You just got your assignment abroad. Congratulations!
Now, here is what you need to do next: go to the nearest travel agent and book a 3 week vacation for 2 in the Bahamas.
Holidays in the Bahamas – Image Wikimedia
Call your parents in and give them your 4 children, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 4 chicks to look after.
Make a list of what needs to be done:
- Prepare and bring the kids to school
- Help them do their homework
- Drive them to all their activities: soccer (training 3 times a week + soccer match on the week-end), ballet, gym, piano, drama, karate, zumba and singing lessons.
- Walk the dogs twice a day for half an hour
Image Joe Mabel
- Collect the eggs every morning
- Mow the lawn every week on your 20 acre property
- Feed the animals
- Pay the bills
- And of course take care of the normal stuff: cooking healthy meals, doing the washing, cleaning the house.
Then leave without giving any news for 3 weeks.
When you come back, tell them you’re moving to the end of the world for 3 years.
They’ll be DELIGHTED.
OK, I agree: this solution is a bit radical but you got the point: to be happy, your parents will have to accept your decision and “buy” into it.
All experts in behavioural sciences will tell you: people buy on emotions and then justify their choices with rational arguments.
Keep this in mind: draw on emotions first.
Let’s jump in your parents’ shoes for a moment. What has been their ultimate goal?
Raising you so that you become an independent, skillful and happy grown up!
Here you are: travelling the world, discovering a new culture, getting a promotion in your job or taking on a new assignment, fighting for your ideas, offering a wealth of experience to your family.
Your parents achieved their goal: they ought to be proud of you.
And they will be.
Of course, you’ll miss each other… from time to time.
And this is where the rational part kicks in: luckily those days, technology is very helpful to keep good contact thanks to Skype, webcams, emails and social media.
All these evolving tools require learning and practicing? Yes, but that’s good news: there’s no better way to help prevent from Alzheimer!
And if they feel lonely and disoriented? Stay tuned. We’ll address it in our next series of articles.
In the meantime, I’d like to know: how are your parents dealing with the move? Did you prepare them to this change? What was their reaction?
Speak your mind in the comments! Or send them this article 😉 I’d love to hear from them too.