Relocating with a little one? Navigate the adventure and keep those little feet happy with our 10 essential tips.
So, your big family adventure is on the horizon. You’re moving overseas!
Moving abroad is a huge deal even when you’re young and have no ties or responsibilities, so doing it with a little one inevitably adds a whole extra heap of planning and thought. The good news is that moving overseas with a young family is a well-trodden path, and a little knowledge will go a long way to making your move easier for everyone.
Here are 10 tips that will help you navigate the time before, during, and after your move. We've ordered these in the sequence that you might wish to tackle them, but deal with them in the way you think will best suit your family.
Unless you work for a relatively young company or one that is expanding overseas for the first time, your employer will likely have a wealth of resources available to help you plan and execute your family relocation.
In addition to any in-house help, ensure you take advantage of any benefits you may have, such as an Employee Assistance Programme or similar initiatives.
Another great idea is to ask to be connected to people in your new location who’ve made the same journey. They might have even read a guide like this one and have even more tips to add to it!
One of the most critical aspects of moving overseas with a toddler is finding a nursery, childcare provider, preschool, or junior school where they’ll feel comfortable. After all, it’s where they’ll spend a significant amount of time and could be pivotal in shaping their entire lives.
Our guide on how to find an overseas school will help you find the right education solution for your toddler.
Researching your healthcare options is another critical part of planning a move abroad with your family. Even if your new location has an exceptional public healthcare system, it's often better to consider private healthcare, which can ensure access to higher-level facilities and care, and frequently means you can receive treatment in your native language. It may even be a condition of getting a residency visa or work permit in the country to which you're moving!
When researching your healthcare options, consider:
Navigating these options and making a decision can feel complex, which is why health plans designed specifically for expats can offer the clarity and confidence you need. Now Health International’s award-winning WorldCare plans provide all these benefits and more.
Discover all our health plans here.
Once you have a plan, start talking about the move in simple, positive terms. Books or cartoons that positively depict moving or new adventures can be your best friend here, making your little one excited about the idea of moving. They may even ask if you can move before you tell them it's happening!
Another great idea here is to make it real as soon as possible. That means sharing pictures of your new home and country, or discussing exciting things like parks, animals, activities, or even new foods you're all going to try.
Frame it as a grand adventure. The more familiar the idea of moving becomes, the less unsettling the actual act of moving will be. Repeat conversations as often as you can, and as often as your toddler wants to discuss the move.
Saying goodbye is a difficult but necessary part of the moving process. You can make it easier by preparing and practising in gentle, reassuring ways, like:
These steps will help validate your toddler’s existing attachment and help them begin to understand the move and transition.
Toddlers love the security and predictability of their routines while life is going on around them. That's why it's vital to try to stick to your toddler's usual daily schedule during the build-up to your move, during the journey itself, and especially in the days after you arrive. Mealtimes, nap times, reading a story, bathtime, and other bedtime rituals. Keep them all the same.
Amidst the inevitable upheaval and chaos of moving, maintaining these routines for your little one will feel like a comforting hug.
You could even get your toddler involved and give them a sense of "control" over the move. Ask them if they'd like to pack their toys into a special box or what they'd like to pack to ensure they can access their favourite things first when you start unpacking in your new home.
The actual journey to your new home will probably be the first time things will start to feel “real” for your toddler. But of course, they may not yet be able to fully vocalise or otherwise communicate how they’re feeling.
That’s why it’s key you combine familiarity with surprises and fun to make the trip comfortable yet memorable at the same time.
Their go-to soft toy and blanket, a familiar book, or their favourite cartoon are all musts for the journey and immediately following your arrival, and will give your little one a calming sense of security and continuity. And when you do arrive, unpack their stuff first and make them feel at home in their new surroundings.
And don’t forget the fun! New toys, colouring and sticker books, fun snacks, a fresh set of headphones or travel games can all help your toddler lose themselves and enjoy the journey even more.
Even if you nail everything so far, adjusting to a new country is a marathon, not a sprint. While some toddlers will adapt overnight, others may take months to feel completely at ease with their new home.
Don't put any pressure on your toddler – or yourself, for that matter – to feel settled by a particular date. And remember to manage this if you're moving with multiple children who will almost certainly all feel comfortable at different times.
A good thing to do here is to celebrate the small wins, such as a happy goodbye or hello at the start and end of the school day, their first story about a new friend, an invitation to a playdate, or when they point out something they enjoy doing in your new location.
Making friends can help you and your toddler to settle, but it can also feel daunting going out to meet new people when you’re feeling unsure of yourself.
Whenever you decide it's time for you all to go out and meet new people, there'll be plenty of opportunities to do so, in addition to more organic ways, such as at the school gates.
Consider:
Relocating abroad is a big deal if you do it by yourself. Doing it with a toddler amplifies that many times over.
In the immediate weeks and months after your move, both you and your toddler are going to have moments of frustration and homesickness, coupled with the odd “meltdown” for them and the occasional “why did I ever think this was a good idea?” for you.
These feelings will likely manifest in your toddler as them being more clingy, being quicker to fall into a tantrum, or not sleeping as soundly as you’re used to – even if you’ve followed the rest of this guide to perfection!
All of this is perfectly normal. You're all processing a massive change in your lives and will do so in your own way.
Express patience, offer reassurance, hugs, and fun activities, and try to remain calm and remember to be kind to yourself. It's okay to acknowledge that it's a strange time for you all.
Our guide to dealing with culture shock will help you, too!
Moving abroad with a toddler is undoubtedly going to challenge you, but it's also a fantastic opportunity for your family to grow and experience the world together and could be a hugely positive step in shaping your child’s life.
With careful planning, preparation, and an open-minded attitude, you'll work your way through all the doubts and worries and be calling your new location "home" before you know it.
And remember, ensuring you protect your family's health and well-being, giving yourself all-important security and peace of mind in the process, with a comprehensive international health plan, is one of the cornerstones of a successful and stress-free overseas adventure.