Helping Your Children Thrive in a New Country

Moving to a new country isn’t something anyone takes lightly, and it’s probably going to be something you only do once in your life. If it wasn’t hard enough for people that don’t have children, you can imagine what it’s like for those who do!

The actual process of moving is more than likely the hardest part for you and your family. Once in your new home, you can begin to settle. However, this is often easier said than done. If you’ve moved your kids with you, how they settle depends a lot on how old they are.

Of course, one of the major reasons many families move to another country is so they can give their children a better start in life, and that begins with education. As parents, we would give our lives for our kids but it’s very easy to forget they have their emotional issues as well.

For example, if you have teens (and I feel your pain), I still remember what I was like! They may appear to be putting barriers up where you think they shouldn’t be. Comments like “I don’t want to go to school, it’s boring”, or “I’d rather stay indoors and play on the computer” are probably things you’ve all heard.

However, it’s important you read between the lines. The first statement could mean they’ve having trouble fitting in, the second could be they’re embarrassed because they’re finding it hard to fit in, and don’t have many friends.

These are just two problems you could come up against, and these are things worth thinking about when you first move. The family unit needs to be as strong as possible. After all, it’s new for everyone. Try to organise your move so the kids have time to take in their new surroundings before the new school term starts. Get the whole family involved in local activities that are connected to the school they’ll be going to.

It’s much easier for children to make friends in a social setting, much like adults. It’s rare we find our best friends through work, rather, we find them through social gatherings and it’s no different for children.

The trick is to make them feel comfortable about mixing with the other kids before its time to start school. 

If they have friends already, fitting in isn’t going to be a problem. Another point worth considering is your children are more than likely going to be a source of curiosity to the local children, and you should make your kids aware this should be welcomed, not shunned.

Kids brains are like sponges, and in most cases, they very quickly adapt to their new surroundings. However, being asked questions about where they come from, why they moved to their new country and what they think of it can put them on the spot.

Talk to your children about how they feel, what they think about why you moved and what they think about their new home. By doing this, you not only help keep the lines of communication open, you’ll help them feel more comfortable about answering these questions when asked. It will also give you an idea of what’s going on in their heads, which is always a good thing!

Lastly, no matter which country you’ve moved to, it’s a good idea to get them interested in the local culture and what the history is. Kids love to explore, and as long as they don’t realise they’re learning something, they’ll be teaching the local children a thing or two before you know it! If you’ve chosen to live in France, why not take a look at http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/moving_to_france.aspx for a bit of background information that might help.

Relocating Your Family

There are many reasons you might need to relocate your family. It could be that you feel now is the time to immigrate to another country simply because you know you and your kids will have a better quality of life. Considering the current economic climate, many people are moving their families because job opportunities are better elsewhere in the world.

Whatever the reason is, it IS going to be a stressful time for you and sometimes it can be hard to focus on why you’ve decided to do this. It’s actually far easier to relocate your family if your children are still quite young. The younger a child is, the easier it is for them to adapt to a new way of life.

The older children are the more attached they are to their surroundings. They may have life-long friends they don’t want to leave behind, or they might be at that age where rebellion against their parents is all that matters. Remember, we were all teenagers once and if you think back to what you put your parents though whilst your hormones were raging, it’s easy to understand why a teenager might become a slight glitch in the whole relocation process.

The only piece of advice that can help with this is to make sure you talk openly and honestly with the kids, and treat any worries they have with kindness and understanding. Once you have them on your side, things will go much more smoothly.

Of course, you will have to deal with everything else that goes with moving. You will have to make sure that you have somewhere to live in your new area and tie up any loose-ends in terms of your old address. You shouldn’t forget about making sure that utilities are disconnected and your post is re-directed etc.

Don’t Lose Your Nerve!

The information given so far may have you quivering in your boots, and you might be questioning your decision but the fact is you have to remember you’re only looking for a better life for you and your family. NEVER lose sight of this. If you plan well ahead of time and get the whole family involved, this can actually be a very exciting time for all of you.

