Building a Portable Home.Tips for Nomadic Families

Raising children "with a suitcase in hand" isn't always easy and it isn't always a conscious choice either. It simply happens. When one parent receives a position abroad, the financial weight of the offer often ends up driving the family's final decision. The partner who follows is lucky if they can negotiate unpaid leave for a year or two; more often, the only real option is to follow, unless you're willing to spend months apart. And the children? When they're small, they don't have much say. Their belongings get packed, and off everyone goes.

The Youngest Travellers

For babies, relocation is usually manageable but not always. After the first year of life, a sudden change of environment can be genuinely disorienting: new smells, new faces, the abrupt absence of familiar caregivers. This can trigger what's known as night terrors a form of nocturnal wakefulness that can disrupt sleep for months.

Medication exists, but it isn't always effective and can sometimes backfire, making the child even more unsettled. One gentle strategy worth trying: seal a familiar garment or toy in a bag before the move, preserving the scent of the old home. It doesn't work for every child, but it costs nothing to try.

Above all, this phase calls for infinite patience. Night terrors typically resolve on their own once the family situation stabilises but during this window, it's essential that the caregiving load is shared fairly between parents and any other caregivers, so that everyone gets a chance to rest.

When Moving Becomes a Rhythm

For families who relocate every three or four years, the emotional impact of each move needs to be anticipated and cushioned not just for the children, but for everyone.

For the working parent, adjustment tends to be smoother: a new office, sometimes new colleagues, but often familiar faces from previous postings. The rails of their adaptation run differently from those of the rest of the family.

For preschool-aged children, settling into a new kindergarten can happen without major trauma but preparation makes a real difference. Whenever possible, visit the new facility in person (or online) before the move. Meeting the educators, getting a feel for the spaces, even getting a sense of how the place smells all of this helps a child approach the change as the beginning of a new adventure rather than a loss.

The Portable Home

If your family moves regularly, I'd encourage you to dedicate one or two suitcases to what I call a "portable home" a curated collection of objects that help both children and adults feel at home, wherever they land.

What might go in it?

• Photographs of family, of close friends, of the previous home to keep a thread between past and present

• Familiar textiles, scents, candles, sensory anchors that signal home to the nervous system

• Beloved toys or clothing, particularly items that carry a comforting scent. Pyjamas worn right up until moving day, sealed in a vacuum bag and reopened in the new home, can work wonders for settling sleep in the first weeks

• Favourite foods especially those tied to daily rituals like breakfast because routine is deeply reassuring in times of change

• A pet, if circumstances allow. An animal provides an instant companion for children and acts as a natural bridge to spontaneous socialisation with peers

Whether your employer covers relocation costs or you're making this move independently, investing in your portable home is worth every kilogram of luggage allowance.

Preparing the Mind, Not Just the Bags

Alongside the physical toolkit, there's an equally important cultural and emotional preparation to consider.

Reading books about the destination country together folk tales or popular stories for younger children, age-appropriate geography books for older ones, builds a foundation of curiosity and familiarity before you even arrive. Exploring local music, cinema, and comics can open doors that no guidebook can.

Today, of course, the internet offers extraordinary resources for diving into the culture, history, and daily life of your new home. The key is to approach it all with an open and curious mind and to always check the reliability of your sources.

Moving is never just a logistical event. It's an emotional one. But with the right tools tangible and intangible it can also become one of the most enriching experiences a family shares.