Visas.

Schools. 

Housing.

Shipping.

What most families underestimate when moving abroad with kids is often how important it is to prepare our children emotionally for an international move. 

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Unfortunately, this is often the part of the relocation that dictates how the first weeks and months after the move go for the entire family. 

It’s natural to want your children to feel excited. Adventurous. Positive.

But emotional preparation isn’t about building hype. It’s about building safety, realistic expectations and setting some very real boundaries. 

This post aims to give you a functional framework to prepare first yourself and then your child for the international move. 

1. Start With Honest, Age-Appropriate Conversations

Children don’t need every administrative detail, but they do need clarity about what to expect.

Tell them:

• Where you’re going
  
• When it’s happening
  
• What will change
  
• What they don’t yet know
  

Avoid overselling the move as “the best adventure ever”. When we overemphasise the positives, children can feel confused or guilty if they don’t feel excited.

We also need to be honest with them about the negatives we can expect. Remember, homesickness, language barriers, cultural confusion and the adjustment to a new home are all foreseeable outcomes of an international move. 

Instead, try:

“This is a big change. Some parts might feel exciting. Some parts might feel hard. We’ll figure it out together.”

That statement recognises the good and the bad, while also building trust that you’ll be there for all of it.

2. Name What Will Stay the Same

In the face of change, children look for anchors. 

What will stay the same?

We can help our children prepare for this massive change by giving them a strong foundation to stand on. 

Let them know what will be the same in their new home. 

Siblings will come, their favourite toys will be with them, and they will still be able to have their favourite food or play their favourite sport.

It’s important to assure your child that they will still be them and that you will still be you.

“You’ll still be you. You’ll still love [favourite sport]. I’ll still nag at you to brush your teeth. Our family won’t change.” 

The more sameness you can highlight for your child, the less scary the planned changes might sound. 

Think of the “sameness” as their foundation. Each one thickens the floor beneath them, ready to withstand the upcoming changes in their new home. 

3. Expect Emotional Reactions to Show Up Later

It’s a common story: during the move, the children thrive,d but then, suddenly, after 6 or 8 weeks, something changed. 

This is often one of the most misunderstood parts of moving abroad with kids. 

Many children cope well during the planning, packing and arrival. There’s adrenaline from the adventure. 

Your new home is novel and there are hundreds of distractions to keep them busy. 

But later, as you settle into your new normal, your child’s emotions come to the surface. It can look different for every child, but you might notice: 

• Regression.
  
• Clinginess.
  
• Tantrums.
  
• Withdrawal.
  

This is a sign that your child’s feelings have “caught up”. The novelty has worn off and the distractions are gone. 

Now is the time that homesickness may show its face, along with other emotional challenges. 

I wish I’d known this during my first month in Germany.

If this happens, it doesn’t mean the move was a mistake. It means their system is catching up and they need you now.

4. Involve Them But Gently

Children need agency in their lives, even in major transitions that seem to be “grown-up decisions”. 

The important part here is what they have agency over. 

Let them:

• Choose a few items to pack in their “arrival bag”
  
• Help plan how their new room might look
  
• Research playgrounds or activities in their new home.
  

But avoid placing emotional responsibility on them.

Your child should never feel responsible for making the move “work”. 

Their job is to remain children, following your lead as their parent. 

Your job is to pave the way and build a strong foundation for your family to stand on in your new home. 

5. Create Emotional Anchors Before You Leave

Goodbyes matter. For everyone. 

Whenever possible:

• Visit favourite places intentionally.
  
• Take photos.
  
• Create memory books from important places to take with you.
  
• Allow space for sadness, regret and worry.
  

Transitional objects help, too. Consider prioritising the packing of: 

• Familiar blanket or cuddle toy.
  
• A favourite mug.
  
• The loved bedtime books.
  

Children don’t need everything in their new home. They need a few things that say: home still exists inside this change. 

6. Regulate Yourself First

This one is often the hardest. 

Children look to their primary caregiver to manage their big feelings. They listen to the tone of your voice, your posture, and your breathing. 

Without realising it, they’re calm when you’re calm and losing it when they sense you’re not coping. 

Fair? Not really, especially when you have so much already on the go. 

You don’t need to be perfectly calm all of the time, but if you are chronically overwhelmed and stressed, they will feel it. 

And you will, too.

Preparing your children emotionally for relocation starts with protecting your own capacity. Capacity to manage stress, roll with the punches and to be needed. 

