into their new life.
Try consulting with other expat families for advice on moving overseas with children. Ask your global HR team and new school for recommendations on making the move easier on your children and search for local expat support groups in your location.
It’s natural for your child to feel nervous or anxious before a big change such as moving countries but with some preparation and understanding your teen can settle into expat life and reap its rewards.
Remember to protect your teens’ physical health and wellbeing with international health insurance tailored specifically to expat families.
