Moving abroad is a major event for any family—exciting, yet demanding. For a child it means leaving behind familiar places, friends, and language, while learning to navigate a brand-new reality. Although anxiety and sadness are natural, well-planned support can turn adaptation into an enriching adventure rather than a stressful ordeal. How can you give your child a sense of security and openness to new experiences? Here are our suggestions.
1. Talk Before the Move
Name what’s happening. A child needs concrete information—where you are going, why, and for how long. Avoid vague explanations like “we’ll see how it goes.” Clear answers reduce fear of the unknown. Use maps, city photos, or short videos to show the new home.
Emotional luggage in a small suitcase. Encourage your child to pack a few personal treasures: a favorite book, blanket, or photos of friends. These items become comforting “anchors” in the new surroundings.
2. First Days in the New Place – Safety in Routine
Familiar rituals in unfamiliar walls. If you read a bedtime story or sang together at breakfast in the old home, keep doing so in the new one. Consistent habits signal to the brain: “It’s safe here too.”
Small steps, not giant leaps. Instead of touring every attraction straight away, first locate the nearest playground, shop, or library. A limited scale helps the child build a mental map without sensory overload.
3. A New Language – Tool and Bridge
The “word-a-day” method. Choose one practical word or phrase (e.g., hello, thank you, water) and use it together all day long. Small steps count—mastering 30 words in a month means a huge confidence boost.
Bilingual labels. Stick notes reading “door / drzwi,” “table / stół,” or “window / okno.” Seeing, touching, and naming objects engages sight, touch, and speech simultaneously.
4. School or Preschool – Key to Integration
Introductory visit. Before regular attendance begins, arrange a short meeting with the teacher and children. Recognizing a place and faces already seen greatly lowers first-day stress.
“Buddy system.” Ask the teacher to assign a peer who will guide the newcomer around the classroom, cafeteria, and cloakroom for the first weeks. A peer relationship speeds up learning the rules.
5. Discovering the Culture Together
Calendar of little discoveries. Aim to explore one local custom each week: learn a popular counting rhyme, dance a traditional children’s dance, or take a short trip to a landmark. Celebrate every “first time”—keep a journal or create a keepsake poster so your child can track new discoveries.
Keeping your roots alive. Adaptation does not mean abandoning your own culture. An evening with family stories or a bedtime tale in the home language balances “where I come from” with “where I am now.”
6. Emotions Under the Microscope
Mood scale (e.g., a feelings thermometer). Each day the child picks a colour or number for their current mood. Talking about what lies behind each chosen sign helps them recognise and label emotions.
“Jar of gratitude.” Once a day every family member drops in a note describing a pleasant moment. After a week, read them together. Focusing on positives offsets the tougher bouts of homesickness.
7. When to Seek Professional Help?
- Persistent physical complaints (stomach-aches, headaches) lasting weeks without medical cause.
- Growing social withdrawal or aggression instead of gradual easing.
- Long-term sleep problems, nightmares, or bed-wetting beyond the usual adjustment period.
In such cases it is worth consulting a child psychologist—ideally bilingual—who can help your child work through anxiety and longing.
The Move Through a Child’s Eyes: A Balanced Approach
An international move is an emotional roller-coaster: excitement blends with fear, curiosity with homesickness. A successful adjustment combines stability (familiar routines, parental presence) with exploration (new language, culture, friends). At TEQUESTA we see every day that such balanced support helps children spread their wings—no matter the latitude or longitude. We wish you, and ourselves, that your new place soon feels like a joyful home and that the world becomes just a little smaller thanks to your child’s smile.