Because you will be needed. 

That might mean:

• Reducing commitments before the move.
  
• Seeking support early, at home and in your new home, because building an expat support network matters.
  
• Allowing yourself to experience all of your feelings, even the mixed ones.
  

You are allowed to feel grief and hope at the same time.

7. What Emotional Preparation Is NOT

Preparing yourself and your children for this emotional transition is not:

• Ignoring sadness, grief or mixed feelings. 
  
• Convincing your child that life in your new home will be “better”. 
  
• Preventing every challenge or difficulty your child may experience through this transition. 

An international move is disruptive and many challenges that it brings can be planned for. 

Emotional Preparation means that this transition doesn’t need to feel frightening, isolating or too big to handle. 

You Can’t Remove All Stress, But You Can Soften It

Relocating internationally with your kids will stretch you all in ways you couldn’t have imagined.

Life in your new home probably won’t be perfect, but it likely won’t be the worst decision you’ve ever made, either. 

Your child will move through this transition and adapt more easily when they feel: 

• informed
  
• included
  
• emotionally validated
  
• and anchored to you
  

And if you’re reading this, wondering whether you’re doing enough, the fact that you’re thinking about their emotional well-being already says a great deal about the kind of parent you are.

You don’t have to get this perfect.

Good enough is good enough. 

Moving abroad with kids and feeling stuck? Download my FREE Expat Starter Kit to get you on the right track.

The post How to Prepare Your Children Emotionally for an International Move appeared first on Relocation and Travel Coaching.

Parenting is rough. Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

But raising your child bilingually? That’s a whole new level of what on earth am I doing here?!

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When my family moved to Germany, my daughter effortlessly absorbed the language around her. I… well, let’s just say I’m still working on it.

The downside? I spent a lot of time trying to figure out if she’d just said something in English, German, or was that toddler-speak?

“What did you say, honey?”

“Was that English or German?”

“Can you show me what you mean?”

That was me, on repeat.

Sometimes funny, often bewildering, and occasionally overwhelming. If you’re navigating this too—wondering “how the heck do I do this?”—you’re in the right place.

Here are five unexpected challenges of raising bilingual children abroad, along with practical strategies, reassurance, and encouragement for the days it feels impossible.

1. The Bilingual Decision

For many mixed-heritage or expat families, choosing to raise bilingual children feels like the obvious choice.

You want them to connect with both sides of the family, to feel at home in multiple places, and maybe even to gain a little cognitive edge along the way.

Research suggests that bilingualism can support creativity, problem-solving, and adaptability. But newer studies show the real benefits depend less on the number of languages spoken and more on the quality and consistency of exposure.

For us, the decision was clear. Our children would grow up bilingual. That’s the main reason that we moved to Germany.

The tricky part? Only my husband was fluent in both languages. I wasn’t. Now, five years later, both children are well on their way to becoming bilingual, but the journey hasn’t been smooth.

What helps:

• Set clear language boundaries. The One Parent – One Language (OPOL) approach helps children distinguish which words belong to which language. It won’t prevent muddled sentences, but it gives them a strong foundation.
  
  
• Stay flexible. Life changes. Schools, friends, environments and your routines sometimes need to shift. Inconsistency and chaos sometimes won’t harm your child’s learning.
  
  
• Be kind to yourself. Bilingual parenting is not a contest; it’s a long-term commitment that takes patience and grace. Someone once wrote, “It’s easy to raise bilingual children, but hard to raise bilingual adults.” That truth has kept me grounded through the tough phases.

2. Keeping the “Other” Language Alive

Once the decision is made, reality sets in.

How do you keep the “other” language from fading away? Let me know in the comments.

In most bilingual families, one language dominates daily life. For us, that’s German.

Children learn languages through immersion and repetition. When one language fills school, playdates, and social life, the other can easily fade without deliberate effort.

Linguist François Grosjean found that children need at least 30% of their overall language exposure in each language to maintain balance. That’s a tall order for parents, especially when you’re not the fluent one.

Over time, we started slipping into Denglish, a confusing blend of Deutsch and English. Now that we all understand both languages, the rules blur.

When my kids ask for their favourite German bedtime story, I hesitate. Do I say no and insist on English, or do I let it go? These tiny daily choices are the real heart of bilingual parenting.

What helps:

• Create a language-rich environment. Surround your child with stories, songs, TV shows, and audiobooks in the less-used language. Exposure counts.
  
