Overview for Families

Welcome to Equip for Families, AIM International’s preparation and training for families. It is our prayer that the book, other readings and audio clips as well as discussions both within your family and with your mentor will all be tools to help prepare your family for what lies ahead.

—Serving Together, The AIM TCK Team

PREPARING YOUR FAMILY

Moving cross culturally with children adds another dimension to an already challenging adjustment. AIM International’s goal is that all our families flourish as you serve with us. To this end we want to encourage families to plan and prepare for family life overseas, and to start education planning for your children.

EXPECTATIONS FOR PARENTS BEFORE DEPARTURE

Required Reading
Read Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids by Lauren Wells. This is an excellent book on the implications of parenting in another culture and is full of practical suggestions. Follow the Companion Guide for chapter-by-chapter engagement questions.

Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids

AIM’s Companion Guide for Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids

Talk with your Mobilising Office
Contact your Mobilising Office Educational Consultant to discuss  education options and education planning for your children as early in  the Equip  process as possible. Talk these issues through with your  children, especially older ones. Even young children need to be  reassured that you are making plans for them and be able to have some  input into those plans. (NB You can also contact the AIM International  TCK Consultant).

For children 3-8 Years Old
With children approximately three to eight years old, do the activities in  Off We Go,  an activity guide which helps children (and their parents) address  issues of leaving their passport country for the first time. Involve the  whole family in this process as much as possible (some activities could  be modified for older children).

Off We Go Activity Guide

TEENAGERS

Click here for a number of helpful articles related to teens moving to another culture.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Free download of Raising Resilient MKs & Other Books
Website for Parents of Missionaries
Books to use with kids
● Recommended Article – Language Development for MKs

Recursos em Português
Estamos de mudança
Criando filhos entre culturas