133 218
“I love how expats
really seem to want to
help one another make
friends; there are so
many support groups.”
“Expat children
can grow up
feeling less
attached to
their country of
origin.”
Not having your family
around is the toughest part,
but you learn to make up for it.
Your friends become a much-
needed support network, more
so than they would be if you
were at home. The biggest
pro is obviously being able to
have a helper. Even if we were
surrounded by family, they’re
not going to do my laundry and
free up time for me to spend with
the kids!
Zeina
I love what we’ve been
exposed to as a family. There
are so many opportunities
for experiencing, sharing and
travelling with your kids,
which is priceless. I also love
how expats really want to help
one another make friends;
there are so many support
groups. The hardest thing I’ve
found is not being near family.
Emma
The best thing is all the support from Facebook
groups, as well as coffee mornings. There are also
lots of activities available out there for stay-at-home
mums.
Desiree
I love the weather in Singapore, and the fact that
my children get to experience such amazing cultural
diversity from a young age. The hardest part about
living here is that it’s so far from our families.
Kasia
One pro is that your kids grow up in a
multicultural environment, which helps make them
more open to other nationalities and cultures. One
con is that you’re far from family, not only for the
help you can get from them but also the attachment
that your child could have to their aunts, uncles,
grandparents and little cousins. They may also
grow up feeling less attached to their country of
origin. I’m a product of this: being born in Vietnam
but growing up in France, I feel more French than
Vietnamese, which made my parents feel quite sad.
Now I understand their feelings.
Azizah
133
KIDS’ GUIDE2017
HAPPY & HEALTHY