JoshAs a parent, it can be difficult to accept the fact that your child will be traveling and living oversees to study.
But remember, if your child is studying oversees, it means they have officially embarked on an adventure that will challenge them and help transform them into an international citizen. It’s an experience they will learn from and remember for the rest of their lives.
Here are three tips on what you as a parent can do if your child is studying overseas:
1 – Choose A Way and Time To Communicate
There are a myriad of ways you can communicate with your child oversees, ranging from Twitter to Facebook to apps to an international phone plan to emailing and Skype.
It’s a good idea to just set one means by which you will communicate with your child, because honestly, what’s the point to staying in-touch with them through as many communication measures as possible?
It’s also important that you set a time that you will communicate with them regularly as well. Talking with your child once per day is reasonable. Also be sure to stay in-touch with the educational institution they are studying it as well.
2 – Set A Budget And Be Sure You Can Financially Support Them
An important aspect of planning to travel in general is to always set a budget and your child studying abroad is no different. It’s also important to be able to financially support your child while they are gone as well, and this means having the ability to transfer funds as needed regardless of whether they’re staying in Europe, Asia, South America, or wherever.
The best way to be able to send money to your child as needed will be to employ the services of a money transfer service that can convert U.S dollars into the currency of the country your child is staying in and then send the funds.
3 – Emotionally Support Them
As was discussed above, studying abroad is an adventure for your child in addition to being an excellent learning opportunity. But at the same time, your child will also experience things such as homesickness and culture shock as well.
This is why it’s important to emotionally support your child throughout their time abroad and to help provide solutions to problems that may arise. Your child needs to know that you are there for them, and they shouldn’t get the idea that you are displeased or angry with the fact that they are studying abroad.
What To Do If Your Child Is Overseas
Regardless of whether the time your child is oversees feels like a prolonged separation or if the time flies by quickly, it’s important to stay in consistent communication with them, to have a clear budget and means to financially support them, and to be emotionally supportive of them throughout the journey.