We all know how stressful moving house can be and moving abroad is on a whole other scale when it comes to organizing yourself and your family. The move should, however, be an exciting time and one that the whole family should be involved in and look forward to. To make sure of this, you should always check at an early stage that all family members are happy about the move, and never just assume that it is what they want. Here are some ways to approach different members of the family:

Children: it’s only natural that children will be especially worried about leaving behind ‘everything they know’ – school, friends etc. You should take time to listen to their concerns sympathetically and give them the opportunity to explain how they are feeling. Then you can put forward your reasons for the move and try to put their mind at ease. Perhaps giving them ideas to get excited about will help them look forward to the move. Normally, it is a fear of the unknown that scares children the most, so perhaps ask your children to come up with a list of fun things they want to do when they get to their new country.

Teenagers: Whilst older children will have a better understanding of what is going on and be able to help with the organisation of the move, they will also be old enough to argue a case against why they might not want to move. If you suspect they are just being difficult then try to reason with them, perhaps research the new country on-line with them and focus on positive aspects the move will bring. It might be that older children (15-18 years) will want to stay behind, either to finish studies or because they are 100 per cent sure that the move doesn’t feel right for them. If this is the case then you will need to have adult chats and work out if they can stay with family or friends once you leave.

Pets: the decision to take your pet abroad is not one that should be made on a whim. Not only is there the financial cost to consider, but also what is best for the animal in question – if your pet is old or fragile, or suffers from an ongoing illness or condition, then is upheaving them from their home going to have a positive or negative effect on them? The welfare of the animal really must be paramount and it might be that they go to live with a relative instead of moving abroad with you. Be sure to send them to someone you know will love and care for them as much as you. When making your decision you will need to take into consideration the climate of the country you are moving to – if it is significantly different to the UK, often a lot hotter and humid, ask yourself whether your pet could acclimatise easily. It is always good to research the effects and experiences that other people have had.

The process of moving abroad permanently will be a life-changing one and one that should involve the whole family working together to overcome fears, worries and problems that might arise. Working together will make the experience more enjoyable and worry free.

Start your hunt for a home abroad here…
If you’re searching for an overseas property, a good place to start is the Overseas Guides Company’s new property search facility. To start your search now visit http://www.emigrationguide.com/content/emigration-properties