  
• Build your bilingual village. Connect with families who share your language, online or locally. Kids are more motivated to use a language when they see peers using it too.
  
  
• Use everyday routines. Our of our favourite rituals is two bedtime stories – one in English, one in German. Now that my eldest is learning to read, she practices both languages, one bedtime at a time.
  
  

How do you keep your “other” language alive at home? Share your ideas below to inspire other families (and me!).

3. Muddled Sentences (aka “Denglish” in Our House)

Even fluent adults mix up languages sometimes, so imagine how confusing it must be for little ones still learning to speak!

In our home, we joke that we’re fluent in Denglish. It’s cute, but constant code-switching (switching between languages) can make it tricky for kids to keep each language separate.

That said, research shows that this “mixing” is perfectly normal. It doesn’t mean your child is confused. It’s a sign of linguistic flexibility and is actually a strength.

Still, when both parents understand both languages, maintaining clean separation can be tiring. My brain often feels like it’s running in two operating systems at once.

We also naturally use German for certain words, like Kita (daycare), because that’s how life works here.

Sometimes I even forget the English term for something we use every day. It’s not failure—it’s fluency evolving.

What helps:

• Model, don’t correct. When your child mixes languages, simply repeat their sentence back in one language. Their brain will sort it out in time.
  
  
• Care for yourself. Switching languages constantly takes mental energy. Rest and self-compassion are part of good bilingual parenting.
  
  
• Keep humor close. We often laugh when “Mummy forgets how to talk.” Laughter keeps bilingual life lighthearted, even when it’s chaotic.
  
  

4. Feeling Alienated When You Don’t Understand Your Own Child

This one hurts the most. When your child starts speaking in a language you don’t fully understand, it can feel like you’re losing a piece of connection with them.

Between ages two and four, many bilingual kids switch languages mid-sentence. You might find yourself smiling politely, unsure what was just said, and feeling a pang of helplessness or frustration.

Psychologists note that these language gaps can make parents feel isolated or even inadequate. And that is no surprise if you’re riding this rollercoaster. It’s definitely not something you need on top of experiencing expat overwhelm or homesickness!

But here’s the good news: emotional connection matters more than perfect comprehension.

Sometimes my daughter would speak a full sentence in German, and I’d have no idea what she’d just said. So, I’d make it playful: “Can you show me what you mean?” or “Let’s act it out.” The moment we laughed together, our frustration faded.

When I was learning German, I even read her German picture books. It was painful and slow but she loved it. That connection mattered more than accuracy.

What helps:

• Lower your expectations. Misunderstandings are normal. Your child’s brain is building two systems for every word they learn. That’s extraordinary.
  
  
• Stay playful. Turn communication challenges into games. Play charades, make gestures, or drawing.
  
  
• Prioritize love over language. Whether you understand every word or not, your bond comes first.
  
  

Have you ever felt left out of your child’s bilingual world? How did you reconnect?

5. Bilingual Doesn’t Mean Bicultural

Language is one part of our identity, but it’s not the whole picture. Raising bilingual children doesn’t automatically make them bicultural.

Culture seeps in through humor, food, holidays, and the rhythm of community life. Without ongoing exposure, those layers can fade. It might even trigger feelings of homesickness in your child (if they remember their “other home”).

Cross-cultural studies show that children familiar with multiple cultures often develop strong empathy and adaptability, but they may also wrestle with belonging. Many become third-culture kids—at home everywhere, yet not fully from any one place.

For us, this plays out every Christmas. My children associate the holiday with snow, Advent markets, and traditions typical in Dresden. For me, Christmas means Summer, beach, seafood and being outside. It’s a fascinating bridge we build together every year.

What helps:

• Know your cultural non-negotiables. Decide which traditions, values, or stories you want to keep alive.
  
  
• Bring culture to life. Don’t just tell them—show them. Cook familiar foods, play music from home, and share photos and memories.
  
  
• Celebrate their hybrid identity. Your child doesn’t have to choose one side or the other. Their blended worldview is a strength worth celebrating.
  
  

So… Is It Worth It?

Absolutely.

Yes, it’s confusing. Yes, it’s exhausting. And yes, some days it feels like you’re failing in two languages instead of one.

But then you see your child tell their grandparents about school, in both languages or laugh at jokes in Sesame Street and Sesamstraße alike, and you realize the gift you’ve given them is immense.