Approach the move with a positive manner and try to make it fun for the kids. You might want to give them a little bit of responsibility so they feel more grown up. Perhaps entrust them with labelling the boxes that have been packed, or get them involved in finding a removal company for you. Actually you could ask them to take a look at this website http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/ which is so easy to use you could call it “child’s play”!

Finally

If you’re moving to another country make sure you know all about the local laws, and find out about taxes (this is especially important if you’ve bought a new home). Check that it’s possible for you to have a bank account and if you’re going to be using a different currency, weigh up if it’s worth keeping your money in your home country instead of the new one.

Amenities in your new area are also important. You and your kids will need to be registered with a doctor, and you’ll need to have a school close by. Being able to get to a hospital in an emergency is also important, so check all of these things before you even think about taking the plunge and relocate your family.

Using a Professional Packing Service

As someone who has moved home both internationally and locally over 6 times in the past 6 years, I think I’m somewhat of an authority when it comes to information on packing up your belongings. Yes, I have done it on my own (with the help of family and friends), and I always used to think this was the best way to go about it.

Why? I hear you ask. I thought packing my own items gave me more control over where things were and how well they were packed. However, when I think back to the amount of boxes I had when I first moved, and look at what I have now, it’s apparent that items have gone missing, or have been broken over the years.

It doesn’t matter how carefully you pack things, they will, at some point be in the hands of a professional moving team. If you don’t use a professional packing service, ensuring your items are safe inside the boxes during transit is pretty much down to you.

These days if I’m moving (and I hope this doesn’t happen again for a while), I always enquire about a professional packing service when negotiating with a removal company. The reason for this is that any company that offers this type of service will insure your items from the minute they’re being packed to the minute they arrive at your new home.

They only employ professionals who know about “all things packing”, and they use materials that will protect your items when they’re on the move. For example, I had many framed pictures when I first moved, and the amount of times I’ve had to replace the glass when I reach my new destination doesn’t bare thinking about.

If you use a team of professionals to do this for you, they will use specialist boxes to pack fragile or unusual items that require something other than a bit of bubble wrap and packing tape. Companies that offer a packing service will also help keep you organised. Their teams will label boxes correctly, and make an inventory as they go.

Just think of the amount of time and energy this will save you, especially when you have a large amount to pack. It may sound a bit mad, but the biggest pain for me is packing clothes. I started out by piling them up in cardboard boxes. This brought with it an issue I could do without. There is nothing worse than arriving to a new home and being faced with an entire wardrobes’ worth of ironing!

Companies that offer a professional packing service use special boxes to pack clothes so they hang just like they do in the wardrobe, (yet another time saver). Of course, using a service like this will cost that bit extra, but if I’m honest and add up how much money I’ve wasted because I’ve had to replace lost or broken items, using a service like this would probably have saved me money in the long-run.

My advice to anyone who’s moving, whether it’s down the road or to another country, is to use a professional packing service. If you think a service like this will suit your needs when moving, why not take a look at http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/getaquote.aspx where there are plenty of experienced removal companies waiting to help.

Just Moved Home with a Cat – They Need Some Help Settling In

Anyone who has a cat will know there is nothing more soothing than that sound of a contented purr. However, if you’ve just moved home the chances are this is the last thing your kitty has been doing lately! We all know that moving house can be an incredibly stressful experience, and when you throw animals or children into the mix this can make things way more complicated.
 

You see it’s much easier (sorry if that sounds harsh) for you to feel more settled because you know what makes you feel comfortable. It could be putting out a few familiar pictures, adding some of your favourite scatter cushions on your sofa or bed. It could even be as simple as lighting one of your favourite scented candles.

Now, that’s where I want to start – Scent!

Cats and Smells

A great deal of a cat’s life and how comfortable he feels is based on the smells around him (and that doesn’t include the litter tray)! When you first move home, there will be nothing and I mean nothing! In the way of familiar smells (namely their own scent) in the house and it will take a little time for your pet to be confident enough to go about marking their territory. 

