There are times in an expat’s life when things might seem too big to handle alone. That’s why we would like to introduce you to the concept of an expat kids’ life coach.
What is an expat kids’ life coach?
It’s a specialist who can help your children enjoy the fullness of life and overcome challenges with enthusiasm and confidence.
When should you ask for assistance?
1– If your children are anxious about the big move.
If they are struggling with the thought of leaving their comfort zone, their school, friends and neighbourhood.
2– After the move, if your children’s personality changes.
They might lose confidence, become shy or struggle with confidence and social interaction.
3– If your children need support with schoolwork.
It might be either too difficult or not challenging enough.
4– If you experience behaviour issues, whether at school or at home.
Behavioural changes might lie in a lack of acknowledgement by teachers or parents, relationship/friendship issues, nobody-loves-me state of mind, parental conflict, etc.
5– When social conflict/dilemmas arise, especially in the teen years.
Teens start comparing their lifestyle to their peers’ and want something similar. As that might not be always possible, self-awareness of one’s qualities and potential, as well as awareness of how lucky they are to have the life they have right now, is a big step in the right direction.
6– When kids show perfectionist tendencies
These kids suffer when things don’t go according to their plan, when they don’t get top marks, when their responsibility is not challenging enough and therefore, they cannot prove themselves.
Should you not be able to afford a life coach, here are some every day things you might want to consider:
- Positive reinforcement
- Instructions at your child’s level of understanding
- Keep instructions simple
- Teach resilience and respect
- Make expectations clear
- Problem solving skills
