Living abroad is an exciting adventure, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s especially difficult if you’re leaving children behind in Colombia while you venture to the United States.
There are a lot of things only people who live in different countries from their families will understand, and one of those things is just how hard it is to show your kids that you care when you can’t tuck them in every night.
Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to show your children you care even if you can’t be there for them in person every day.
1. Send Some Cash
One of the easiest ways to show your children you care, and definitely one of the most appreciated, is sending some cash back home. Especially when money transfer services make it so easy!
You can send the kids money for a birthday, a holiday, or a graduation, but you can also send money just because. Getting some surprise cash from mom or dad is sure to brighten their day!
2. Bake and Send a Favorite Treat
Food is more than just sustenance for most families. It represents love. Many memories are created nibbling on a favorite treat while everyone sits around the dining room table.
Your kids won’t get that while you’re away from home, and that’s okay, as long as you bake and send their favorite treats from time to time!
Just make sure you send the package appropriately. If everyone loves your soft cookies back home, you should spend a little extra to send them overnight so they stay that way.
3. Never Forget Special Occasions and Holidays
When you aren’t living with your children, it can be hard to remember special dates. From birthdays to holidays and special occasions, you really have to do your due diligence to make sure you don’t forget.
Marking important dates on a calendar is a good place to start. You should also mark special occasions like your child’s big presentation at school or that big soccer game so you remember to check in with them to see how it went.
4. Plan to Stay in Touch
Staying in touch is the single most important thing you can do as a parent living in another country. In order to make sure you stay in touch the way you should, you need to plan to stay in touch. That might include things like:
- Planning daily phone calls
- Planning a weekly Skype session
- Writing a letter every month
- Sending pictures in an email
Do what works for your family. That might mean calling every night before your children go to bed or every morning before they go to school.
It is more important than ever to show your children that you care if you don’t live in Colombia. With these tips, there will be no doubt in your children’s minds that you think of them each and every day.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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