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Starting a new
life in a foreign
country can be
very daunting for
adults let alone
children. If you
are moving to
Spain with
children, whatever
age, it is
something not to
be taken lightly.
Over the last
20 years an
increasing number
of families from
European countries
have set up home
in Spain. And for
many, the move has
turned out to be
the best decision
they ever made.
Many children
settle well. They
have left a grey
life in the UK
with bad weather,
ever increasing
prices, lack of
jobs and a "Yob
Culture".
But not all
families find
their paradise in
the Mediterranean
sunshine. For many
the upheaval of
leaving their
native land and
adjusting to a
completely
different way of
life proves too
much to cope with
and they return
home, wiser for
the experience and
often a lot
poorer.
If you're
considering moving
to Spain with
children, make
sure you're aware
of all the common
problems and
pitfalls which
face foreign
families trying to
start afresh in a
new country.
Generally, the
younger your
children are the
more likely they
are to settle
abroad and adjust
to all the sudden
changes in their
lives. Young
children can adapt
much more quickly
and easily to
almost any change
of circumstances
as long as they're
at the centre of a
loving, secure
family. Pre-school
children pick up a
new language in no
time, they make
new friends
quickly and are
likely to adapt
easily to the new
climate and
different routine.
The older your
children are, the
more likely they
are to suffer with
problems such as
homesickness,
isolation and
feelings of
inadequacy at
school. No matter
how loving and
supportive you are
as parents,
teenagers are
likely to find it
extremely
difficult to
settle into a
Spanish school
especially if
they're not fluent
in the language
from day one. So
you'll need to
consider whether
you can afford to
pay for
private education
within an
international
school.
Getting
children a
place in a state
run Spanish school
is normally a
straight forward
affair for EU
citizens - you can
get your child in
school almost
immediately, it's
free and you don't
need to wait for a
resident's permit
("residencia").
Some of the more
popular schools
have a waiting
list but the local
authorities have a
responsibility to
find an
alternative school
if necessary. In
areas with large
ex-pat
communities, many
Spanish schools
provide special
language coaching
for newly arrived
foreign children
for the first few
weeks.
If you plan to
send your children
to a Spanish
school, it's
important that you
master the
language yourself
so that you can be
fully involved in
their education,
progress and any
problems that may
arise. And don't
forget that some
areas of Spain,
such as the
Valencian region
and Catalonia,
have their own
local language
which is
predominant in
many state
schools.
You will need
patience and
determination to
assist your
children in
settling in Spain.
Listen to them and
let them have a
point of view. |
