Knowing your child is a thousand miles away from you can be tough as a parent, and this is even harder if you know they are moving abroad. Supporting your child with their choice to study abroad is a great thing, they will have plenty of opportunities and discover who they want to be and what they want to do. If you want to overcome some of the fears you may be having, here is how to start.
Find Reputable Accommodation
One of the biggest concerns that parents have about their child is where they will live. Although there is plenty of choices abroad, if your child is moving to a foreign country to study, it would be best to choose purpose-built student accommodation. For example, Barcelona’s student accommodation is fantastic, and Collegiate offer some luxurious spaces in this capital city. If you are looking for a safe and stunning student accommodation in Barcelona, Collegiate has you and your child covered. Your child will have their own en-suite and have the chance to meet other students. Collegiate even offers a 24-hour concierge service with state-of-the-art security, meaning you always know your child is safe in their accommodation.
Keeping Them Healthy
Although you cannot cover for everything that may happen when your child is abroad, ensuring they have medical insurance and any medications that they need with them at all times can help rid some of the fears you may be having. Especially if your child lives with a medical condition, it can be hard as a parent knowing you are not just a drive away.
Make sure they are up-to-date with any immunisations they may need when abroad, although this will solely depend on the country they are planning to visit. Check they know where their nearest pharmacy is in case they do get sick, and teach them how to cook some basic and healthy meals.
Finances
When your child tells you they want to study abroad, the first thing that may enter your mind is money. Moving abroad can come with a variety of costs, but there are also ways in which your child can gain financial aid. If your child studies with a university in the UK which is linked to one in another country, they will be able to get international student finance or bursaries.
Helping them to budget and ensuring they are saving up before they move will help them with any unexpected costs whilst there. It is also good to research the average prices of everyday items in their new country, as this may differ from here. Helping out where you can is great, but some parents cannot afford this and, therefore, it is important your child has enough money. If they can, encourage them to find a part-time job whilst studying abroad if money is tight.
You will always have some fears as a parent, but supporting your child and speaking to them often can stop some of these. Once your child is happy and settled whilst studying abroad, these fears will begin to disappear.