Learning German while raising kids here has been one of the hardest, most humbling experiences of my life (and yes, I ugly cried a lot). But watching my children navigate two languages, two worlds, and two ways of seeing life? It’s pure magic.

Raising bilingual children is a marathon, not a sprint. You won’t always get it right, because life is hard.

If you win more than you fail, you’re doing great. Stay flexible, stay connected, and keep love at the center of it all.

Let’s Keep the Conversation Going

Have you faced these bilingual parenting challenges too?

What’s worked (or hasn’t) in your family?

Share your story below—I’d love to hear from you.

Get your FREE Expat Starter Kit. It’s filled with tips and tools to help you thrive from day one in your new international home.

Resources

1. Grosjean, François. Bilingual: Life and Reality (Harvard University Press, 2010).
   
2. Meisel, J. M. (2019). Early Bilingual Development: Cognitive and Linguistic Factors.
   
3. Paradis, J., Genesee, F., & Crago, M. (2010). Dual Language Development and Disorders.
   
4. APA. “Family Communication and Emotional Connection in Multilingual Homes.” 2022.
   
5. Pollock, D. C., & Van Reken, R. E. (2009). Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds.
   

The post 5 Unexpected Challenges of Raising Bilingual Children (& How to Handle Them) appeared first on Relocation and Travel Coaching.

You’ve made it. You’re away. After months of planning, organising, saving and impatiently waiting – you’re finally on holiday. But not everyone’s loving it.

Traveling with your children is one of the most rewarding gifts you can give them. New places, new foods, new cultures, and new adventures – all wrapped into one. But sometimes, the excitement comes with an unexpected challenge: homesickness.

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Whether you’re away for a short holiday or embarking on an extended family adventure abroad, kids can struggle with missing home, friends, or familiar routines. 

And when that happens, you might find yourself wondering how to help them.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about homesickness in children while traveling:

• What homesickness is (and what it’s not)
  
• Why kids are especially vulnerable to it
  
• The signs to look out for
  
• Practical strategies for preventing homesickness before it starts
  
• What to do if your child becomes homesick mid-trip
  
• Reflection prompts and action steps to support both you and your child
  
• Resources for going deeper
  

By the end, you’ll not only feel prepared to handle homesickness—you’ll also feel more confident about helping your child thrive through the ups and downs of family travel.

What Is Homesickness?

Homesickness is the distress we feel when separated from the people, places, and routines that make us feel secure. 

Think different food, beds, languages, ways of dressing, greeting, or celebrating.

It’s not just “missing home”—it’s an emotional response to change, and for children, that change can feel huge.

For kids, who often didn’t get a say in the decision to travel or move abroad, that difference can feel overwhelming.

Psychologists describe homesickness as showing up on several levels:

• Emotional – sadness, longing, irritability.
  
• Cognitive – constant thoughts about home, preoccupation with missing out.
  
• Social – withdrawing, not wanting to participate in group activities.
  
• Physical – stomachaches, headaches, sleep disruption.
  

Think about the last time you felt homesick (maybe moving abroad or during a holiday season). How did it show up for you emotionally, socially, or physically?

This memory will help you connect with empathy to what your child is experiencing.

If you’re a homesick parent, here are my tips for you.

Why homesickness Happens (even on dream holidays)

Shirley Fisher, in her landmark research on homesickness, described it as a temporary loss of control. Children feel displaced from what grounds them. This doesn’t mean something is wrong with your child; it means they’re human.

Yes, they will miss the mundane. 

Loss of routine

The anchors in your child’s day are missing – the morning routine, bedtime rituals and everything inbetween typically get lost on holiday.

People

It’s an obvious one, but kids will likely miss other significant people in their life. Their grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends and even their teachers. Anyone who plays a significant part in their day-to-day routine who isn’t on the holiday with you. 

Things

They might be missing the cuddles with your pets at home, their teddy bears or even their favourite book.

Overstimulation

It might seem counterintuitive, but being exposed to so much new at once can be too much, forcing your child to notice how much they miss being at home. 

Think about everything on your holiday in comparison to home: new places, different smells, unusual sounds and sights can be a lot.

Temperament and Stage of Development 

Exactly how your child will respond to travel and experience homesickness will depend on their temperament and their developmental stage when you travel. Toddlers, school-aged kids, and tweens will all respond differently.

How to Recognise Homesickness in Your Child

Every child’s experience of homesickness will look different. You know your child best. But there are some common signs of homesickness in kids, so keep an eye out for:

• Increased crankiness, clinginess or fussiness.
  
