Child's perspective on moving

[Jo53]

Came across this article, which gives an interesting viewpoint on what it's like for children to move abroad. Not maybe what everyone wants to hear, but I suspect it is quite accurate.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,1722730,00.html

Jo

[SaligoBay]

There's a whole lot of truth in that article, Jo.

 

 

[Mistral]

Thanks for the link. That was a very interesting article. I'm going to print it out and show it to a few colleagues. I get very frustrated at how so many teachers here refuse to see how difficult it is for kids to be expected to function in a foreign  (all senses of the word) language all day every day and how soul destyroying it can be. I particularly appreciated the comment about "being imprisoned by one language and exiled from another" I came here as a young adult with a degree in french and even so, I had days when I felt like that.

 

[The Riff-Raff Element]

It's not particularly cheerful, and it is only one person's experience,

but I suspect that it's accurate. Having moved here with pre-school

aged children, I'm not sure I'd personally contemplate the same

move with pre-teen children. Still, some people don't have the luxury

of choice. The mantra of "prepare, prepare, prepare" is appropriate.

[Clarkkent]

A very interesting article, Jo.

I am surprised that no-one has made any mention of the article in the March edition of Living France in which the aspirations of a parent come into conflict with the experiences of adolescent children. Among other things, the article highlights the differences in educational practices between Britain and France. It should be required reading for all people considering moving families to France.

[Eslier]

Yes, Clarkkent, I agree.  The March Living France article was both illuminating and very truthful. 

Moving adolescents is very tricky, not only because of their education, but also because friends and the social scene matter so much to them at this stage in their lives.  It is all part of who they are.  We moved to France during the all critical A2 year, but left our son back in the UK.  This meant his application to uni was easy because he had never left the system.  Typically his younger sister decided she would not come to France either, and although she was quite young at the time, we think we escaped a lot of grief and conflict by letting her make her own decision. As other members of the forum say, those who move teenagers to foreign parts are very brave!

[godwinsj]

It is good to see such a well thought out and expressed assessment of moving children out of their country & culture. There have been many times when I have felt SO guilty about moving my 3 & changing their lives so thoroughly.   

[Butchx5]

Hi

Have read the Guardian article - very interesting.

Would be interested to read Living France article too - is there anyway I can read it without buying a paper copy of the March issue?

Thanks Helen