- Find a school system that is suitable for the child and consistent with what he/she was used to abroad. For example, a child educated in the English or American system will have more difficulty joining a purely French system
- Enjoy this return as a new expatriation: play at being tourists in your first few months in Paris… at the end of the day, you are foreigners :-) The game and curiosity will help to offset the culture shift
- Plan to return to the foreign country from which you have arrived in the 6 months after your return. Indeed, psychologists advise this approach to help the child to mourn his/her old life
- Build friendships with families who have returned to France and have a window on the world. Your children will feel less alone
- Don’t hesitate to consult a psychologist to help the child to get through this difficult time
- Be positive yourself! Children are real sponges. If parents don’t feel good about themselves, it can quickly become a vicious circle and adapting will be even harder
- It has been proven that if a child does not master reading and writing in the foreign language of the country from which you arrive (generally children under 7 years old), there’s a good chance that he/she will lose this foreign language in a few months. Be aware of this: if you want your child keep the mastery of his/her foreign language, you will have to make arrangements for them to continue to practice it regularly (tutoring, au pair, etc.)
- Find an activity that each child likes and that they haven’t had the chance to try abroad (horse riding/dancing/music). This allows the child to see his/her return to France in a positive light
- Plan for your child’s return to French school by arranging for them to have intensive French lessons
- Children returning from abroad who are to be educated in the French system may have accumulated shortcomings. Parents should inform teachers of their intention to work on the concept of the child’s progress rather than grades, because the child may soon be demotivated by low grades.