• Refusal to try new things (food, games, clothes, sightseeing) or beginning to refuse things they had previously enjoyed on holiday.
  
• Not wanting to leave the hotel or accommodation.
  
• Preferring to only speak the home language (in our case, when my daughter is experiencing homesickness, she will revert to speaking only German) .
  
• Regularly talking about friends or family back home, wondering aloud what they might be doing or frequently asking to contact them.
  

A good rule to stick by while you’re travelling is that if you’re child’s behaviour changes, be curious about their experience and consider homesickness as a potential cause. 

Supporting a Homesick Child While Travelling

Even with preparation, your child may still find themselves feeling homesick while travelling. 

Here’s how to help.

1. Normalise Their Feelings

Acknowledge how they’re feeling without dismissing it. 

Instead of “Cheer up. We’re on holiday!” try “I can see you miss home. That makes sense. Home is your safe place.”

Validating your child’s feelings makes them feel heard, loved and valued. 

Staying calm and empathetic in these exchanges is important. 

Try to remember that these feelings do not reflect your child’s level of gratefulness or their love for you.

2. Bring a Piece of Home With You

When you’re travelling, bring something from home to support your child’s sense of stability.

You might bring: 

• Your child’s favourite soft toy
  
• A beloved book
  
• Photos of significant people in your child’s life – grandparents or friends.

Involve you child in choosing what to bring with them when travelling. Supporting kids’ autonomy before travelling will increase their resilience when on the road. 

3. Maintain Rituals From Home

Rituals anchor kids in stability. Family rituals are little reminders for kids that home is predictable and safe. 

In our family, we always eat breakfast together and read bedtime stories. These rituals follow us on the road, too. 

Even simple rituals, like saying goodnight in the same way or sharing a family “one thing I loved today” moment, remind your kids that your family hasn’t changed, even if the environment has.

4. Offer Familiar Food

Food is deeply tied to our sense of home. 

Refusing to try new cuisines may be one of the first signs your child is homesick. 

Offering a simple bowl of muesli, a cheese sandwich, or a favourite fruit can help your homesick little one start to reclaim some of their adventurous spirit. 

And if it’s really impossible to find something from home, I’ve found that introducing local sweets and cakes often does the trick! 

5. Stick to a Routine (yes, even on holiday!) 

A sense of uncertainty, unpredictability and lack of control are central to your child’s homesickness. 

A loose but predictable rhythm can help children to feel more relaxed in the face of uncertainty. 

For example, keeping mealtimes and rest times consistent can go a long way to avoid meltdowns. 

In my family, we use the rule of one big thing per day when we’re travelling.

• If it’s a travel day, then we only travel. No sightseeing.
  
• If it’s a sightseeing day, we visit one museum or one landmark—not more!

When travelling with children, less really is more. 

6. It’s ok to miss home 

It’s ok to feel homesick and it’s entirely normal for kids to miss home. 

Some ways that you can hold space for your child’s homesickness and remedy it at the same time include: 

• Create a photo postcard to send to someone special at home.
  
• Video call a grandparent or friend at home to share a story from your travels.
  
• Include a time each day to share highlights of the day and things we miss from home.

This way, children can stay connected to home without becoming overwhelmed by feelings of homesickness. 

7. Keep Communication Open

Talk to your kids about their experiences. Ask them what they think about the adventure so far. 

Remember to ask open-ended questions to encourage a dialogue. Avoid yes/ no questions if you really want to talk to your kids. 

Try: 

• “What was something you found interesting today?”
  
• “What made you feel uncomfortable today?”
  
• “Is there something here you wish we could do at home too?”

These conversation starters give children permission to share their thoughts and feelings honestly. 

If you model honesty about your own reactions, your child learns that it’s ok not to enjoy aspects of travel, without ruining the entire trip. 

8. Take Care of Yourself Too

The greatest tool your child has while on the road is you. 

Your calm presence and reassurance will ground them, no matter where you are and no matter what’s going on. 

If you’re worn out, find a way to recharge. Plan on being exhausted before you are, so that you’re never left without a chance to look after yourself. 

A regulated parent is the most powerful tool in supporting an emotionally resilient child. 

Read on about why travel truly is the best gift you can give your child.

Age-Specific Tips for Managing Homesickness

Every child processes homesickness differently, and age plays a big role. Use these tailored strategies to meet your child where they are developmentally.

