In a nutshell: I got a new job in a very beautiful European country and I have dragged my 2 kids under 5 with me. It’s been 6months and they’re still struggling with adapting to kindergarten and making friends. Not knowing the language is also a big barrier. My oldest just said to me that she feels very lonely in the kindergarten as she doesn’t know how to communicate with other kids. She terribly misses her friends from our hometown. The new teachers have no compassion, so they’re no help. I try with playdates, but it’s just so difficult to make sustainable relationships.
There are days that I feel very sorry for having to put them through this. I’m currently crying as it’s so hard to process all this. I’m a single mom, btw.
Any parent who has been /is in the same situation? Any adult who has moved to a new country when little? Please share your experiences. Im desperately looking fwd to hearing from you!
Thank you!
We moved a few months ago to Iceland with our 5 and 8 year old. While they are both obviously just starting to learn the language, the school has done a great job of making them feel welcome and helping them bond with other children. We were a little surprised how many children speak English here. It seems very common. Both of our children have made friends though. And they both love all the extracurricular activities here. My 5 year old has been loving wood shop so much we are getting here a wood working kids set for her birthday. And my older one loves pottery. If you feel your kids are having a hard time adjusting, I would suggest talking to the school about it. Our older daughter was having a hard time in the first few weeks of school with missing her best friend. She loves the school counselor, and has a few new friends.