As some of you may know, I am currently living in the Middle East, and Tracie is running the show at Help! My husband had an interesting job opportunity over here, and although I really didn’t want to leave Tracie, we felt it was a once in a lifetime chance to do something different. Something very different!!
You may think I am crazy. After all, Toronto is a wonderful place to live, and Help! is a business I feel very strongly about. But, my husband and I also felt strongly about having an international experience – for us, and also for our kids.
Studies have shown (and you may know how much I love research) that kids that spend time living in other cultures, are more adaptable, empathetic, and resilient. Plus, many believe that being more “globally minded” will help set them up for success in the global economy.
I wish I could say that I am also immersing them in another language, but the truth is that the culture here is so different, that we could not put them in a local school. The schools are not equipped for foreigners. And also, it would be very difficult for us to make friends. Languages are very positive for brain development, but unfortunately we are not getting that, other than Arabic lessons twice a week. (You know when kids are singing songs in other languages, that it is not serious language instruction!)
People like to say that kids are adaptable; in fact, I heard that a lot when we moved here, but the truth is that change is hard on them. I witnessed it first hand. Stability and security are important to kids, so moving them around the world is a shock. They learn from the shock, but still, it can be a tough transition. The funny thing is that now, it would be a shock to move back home, and start again at a new school, having to make new friends, and re-adjust to winter.
Would you move your children abroad?
