According to the Office of National Statistics, of those who expatriate around a half will return to the UK – the most common causes cited as reasons for repatriating are ill health among the older generation and an inability to adapt to a new way of life particularly among those who moved abroad with children.
If you’re thinking of moving to Spain with children how can you ensure that the move is a successful one and that your children adapt to your new dream life in the sun as well as you do? This article covers some advice for would be expatriate parents considering starting a new family life in Spain.
A great deal of detailed research has been undertaken by psychologists into the way children adapt to life changing events – and one such life changing event is moving abroad to live in a country where they speak a different language. It has been found that the best age to move a child is either before the age of two or between the ages of six and eight. Between three and six children seem to suffer a great deal of homesickness and after the age of eight they tend to struggle far more with the language barrier.
If you’re contemplating a move to Spain one of the best things you can do to prepare your children is get them some language tuition before you move. While many parents are right in assuming that throwing their children in at the deep end by putting them in a Spanish school when they arrive will help massively with their language skills, this action is incredibly daunting for those children without the first clue in the Spanish language. If at all possible get children some Spanish lessons before you leave the UK and even if they seem to learn little they will have become familiar with the sound of the language and be better able to cope when entered into a Spanish school.
One of the main reasons that children are unhappy when they are moved abroad is because they miss the familiarity of their old life. To help children settle down more quickly it’s sensible to get them as familiar as possible with the new area where they are living and to settle them straight into a new routine. If possible ensure that shortly after moving to Spain children are visited by cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents and that some of the familiarity they remember from their old life remains in their new life.
Naturally enough the first day at a new school in Spain will be tough on children; parents should be ready to deal with tears and tantrums as well as fears and it’s best if parents can remain as positive as possible about a new environment and new experiences. A parent’s confidence will eventually rub off onto children, and while moving overseas is stressful for parents they should never forget the effects that the move may be having on their children!
Finally, Spain is a great country for children for many reasons. The good weather means that they can enjoy far more time outside, playing on the beach, in the garden, in the sea or swimming pool – and better still there are so many British families already living in Spain that it is highly likely a child will make friends with children who have already made the move from the UK to Spain and made the transition successfully. They can help your children settle into their new life and they can talk to them about any fears or concerns that they still have. One of the best things a family newly arrived in Spain can do is get together with other British expatriate families and get the children playing and talking together.
