Our expat children lead such very different lives than we did at their age. They do everything earlier, faster, and more intensely than we did growing up, and most of their passports have seen more action than ours did by the same age.
While that’s all well and good, it can lead to a disconnect in their identity regarding where their home truly lies, and who they really are. Familial and social relationships are key to ensuring our Third Culture Kids remain connected, no matter where they are in the world. In the absence of face-to-face interaction, we’ll settle for virtual interaction thanks to modern technology!
1. Regular Group Chats
Family and friend group chats (WeChat, WhatsApp) are a must when you’re an expat family. Make sure to keep it updated with photos, videos, or voice messages – whichever your kid prefers – at least on a weekly basis. Have them recap their day/week, perform the latest Tik Tok dance moves they’ve picked up, sing the new Sam Smith song or recite some phrases in Mandarin to keep things fun!
2. Schedule A Video Call
Ask the family to decide when in the week you could all carve out 15 minutes to call the grandparents. Usually, before or after dinner time on the weekends might work well, if the time difference isn’t too great. Try to do the same with your kids’ besties who are no longer in the same country. Penning the set time and date in a shared calendar (either physical or digital) will help you remember!
3. You’ve Got Mail
Postal services may not work the way we want them to here, but that doesn’t mean you can’t send a holiday card or two when the special occasion rolls around! Former editor Cindy Marie Jenkins recommends some virtual card services that let you upload your own photos to personalize the e-card in this article here.
Keeping connections alive will help ground our nomadic kids in the love and support of the community they have created, even if they are spread out across continents. Friends don’t always have to come and go, as long as we put in some effort to keep them in our hearts and minds.
KEEP READING: Parenting Third Culture Kids: Who Are TCKs and How Can You Help Yours?
Images: Pexels
