YFU Handbooks 2015 Family Handbook (Study Abroad) | Page 21

IV. Supporting Your Child While on Program

NATURAL PARENTS' ADJUSTMENT
Parents go through a range of emotions when their child
decides to study abroad – pride, excitement, fear. You
can help make international exchange more successful
by understanding your own feelings throughout the
experience.
One of the most common struggles that parents of
American students have is feeling that they have lost
control of what their child is doing on a day to day basis.
American parents are generally used to knowing what their
children are doing at most times of the day and being able
to reach them instantaneously, due to modern technology.
While on exchange, your child suddenly has someone else in
charge. This means that you need to step back so that your
child can have his/her own experience. Continue reminding
yourself that you helped to prepare your child for this
experience and that you have to trust him/her now. Having
trust in each of the participants – your child, the host family
and YFU – will help you reconcile the loss of control and
knowledge you once had over your child’s daily schedule.
If you continue to struggle with your own emotions while
your child is on exchange, contact your Support Services
Manager; they are familiar with the issues surrounding
exchange participation and are ready to help you.

YOUR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT
You have provided your child with an opportunity to
become a global citizen by encouraging him/her to go on
a YFU program. You might have already seen a newfound
confidence in your child during the application process or
following the receipt of their acceptance letter. Your child’s
journey will be fascinating, educational and challenging and

you will most likely discover that your child is maturing and
developing independence during their stay abroad.

YOUR CHILD'S HOST COMMUNITY
Host Family. A central part of your child’s exchange
experience is likely to be his/her host family. Feeling settled
into the host country and culture will depend largely on
their feeling a part of the host family. This means that your
child will have to spend some time learning how the host
family functions and figuring out how to fit in. Imagine
having an international student in your own home. You
would look forward to someone who is an active member
in the family, who shares in family meals, conversations,
family activities, and participates in chores shared by your
own children. It is important that you encouraged your child
to do just that.
Your child’s host family underwent a rigorous application
process and has been anticipating and preparing both
logistically and emotionally for the arrival of your child into
their family as well. It is important that YFU students show
appreciation to their host families. Welcoming a new family
member into the home puts its own strains and stresses on
a family. As an exchange student, saying please and thank
you goes a very long way.
Friends. Friends also will play a major role in helping your
child to adjust and feel welcomed in the new culture. Each
culture operates differently in terms of how youth spend
time together. Teenagers sometimes make friends with
classmates or in clubs after school. