A little girl, asked where her home was, replied, "where mother is.Keith L. Brooks
Living overseas with children can be a very rewarding experience for both you and your children. However, the experience usually also presents new challenges for you - especially if you are changing your role from a busy Professional to a busy full-time Mother. Not only do you have to adapt to a new environment and culture, but so do your children. The beauty of children is that they tend to adapt well. but it is not always an easy transition and it does require hard work on your part.
For this reason, we encourage Mothers everywhere to network with other Mothers to share your experiences, helpful hints and strategies, and your ups and downs of expat motherhood. We have many links below for you to find resources for Expat Mothers, that we hope will help you and if you know of more great sites that would appeal to Expat Mothers, please Contact Us with the details and remember... we have plenty more resources for you in our resources section.
USA Girl Scouts Overseas (USAGSO) provides the Girl Scout program to American girls living outside the United States and those attending American or international schools abroad. USAGSO's Director, Sandy Thomas, talks about how USAGSO has been fostering responsible global citizens since 1925...
According to a Roper Starch Poll, 44 percent of parents who noticed some indication of learning difficulty in their children waited a year or more before openly acknowledging that the problem may be serious. Educational Consultant Kristina L. Dooley shares information and tips for global parents...
Nora Kohri, a Japanese expatriate in the United States, shares with us her mothering abroad tips, as well as more information about her organization dedicated to new mothers and families living abroad...
The best pregnancies are filled with excitement, preparation and a healthy amount of precaution. So when travelling for two, it makes perfect sense to double up on some safety education. The following tips can help...
Welcoming a new addition to the family, though rewarding, can be a difficult transition. The changes may become even more overwhelming for the young mother also preparing for an overseas move. Laura Wilson shares her experience and some helpful tips on how to navigate the process...
Of all the issues that parents find challenging today, sleep rates amongst the top three. Especially if you are an expat who has moved abroad and left the security of your support network at home, your partner is always travelling and you are feeling isolated and exhausted...
"Hello, I'm Bailey. I'm from Australia. Where are you from?" Needless to say, in a park full of Australians, my son innocently became the subject of great bemusement. "Don't worry," chimed in a well-meaning member of our extended family. "Children learn quickly. They will adapt faster than you think and they will soon forget..."
Sharon (surname withheld), an American expat mother in France and a former flight attendant for two carriers in five countries over thirteen years, shares with us her insider tips and advice for flying with children...
The road to parenthood is an exciting ride, full of anticipation and perhaps some expected and some unexpected barriers along the way. For a couple traveling this road in a country other than their own, often dealing with a second language as well, there may be more unexpected barriers than usual...
When an expectant mother follows guidelines for a healthy pregnancy, and she and her partner are educated about the conditions that will surround the birth of their baby, even in another country, there's likely to be a positive birth experience – and a healthy baby...
For many ex-pats, their new life provides all the happiness and enjoyment for which they had hoped. For an unfortunate few, this dream ends in despair and frustration. If your marriage breaks down, the prospects can be daunting if you are "stuck" in a foreign country, without a strong grasp of the language or knowledge of local culture...
Pregnancy can be a combination of both pure delight and concern for most women. Tim Blevins shares with us some helpful tips for women and their families planning a healthy pregnancy and preparing for the journey ahead - both at home and abroad...
Third Culture Kids (TCKs) who have grown up overseas and many times are going to live in the country of their passport for the first time, or at least the first time in a very long time, face special considerations when looking for the right fit and match in higher education...
With an impressive 655 workable survey responses, Robin Pascoe's survey shares some very interesting results about how internationally mobile families view the support they receive during their relocations...
What happens if parents who are expatriates separate and if one of them wants to 'go home' with the children? Is it okay for them to do it even if the other parent does not want them to? "Can I just go?"...
If you are looking for new ideas about how to give some positive direction to your global nomad teen, join us as we talk to Thomas Speckhardt, the Executive Director of Youth Compass – a community youth organisation led by volunteers and staff...
Moving can be a very stressful and emotional time. You will move many valuable possessions when you change addresses, but none are as precious as your children. Here are some tips to help you prepare your children for their upcoming move.
Although moving has become a common event for American families, it is a "moving" experience in more ways than one. No matter how often families change residence, moving brings with it a variety of emotions and situations. Moving can be an exciting adventure for families as they look forward to new places, friends, and neighbours.
Sitting in the room at the IWAP (International Women's Association Prague) meeting and hearing the Chairwomen comment about there being so many women with extraordinary resources, experience and impact sat together in the same room, really struck a chord.
Indeed, if we as an adult want to enhance our performance in work or as a parent, is there still hope? Experience shows that by far the most successful people have a desire for personal growth in their lives. They are also likely to have benefited from a role model, either personally or followed through books, cassettes, videos, TV or some other media.
As women and typically the primary caregivers in the family it becomes extremely important for us to ‘take charge' in the new environment and deal with the issues of expatriate adjustment with knowledge and compassion – both inside and outside the house ...
As a coach you create a powerful collaborative relationship that centres on your child's situation and their aspirations. You will work with them using questions to raise the awareness of where they are in a given situation, enabling them to identify what is good about it, what is not so good about it, how it could be improved, or acknowledging that things are great and celebrating their success.
If you're an expat woman with kids, chances are you'll be making the trip home with them before long. For many of us, that involves a long haul flight, often without the spouse for at least one leg of the journey. Don't despair ...
Finding a job as a spouse does not automatically imply happiness in some places and you may be much better off with alternatives you never ever considered in the first place. Here is a list of ideas and websites.
A child in touch with his/her feelings is going to be able to manage his/her behaviour far better, which will result in the child making a greater and better contribution to society. It can make a world of difference.
One of the biggest characteristics of the expatriate experience, and particularly of the repeat expatriate experience, is the necessity of making friends over and over again. What are some ways you can help yourself create that network and keep creating it as you go from country to country (or even if you stay where you are)?
The idea of an overseas assignment for a family often evokes images of adventure, excitement, travel, and new cultural experiences. For the tens of thousands of expatriates around the world, international living can be all of the above...and more. But what should a family with a special needs child know before moving overseas?
Moving countries is a great challenge for adults, but for teenagers it's even harder. That shouldn't discourage you from moving, particularly if relocation opens new opportunities for the whole family.
Read more…
Young people in internationally-mobile families often face many disruptions in their education as their families move from one country to the next. Many times their educational needs cannot be met at the location of the new international assignment...
Moving to another country can and should be an exciting prospect. However, suppose your family has just learned the joyous news that a baby is on the horizon. Now, being far from home takes on a whole new meaning...
We talk to Angelina Hart, mother of gorgeous girls Chantelle and Nakia who star in Angelina's The Little Travelers DVDs. Find out more about their excursions in Japan, Bali and The British Isles...
Have you ever thought what you are doing to teach your children about their cultural heritage? If you moved back ‘home' tomorrow, would your children understand what Halloween is, what ANZAC Day is, or what Idul Fitri really means?
Most likely, they would not unless you have made a real effort to teach them. Here is a tips and checklist in order to ensure you keep up with your national / religious holidays!
Club Mom http://www.clubmom.com/
Where millions of moms come together for advice, connections and rewards.
DrugWatch http://www.drugwatch.com A comprehensive database featuring extensive information about thousands of different medications and drugs currently on the market or previously available worldwide. Expectant mothers can use it to find up-to-date information about the side effects of common prescription and over-the-counter medications.
Expat Moms Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AP-Expat-Moms/
This group is for those parents living outside their home countries who are interested in Attachment Parenting. This is a safe and friendly place for us to come together and talk about our parenting experiences in foreign lands.
Expat Parent http://www.expatparent.com/
Expat Parent aims to be an essential resource for expatriate parents. We have gathered together the best companies and services while providing you with a supportive and informational community online. Expat Parent aims to make your transition to parenting in a foreign country as seamless as possible with newsletters that highlight great new companies and event announcements.
Flying with Children http://flyingwithchildren.blogspot.com
As a flight attendant for thirteen years with two carriers, I learned a lot about traveling with babies. Here is my list of the things to know before you get on the plan ...
Flying With Kids http://www.flyingwithkids.com/
Website with lots of helpful hints and accessories for travel with children.
Global Education Explorer http://www.globaleducationexplorer.com/globaledexpl.nsf/
Relocating families now have a cost-effective, web-based resource to best understand and compare educational systems across the globe. Developed by premiere global educational consulting firm, School Choice International, Global Education Explorer will enable you to quickly compare curriculum, assessments and customs between countries simply by inputting your home and destination countries, and child's birthdates.
Military.com http://www.military.com/
Comprehensive website for military personnel, their wives and family covering areas such as finance, careers, travel, entertainment, shopping and relocation. Sections specific for military spouses, the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
Mothers & More http://www.mothersandmore.org/
Mothers & More is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of mothers through support, education and advocacy. We address mothers' needs as individuals and members of society, and promote the value of all the work mothers do.
Multilingual Living Magazine http://www.biculturalfamily.org
Fabulous magazine for anyone raising a bilingual/multilingual family.
Newcomers Club http://www.newcomersclub.com/
The Newcomers & Moms Club Worldwide Directory was created to help you locate clubs and organizations designed to give people new to the area or new & young Moms the opportunity to meet and develop friendships with others who live in the area.
School Choice International http://www.schoolchoiceinternational.com
An established international educational consulting firm specializing in finding the right schools for children wherever their parents relocate in the world.
Single Mothers http://www.singlemothers.org
Official site of the National Organization of Single Mothers, Inc., dedicated to helping single moms by choice or chance face the daily challenges of life with wisdom, wit, dignity, confidence and courage since 1991 and home of the award-winning quarterly, Single Mother: A Support Group in Your Hands.
The Foundation for Mother and Child Health http://www.motherandchildhealth.org
Our aim is to help alleviate malnutrition in young children living within the communities we serve, namely Indonesia and India. We also provide mother and baby support groups for expatriate women living in these countries.
Travel With Your Kids http://www.travelwithyourkids.com/
TravelWithYourKids is written by parents, for parents. Just because you have a kid (or even a gaggle of them) that doesn't mean that you and your family are obligated to stay home. We have tips for you whether you are traveling near or far.
Making The Successful Move Abroad As A Young Mother
Divorce Overseas:
