For parents moving abroad for work, there are many things that need consideration, and the impact of the relocation on your family will be a top concern. Based on your destination, the decision should be heavily influenced by the kids who will come with you.
The added difficulty when deciding if kids should come are the opportunities for the parents in the new country. However, if you will move to a country like Singapore where there’s a high grade of education, then it’s not much of an issue as you can enrol them in institutions that offer International Curricula. However, not all countries have advanced learning institution for children.
The majority of expat parents who prefer to leave their children behind may choose to place the kids in the boarding school. Like enrolling the kids in an international school abroad, both options have its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of leaving them in their home country
Allowing your kids to stay in their home country generally saves them from the discomforts of relocation. It’s not also true in all accounts that children can adapt faster than adults to a new environment. Also, your kids will be able to continue learning in a familiar environment while avoiding the negative impact of losing friends.
This is applicable to families where parents typically move between countries to work. Putting kids into boarding schools allows them to have stability. This means that they will have a routine to go through and won’t need to go through the process of making new friends and building new relationships only to say goodbye and start again somewhere else.
There is also some form of multicultural training you kids can have by attending boarding schools like in a foreign country, without the need to move away from home.
So, what are the negatives?
This will depend on where you plan to move and from where. Regardless, it may be that the type and quality of education, as well as the long-term benefits of living abroad, outweigh both the security and familiarity of continuing education at home.
Expat kids who have experienced living abroad besides their own country are coined as third culture kids or those who spent a big chunk of their formative years outside of their home country.
In any case, living abroad during childhood is shown to have a positive impact on children, whether it be due to future career potential or the acquisition of a more global outlook on life.
Things to consider
For children, it is crucial that they still get a constant support network around them if they are left and parents chose to relocate on their own. When finding a boarding school, it is a must to look at ones close to immediate family members or close friends still in the country.
Children must be enrolled in a school where there’s full boarding since they won’t be able to go home on weekends like others. Therefore, it’s vital that you find out how many other kids at the school remain on campus during weekends.
When leaving your kids isn’t a choice
For families with very young kids, leaving them back at home isn’t an option – unless you’re willing to let them stay with your close relatives or friends. You should strongly consider bringing them with you and find a good international school with an INTERNATIONAL CURRICULA like a PYP program.
Designed for grades 1 to 5 (age 5 to 12 years), PYP nurtures and develops students to be active participants in their own learning journey. It follows a transdisciplinary method that allows students to discover answers to key questions such as “who am I, where do I belong, what is the importance of the environment around me”. Plus, PYP’s curriculum is virtually the same wherever country your work takes you, allowing your kids to adapt quickly. You can learn more about it through schools like Global Indian International School (GIIS)
There is no easy answer to the question of whether to take your children abroad with you or not. It will go down to your family’s circumstances and what will benefit your child the most. Best of luck!
