Relocating to Germany with children: A few tips

Considering relocating to Germany with the kids in tow? Here are a few tips on planning a successful international move, from the moving experts at Crown Relocations.

Moving with children presents a whole unique set of challenges: from organising a new school to dealing with homesickness, all while adjusting to the cultural differences in your new home country - let alone a new language, there’s a lot for your family to deal with. 

But you’re not alone in wanting to upstick. Did you know that lots of parents around the world look to improve the lifestyle and wellbeing of their families by moving, with typically around 10 percent of children aged between one and 14 moving internationally every year! 

To better handle the stress of managing a move, here’s a guide on things you should consider when relocating with children. 

When is the best time to move with children?

Even just planning your moving date carefully can make a massive difference when it comes to minimising disruption in your child’s life. Moving during the school holidays is a popular choice for families and ideally, the summer holidays are the best time to move. Not only is it the longest holiday, but it ensures that your children can start at their new school at the beginning of the new school year, making them feel less like the “odd one out”. 

If this isn’t possible, moving on a bank holiday weekend is also a good way to minimise disruption and make sure your child doesn’t miss out on valuable term time. It also gives you extra time to sort out any last-minute tasks. 

Finding the right school

In Germany, compulsory school begins at the age of six. You have the choice between sending your child to a local or an international school. 

An international school is a popular choice among expats who are likely to relocate again, as many international schools across the world have similar syllabuses, meaning there won’t be a massive disruption to your child’s current education if you move away. 

However, attending a local school is a great option for those who are making a permanent or long-term move. Not only will a local school bring you closer to German culture and help you integrate into the local community, it will also help bring your child’s language skills up to speed in no time at all. 

Helping to manage homesickness

Any move is likely to be tricky for a child to navigate, particularly if they’re settled in their current country and will be leaving friends and family behind. 

You can help to get your child excited about the move by getting them involved and making them feel like they’re on the journey as much as you are. Give them a responsibility to help with the move, such as decluttering, organising and sorting things in their own rooms, or even labelling boxes and making a list of things you need to do before the move. 

The whole moving process doesn’t have to be boring, make it fun! Get them thinking about the colour of their new room by giving them swatches of paint colours. Let them also pick out new furniture and accessories to decorate as a way of them having something to look forward to moving into their new home. 

Talk to them about any worries they have about the move and try to assuage their fears. Discuss ways they can keep in touch with old friends and maybe even organise a trip for them to look forward to. You could ask their friends to contribute photographs and messages for a scrapbook to keep them company during the early stages of the move. 

Ultimately, children are incredibly resilient and will feel at home in their new country in no time - perhaps even sooner than you! For more information and advice on managing a move to Germany from abroad, contact Crown Relocations to discuss their range of services.