Is my child ready? This is one of the most important questions to ask yourself when considering an immersion program. Although each of the immersion programs listed on our site have been designed for a specific age range, you cannot determine your child's readiness on age alone. Nor can you measure their readiness based on the fact that their best friend is planning on attending an overseas immersion program this summer.
So, how do you know if they (and you!) are ready?
From our years of experience working with parents and teens we've compiled a list of six questions that you should carefully consider, no matter how old your child and how much you (or they) want to be ready for an overseas adventure:
Is my child Mature enough? Your child needs to be able to handle new and unexpected situations in a safe and effective manner without your assistance. Unexpected things can and do happen, no matter how hard you plan. Your son/daughter needs to have the self-sufficiency to handle a number of situations such as delayed flights or missing luggage while in transit or getting lost or separated from the group while on the program. Think about occassions when your child has had to problem-solve independently and how well they managed.
Does my child have a positive attitude? No matter how much your child has travelled, each experience is unique and your son/daughter needs to be able to maintain a positive attitude, even when things get uncomfortable. Travel involves jet lag, culture shock, unfamiliar foods, unpleasant weather and lots of strangers! Both you and your child need to OK with the fact that you aren't going to be there to fix things that go wrong and or make things go smoothly. Think about how flexible and adaptable your child has been to new and unfamiliar situations.
Does my child possess the necessary social skills? Not all students attending immersion programs need to be extremely outgoing or extroverted but it is important that your son/daughter have the confidence and social skills to approach other students they don't know and make friends without adult intervention. Think about how your child handles social situations where they don't know other participants.
Can my child cope with homesickness? There is a very good chance that your son/daughter will experience some degree of homesickness while they are abroad. Interestingly enough, it doesn't matter how old they are or how many overnight camps or programs they have previously attended; homesickness can catch up with anyone at anytime. For the most part it resolves itself, but serious homesickness can be very debilitating and is often as hard on the helpless parent at home as it is on your child! If your child has a history of homesickness, or if this is their first time away from home, you may want to consider a shorter stay (2 weeks) or encourage a friend to attend the program as well. Think about the last time your child was away from home and how well they coped with homesickness.
Who wants my child to attend this program? It is absolutely essential that your child wants to attend an overseas immersion program. You may have fond memories of an exchange experience or immersion program you attended when you were a teen or you may have heard or read about the many benefits of an immersion program, but your child's experience will be unique and it is crucial that they want to have this experience as much, if not more, than you want them to. On the other hand, you may be the one with reservations about your child attending an overseas immersion progrm. Perhaps, you are concerned about their readiness (and your own) for being so far away from home and that's why you are reading this page. If this is the case, it is important that your child understand your concerns and that you give them a chance to address them; in doing so they may reveal that they are more prepared than you initially thought. Or it may confirm for you that they need another year or two. Think about who wants your child to attend an immersion program and why.
Does my child have the ability to advocate for their special needs? Some of the programs we offer are better equipped than others to deal with children who have special needs, whether these are physical or learning-based. These needs must be clearly communicated to us prior to booking so we can explore the appropriate program options. No matter what program is selected it is very important that your child is comfortable being an advocate for their special needs without your assistance. Program staff are always available for the safetly and well-being of program participants but your son/daughter needs to be able to ask staff directly for support or assistance if their needs are not being met. Think about how well your child advocates for their special needs without your assistance.
We really appreciate you taking the time to consider your child's readiness for an overseas language immersion program; failure to assess your child's (and your own) readiness can cause a great deal of stress for both you and your child. The six questions we have listed above represent the areas of consideration that we think are most important but we understand that you may have additional considerations that are unique to your child. If this is the case, we would be more than happy to discuss these with you.
Questions about your child's readness? Call us toll-free 1 888 386 1411
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