Cats have scent glands around their faces and when you see them rubbing various bits of furniture or door frames, they’re actually leaving a little bit of themselves behind. Of course, you may not see this happen right away which is where you can help. 

Try taking a dry, soft cloth and gently rubbing it around your cat’s face. If you get lucky, they might just give it a good old rub anyway. You can then wipe the cloth at cat height on parts of your furniture and entrances to your home. You can also buy various “pheromones” from your local vet if you don’t like the idea of taking a cloth to your cat’s face.

Outdoor Cats

It won’t be long before your furry friend decides he has made enough of a mark on his new home, and wants to extend his territory to the great outdoors. But, (and this is particularly important if you’ve only moved a short distance away from your previous house) you can run the risk of them picking up their own scent from a previous haunt.

It might not be easy, but attempt to keep your pet indoors for at least one week (especially boys because they wander more). When you’re happy to let them take that leap, keep trips into the garden supervised and only for a short time. You can also use food as a way of keeping your cat close for the time being. Little and often helps and if you can, also get them used to the sound of a fork being tapped on a dish or a bag of biscuits being shaken.

In Summary

The above information is based on the fact you have moved home with a pet in your own country. If you would like to find out more information on moving abroad with pets, feel free to take a look at this link: http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/blog/post/2013/04/19/Moving-Your-Pets-to-a-New-Country.aspx

Moving With Your Cat? Here’s What To Do Before The Big Day

Whenever you look on the internet for advice about moving home, you will ALWAYS be told first and foremost this is one of the most stressful things anyone can do. However, if you have cats take a moment to imagine what it must be like for them!

Cats are curious creatures (which is possibly why they’re such popular pets), and if you don’t already know it’s not actually the “material” things in life that make them feel comfortable. In fact, you may have noticed that if something doesn’t smell the way it should your cat will head straight out the cat flap!

So, if you’re about to move home and you have a cat there are a few things you should consider. OK, this will add to your stress levels but then you have a pet because you love animals so making sure their moves goes as smoothly as possible kind of goes with the territory.

When it All Get’s Going

You may have noticed (depending on how seasoned a cat owner you are), that if you move even the smallest piece of furniture in your home to a new place your cat will immediately give it the “once over”. This is because they map out the area in which they live, or as they would probably term it “their territory”. The minute this changes in any way it sparks a sign that all may not be well with the map (so to speak).

What’s the first thing that happens when you start to move home? That’s right, you move stuff! There are items coming out of cupboards your furry friend may not have encountered before. Boxes, packing tape and bubble wrap are all over the place: In short, you’ve REALLY messed up your cats comfortable surroundings. 

Your Cat’s Reaction

This will depend on your cat’s personality. After all, every cat is different and they will all react in their own way. However, there are a few universal signs to look out for. Males especially will probably treat all the upheaval with nothing more than disdain, and just head for the great outdoors for a while.

If you have a young cat, they may not have developed their “homing” signals yet and will just get under your feet, or create a fair few laughs by getting tangled up in the packaging or hiding in boxes and cupboards. Still yet another reaction is the one of impending disaster! Every time you look down at your little furry friend, you’re met with a stare that really doesn’t need verbalising and makes you feel incredibly guilty. 

How to Make It Easier

If you can, make sure you leave their favourite places to sleep untouched. If this isn’t possible, at least move that cushion your cat cannot do without when taking a nap to the new place they’ve decided it’s safe to go.

Toys are also important (even if there are a lot of other things around to play with right now).

The place where your cat normally eats should also be left untouched wherever possible. The trick is to make sure you at least don’t disturb the most important things to your cat before you move which are: Sleep, eat and play. If you have a dog, and want to know more take a look here http://www.theroadahead.co.uk/blog/post/2013/08/23/Tips-on-Moving-With-Dogs.aspx Oh, and don’t forget all that extra fussing!