The Impact of Expat Life on Your Family: How to Keep Everyone on Board
An international move is exciting. New cultures, new opportunities, a fresh start. But for a family, it’s also a leap into the unknown. As an expat, you're not the only one going through changes; your partner and children are joining the adventure with their own questions, emotions, and needs.
So how do you prepare your family for what lies ahead? What are the real challenges? And how do you make sure your family’s happiness doesn’t get lost in transition?
“We moved together, but not all at the same pace”
When Sofie and Annelies moved from Ghent to Singapore with their two daughters, aged 5 and 9, it looked like a dream on paper. “But during those first few months, we sometimes felt more like an ‘expat family’ than a real family,” Sofie recalls. “The kids were adjusting to a new school, I had left behind my job and social life, and Annelies dove straight into her new role. The balance was off.”
This feeling of “moving without an anchor” is common for many expat partners. They quit their job, lose their network, and suddenly become the go-to for every practical and emotional issue. That takes preparation.
Here are 5 golden tips:
1. The accompanying partner: give them space and perspective
Concrete tip: Before the move, make a plan for the partner's future. Could they do volunteer work, continue freelancing online, or take up a course? Many international communities (like Internations or Expat Women) offer networking events, workshops, or career coaching for expat spouses.
“When I arrived in Cape Town, I felt redundant,” says Chloë, who moved from Brussels with her husband Elias and their son. “It wasn’t until I started freelancing and joined a local NGO that I felt in control of my days again. My mental wellbeing improved instantly.”
Psychological insight: A study in the International Journal of Mental Health compared 950 American expats with a domestic control group. Results showed that expats were 2.5 times more likely to face depression or anxiety, and three times more likely to feel trapped or isolated.
2. Helping children integrate: create rhythm and familiarity
Children are adaptable, but also sensitive. They lose familiar rituals, friends, and language environments. Expat kids are often referred to as ‘third culture kids’ because they grow up between cultures, something that can be both confusing and enriching.
Concrete tip: Choose an international school with strong newcomer support. Ask if they offer buddy systems, language assistance, or transition groups. Websites like International Schools Database help you filter schools by region, language, and teaching method.
“Our son really struggled during his first weeks in Geneva,” says Jamila, who relocated from Antwerp with her husband and two children. “The school paired him with a buddy from Portugal. It made a huge difference. He had someone who knew what it’s like to find your place in a new class.”
Extra tip: Keep up mini rituals from home, from Friday movie night to Sunday morning pancakes. Familiar routines offer comfort in unpredictable surroundings.
3. Prepare practically: create a family checklist
Besides the emotional challenges, there are many practical hurdles: visa issues, health insurance, school registration, finding childcare, or even basic tasks like banking or exchanging your driver’s license.
Concrete tool: Draw up a family checklist before you leave. Include things like:
- Visas and residence permits for each family member
- Enrolment in a local or international school
- Health certificates and vaccination records (in some countries, like the US, kids can be refused school entry without them)
- Copies of medical records and GP contact info
- An emergency plan: who to call and where to go in a crisis
Websites like Expatica and Just Landed offer detailed country guides and to-do lists for each family member.
4. Insurance: protecting your most valuable assets
In a new country, it’s often harder to seek help. What if your child has an accident at school? Or your partner needs to rush home for a family emergency? Or your luggage gets lost and you're stuck in a hotel with the kids?
Solution: Get expat insurance that protects the whole family. It brings peace of mind and covers more than just healthcare, including mental health, travel interruptions, and emergency evacuations. Globally.
For example, the Expat & Co insurance plan includes:
- Medical emergencies (including psychological support)
- Emergency return home during family crises
- Travel cancellation or interruption
- Liability coverage for damage caused by children
“When my daughter had to go to the ER in New York with a fever, the bill was insane,” says Tim, who lives in the US with his wife and twins. “Without insurance, we’d have been stuck with a $2,400 invoice for a brief consultation.”
5. Growing together: the expat adventure as a family boost
Despite the challenges, expat life can bring families closer together. You get to know each other beyond your comfort zones. Pushing boundaries together builds a unique kind of connection.
“We’ve been in Dubai for three years now,” says Rani, mother of three. “My kids speak four languages, my partner discovered a passion for photography, and I’ve completely reshaped my career. We’re a stronger team than ever.”
In conclusion: being prepared is truly half the battle
Moving abroad with your family is intense, full of questions, uncertainties, and opportunities. But by actively involving your partner and children in the process, using practical tools, and protecting yourself with reliable family expat insurance, you can turn an expat move into a family journey. One built on trust, resilience, and real connection.
Want to learn more?
Discover Expat & Co’s family-friendly insurance solutions at expatinsurance.eu