Young Children (Ages 3–6)

At this age, kids rely heavily on routines and concrete comforts.

• Bring a favorite stuffed animal or blanket.
  
• Stick to bedtime rituals (story, lullaby, nightlight).
  
• Use simple language to name feelings: “You’re missing home. That’s called homesick. It’s okay to feel that.”

Activity Time: Help your child draw a picture of “our home” and keep it in their travel bag.

School-Aged Children (Ages 7–11)

Kids in this range can begin to use logic and memory to manage emotions.

• Give them small responsibilities on the trip (choosing a snack, navigating with a map).
  
• Encourage journaling or writing postcards.
  
• Teach coping skills like box breathing or stretching.

Activity Time: Ask them to list “3 good things about today” each evening before bed.

Preteens and Teens (Ages 12+)

Older children may struggle more with peer separation than with physical home.

• Acknowledge the importance of their friendships. Schedule short check-ins with friends back home if possible.
  
• Give them independence (choosing activities, exploring safely).
  
• Talk openly about resilience and how travel challenges can prepare them for future independence.
  

Activity Time: Encourage them to create a short video diary reflecting on their day—both the highs and the lows.

Reframing Homesickness as Growth

Homesickness isn’t just a hurdle; it’s a life lesson in resilience, empathy, and emotional intelligence. When children learn they can miss home and still enjoy themselves, they build confidence in their ability to handle change.

Try talking about homesickness not as a failure but as a skill-building moment:
“Yes, you miss home. That means home is special. And you’re learning how to carry that love with you while you explore new things.”

Don’t stress out if your child misses home during your trip. You might miss home too!

What matters is that they know they’re not alone, and that you’re right there with them.

So, when your child is homesick, just love them. That will always be enough.

When to Seek Extra Support

Most homesickness fades after a few days, but if your child:

• Refuses to eat or sleep,
  
• Withdraws from all activities,
  
• Or shows signs of ongoing anxiety or depression

…it may be time to seek professional support. For short trips, this may mean adjusting your itinerary; for expat families, it may mean connecting with school counselors or online therapists.

Key Takeaways

• Homesickness is normal, not a sign of weakness.
  
• Preparation (routines, involvement, conversations) can prevent or lessen its impact.
  
• Validation and gentle redirection are more effective than dismissal.
  
• Different ages need different strategies—tailor your approach.
  
• Homesickness, handled well, becomes an opportunity for growth.
  

? Reflection Prompt: Think of one strategy from this article that fits your child’s stage right now. Write it down and commit to trying it on your next trip.

Ready to Travel Without the Stress?

If you’ve struggled with a homesick child before and now feel hesitant about travelling again, I see you. 

You’re not alone.

That’s why I created my 1:1 Coaching program. To support your travel with your kids to be more than just seeing the sights. Let’s make memories that count and thrive abroad and at home. Because you know what? The skills I teach will keep you and your kids on an even keep no matter where you are. 

Start today by downloading my FREE Expat Starter Kit.

It’s filled with practical tools and planning tips for your upcoming international relocation.

Further Reading & Resources

Here are some fantastic resources if you’d like to dive deeper into homesickness in kids.

• Fisher, S. (1989). Homesickness, Cognition and Health. Routledge.
  
• American Academy of Pediatrics – Helping Kids Cope With Homesickness
  
• KidsHealth – Dealing With Homesickness
  
• BetterHelp – Online Therapy for Expats and Families Abroad
  
• Headspace App – Guided meditations and resources for children and parents managing stress.

The post The Tips You Need To Support Homesick Kids While Travelling appeared first on Relocation and Travel Coaching.

I had no concept that there were different languages. 

Dressing up as an artist for the school dress-up day, I wore a beret and even had a little easel of cardboard to carry.   

Because the clothes were better than what I thought a writer would wear.

A writer is what I wanted to be. 

As far back as I can remember, I wanted to explore the world. 

To understand. 

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This is the point in my story where I should probably tell you that I still don’t understand everything. 

Sadly, I haven’t learnt every word in the world yet, either. But I have learnt German, so I’m closer to my goal. 

I’m not an artist. My clothes don’t even have that cool girl artsy aesthetic. 

And I haven’t yet explored the entire world. 

But here I am. 

Writing. 

Living abroad. 

Raising bilingual children. 

And having worked as a Social Worker, I can tell you that I’ve learnt plenty about people. 

