Relocating overseas with children: it doesn't have to be as stressful as you imagine!

Planning a move is often stressful at the best of times, but what happens if you add in children, and the move is to another country? Surely it's a disaster waiting to happen, especially if your kids are at the age where they're settled in school and have a solid friendship group? The prospect of leaving all that behind may understandably be met with some resistance.

Before you spend ridiculous amounts of money on bribes and gifts to soften the blow however, there are a few ways to make the moving process easier for your children to understand and come to terms with. Below are some tips to save your sanity and hopefully reduce some stress!

Plan your move as a family
Make sure your children feel that they are involved in the moving process and are part of the decision making. Involving them with this will help them to get excited, instead of dreading the move.

Talk through any concerns

Most children will probably feel stressed and upset when faced with the idea of moving, as it is a major change. Allow them to talk through their fears, anxiety and concerns with you, and provide as much comfort as possible. Be sure that they understand that it is safe to talk with you about any worries they may have.

Use the internet
Give children an opportunity to get to know their new home. Look at websites with them to show them where in Australia you’ll be living. Show them pictures from real estate sites of the type of house you'll be moving to. 

Also, if their new school has a website, be sure to show them where they'll be attending school, as well. Providing as much advance knowledge as possible will help them to feel more secure about the changes that will be taking place.

Plan your goodbyes
Make sure your children get their friends' email and postal mail addresses, so that they can keep in touch after the move. Allowing them to plan a goodbye party will help distract them and give them something else to get excited about. If you have close relatives you will be leaving behind, arranging a date in the future for them to visit will give something else for them to look forward to.

Try and get the timing right
If possible, relocate to Australia the beginning of a new school term. This allows your child to start the new school year along with everyone else, meaning they are less likely to feel isolated. Inviting new school friends round to play after school also helps take your children's minds off the major change that has taken place.

Keep communicating
Children are generally very adventurous and can become very excited about their new life in Australia. The key is to make sure they feel comfortable talking about how they feel. Feeling homesick is just as normal for children as it is for adults, no matter how successful the move has gone.

Relocating to Australia with children doesn't have to be as difficult as you'd imagine. By making sure they feel part of the process and are able to talk with you about how they are feeling, it means they are more likely to become excited about the prospect of living in another country.

For more information about moving overseas, and for a list of job opportunities abroad, have a look at the Acorn Global website.

Helen Lock