When we made the bold choice to officially leave the U.S. and move to England to raise our children, we intentionally chose a life abroad that says yes to growth and expansion. The world becomes a classroom larger than any textbook, and our entire family unit becomes the student learning how to adapt, appreciate, and awaken to the vastness of life. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned as an expat mother, it’s that a move abroad is not just geographical; it is spiritual. You’re teaching your children that comfort zones are meant to be stretched and that the unknown is not something to fear, but something to embrace.

Here are 8 ways I’ve witnessed each of our four kids grow and develop since making the plunge across the Atlantic:

1. Broadening Horizons

One of the most beautiful gifts of raising children in another country is the broadening of perspective. Children naturally see the world without the filters of prejudice or bias. Living in a new culture nurtures that openness, teaching them to find beauty in difference and familiarity in diversity. They learn that humanity is connected by something deeper than language or skin color; it’s connected by spirit.

2. Experiencing New Languages

Language itself becomes a miracle when experienced abroad. Even though we moved to another English speaking country, the international depth of Cambridge, England has provided such a rich background of ex-pats. Most of our close friends are not British or American, but other ex-pats who relocated to Cambridge too. Cambridge’s proximity to Stansted Airport has meant we’ve gotten to take numerous trips to the European continent to explore new places together. One of our kids has taken the initiative to learn Portuguese on duolingo, another is eagerly pursuing French in school. Watching your children experience a new tongue, attempt to speak it and subsequently make mistakes, and laugh through them is witnessing humility and courage in action. A new language opens doors not only to communication but also to the heart of another culture. It helps a child understand that there are a thousand ways to say “I love you” — and all of them matter.

3. Developing Grit

Then there’s the art of patience. Settling into a different culture takes time, and things don’t always move as expected. Children raised in this environment learn the incredible virtue of waiting, of understanding that not all things should come quickly. They learn that grace often lives in the moments where they must pause, observe, and trust that life is unfolding exactly as it should.

4. Appreciation and Gratitude
Raising children abroad also brings an unshakable sense of gratitude. When they experience how others live, they begin to appreciate what they have — not from comparison, but from compassion. Gratitude is one of life’s purest teachers, and nothing teaches it better than witnessing the variety of human experience across borders.

5. Doing Without
There is also the deep reward of simplicity. Sometimes moving abroad means giving up excess, whether in material goods or predictable routines. We have decluttered more than I ever thought possible, and I thought a lot was possible when we lived in Virginia. In this new space, I can assure you that your children discover that happiness doesn’t come from accumulation but from experiencing connection — connection to people, to nature/ animals, and to the simple joys that often get buried under the rush of modern life. Our new house doesn’t even have a tv and the kids haven’t noticed… that never would have been possible in our old lives in Virginia.

6. Going With the Flow
Another blessing I’ve witnessed is adaptability. Life will always bring changes, but we strongly believe children raised in a new country understand how to flow with those changes, not resist them. They learn resilience not as a forced lesson, but as a way of being. Their foundation becomes flexible, strong, and creative — the kind of traits that make adulthood joyful and free rather than anxious and rigid. We have a little I-love-you ritual (highly recommend the book, even though we passed it on years ago) where we light a candle every night and talk about our roses and thorns of the day. More often than not, the kids seem to gravitate toward sharing a hurdle they overcame as one of their roses. It blows me away how they’ve learned to somehow embrace challenges and share those challenges vulnerably with each other… I never would have been able to do that as a kid.

7. We’re Not All the Same, and That’s OK
Cultural awareness is another gift that will serve them for life. A child who listens to different stories, eats different foods, and celebrates different holidays learns empathy at its deepest level. They discover that there are infinite ways to live a meaningful life and that none of them are superior, just different. This is one of the greatest lessons a parent could ever give.

8. All In It Together
Perhaps the most profound reward is the sense of unity within our family. When we moved to England, our family became our greatest constant. That closeness, built through shared adventure and challenge, strengthened the bonds between David and me and the children. We grew together, faced fears together, and celebrated victories together. In doing so, we created memories and values that have hopefully become the fabric of our family’s story for a generation.

Finally, cheers to all my fellow parents going through this! Raising your children abroad is an act of faith as a parent. It’s faith in the unknown, in your children’s capacity to thrive, and in life’s ability to meet you exactly where you are supposed to be. It’s like having a family mission statement that says: “We trust the process. We are here to grow.” And in that simple yet profound choice, you open a doorway not just to a new country, but to a new way of being fully alive.