How we connect.

Or don’t.

The way we try to find meaning in our lives.

How quickly hope can be lost. 

That through imperfection, we create the reality of our dreams.  

Why Blog?

As a Mum of two little people living abroad, I realised I had become invisible. 

To myself. 

Between adjusting to parenting, moving abroad, learning a new language and the madness of everyday life, I’d painted myself out of the picture. 

Completely.

My needs came last, if at all. 

Maybe you can relate to the fog of early parenting? Or the chaos of moving a family abroad? 

It was after our first visit back to Australia that I remembered. 

Writing.

I love books. Words. Exploring ideas. Hearing people’s stories. Learning from their experiences. 

I needed to write. 

Following our trip to Australia, we embarked on a five-week road trip through the Balkans. 

This was my space to begin thinking about what to write. 

A year on from those initial, tentative steps toward finding me again, and here we are. 

I am blogging to help you by providing a safe space.

A safe space for women parenting abroad. 

A dream space for families wanting to have adventures with their children. 

And an info hub for anyone who wants to visit Dresden, my current home.

But why Breathe in Between? 

It’s a combination of two phrases I use when under pressure.

“Breathe In”

The moment it takes to breathe in is all it takes. 

All it takes to diffuse a tense situation. To absorb challenging news. Or to find your calm during your toddler’s meltdown.

It’s a skill I’ve worked hard to master and still doesn’t always come easy.

I’m already trying to teach this priceless life skill of self-regulation to my kids (and sometimes it even works!). 

But like all families, we still have meltdowns, temper tantrums and daily complaints! 

“In Between”

These two words make difficult, challenging or near-impossible situations tolerable.

“This is not my life”, I’d tell myself when studying German left me so overwhelmed that I’d cry into my homework like the angsty teen I once was, “I’m just in between not knowing and knowing”. 

And I can say, in my life, I have been in between just about everything.

But it’s a phrase that gives me my power back. 

“I’m not a bad Mother. I’m in between knowing how to manage the old behaviour and learning how to manage this new behaviour.” 

Being in between helps me remain hopeful when everything feels hopeless.

“I’m not alone. I’m in between meeting new people and finding the right people.” 

But most of all, it reminds me to remain optimistic. 

Everything is always leading to another thing.

Life is never still. 

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Why are you in Germany?

Fair question. 

After almost four years here, I have the same three reasons I had in 2019 when we decided to pack up everything and move across the world with our baby daughter.

My kids should be able to speak both languages fluently. 

They’re citizens of Australia (my home) and Germany (my husband’s home). 

For both of us, the ability of our children to connect with and know both cultures was of utmost importance. 

My kids deserve to have a relationship with their German family. 

And I stand by this. My children now have a relationship with Oma that melts my heart (even if she does my head in). 

I know what you’re thinking. “But Tara! What about your family?!” 

And that’s the complicated thing about marrying someone from the other side of the world.

One of us is always a foreigner. 

One side of our family will always miss out. 

It’s not an easy decision. 

The conversation is always open.

Will we be here forever? When will we move back? How would we support the kids through that transition? Are we missing out on a better life there?

Questions we will always have, yet the answers continue to elude us.  

I’d always dreamed of living abroad and exploring Europe.

There’s an ego underlying every decision we make.

And there’s mine. 

I’d dreamt of exploring the whole world. I still do.

Eastern Europe is a region that has always fascinated me. 

As a student of politics and sociology, this region offers a breathtaking amount of culture, history and more than a little social upheaval. 

A paradise for understanding, in other words. 

To my social worker’s mind, this part of the world offered nothing other than the opportunity to learn. 

My favourite thing to do!

And wouldn’t you know it? My husband hails from Dresden, a city in Germany’s East. 

A city previously behind the Iron Curtain.

From here, I’ve uncovered things about myself and people that I didn’t expect.

What I stand for.

How I interact with the world and how I am, in turn, shaped by it. 

Where I fit in this crazy world of ours.

Who I am.

What’s next?

Connecting with my readers. 

I would love nothing more than to hear your experiences of living abroad. 

Of parenting away from home. Or of adventuring with your little people. 

Through my content, I hope to advise, support and empower you to reach for your dreams. 

No matter how wild they seem! I’m still trying to learn every word in the world, syllable by syllable. 

But most of all, I want you to find you.

Like I have. Again.

And remember –

Breathe in. You’re only in between here and there. 

Wherever there is for you. 

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