Blog
Preparing for a relocation – When to tell the Kids?
The last months before summer is that time when many people in the international community are preparing for a move. Perhaps this article for which I was interviewed 2 years ago can give you some insights to help your children make the transition. In addition to the...
read moreHow Isabela coped with her friends’ move
This is the story of Isabela. Isabela is 9 years old. Isabela’s parents are expats but they have been living in The Netherlands for a long time and Isabela was born here. Isabela was enjoying school. She got good grades, got along well with the teachers and her peers,...
read more4 Myths about raising international children
Nowadays it is easy to find information about any topic on the internet. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of false information out there, for example about living abroad with your family. We at Expat Child Psychology regularly hear about assumptions international...
read moreSOS! December is here… (how to help your children stay grounded)
By Jet Sichterman You may have noticed by the cold weather outside, by the frosting on your car in the morning, by the full trains or extensive traffic jams in rush hour, by the advertisements in your mailbox or by the big to do list waiting for you at home and at...
read morePracticing Non-Verbal Skills through games
By Sara Mansson We have talked about social skills before, see for example this post on negotiating, this one about stimulating your child’s emotional development or this one about saying goodbye. There are several ways of communicating with others, many of which go...
read moreFour Tips on Stimulating Emotional Development
We all want our children to grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted adults. The ability to understand their own emotions and to express them in accordance with the local culture and social norms is an important step towards becoming that. We know that young children need...
read moreGetting back to Normal
The last months of the year can be a bit overwhelming for parents and children alike. There is so much to do, so much to see, hear and experience. First came fall break. Then Halloween. If you’re living in the north of the Netherlands you may have celebrated Sint...
read moreCan’t you two just get along?
Guestpost by Sara Mansson Last time, we talked about some day to day examples of things you can do to help your children learn good negotiation skills. One thing that helps children learn this is experiencing problems that need solving. One of our tips then was to...
read moreTeaching your Child the Art of Negotiation
Guestpost by Sara Mansson Sometimes arguments break out between our children and we wish we knew how to prevent them. Can’t they just listen to each other and compromise? The art of successful negotiation is a skill which is important to social situations throughout...
read moreSaying goodbye to (best) friends
Saying goodbye is inherent to the international lifestyle. But even if a family decides to stay in one place for a while, as long as one is part of an international community the goodbyes continue. Children in international schools run a higher risk of seeing their...
read moreStarting School in a New Language: Teacher tips
In my last post, I talked about what you can do as parents when your child is going to enter a school in a language that they do not yet understand. This time, my tips are for teachers who are teaching one or some children who do not yet speak the language of the...
read moreStarting School in a New Language: Preparation
When a young child enters a school or school-like environment in a different language than the one(s) they speak at home with the family, the transition might be concerning for parents. Will my child be adjusting well? Will she be learning the language quickly? Will...
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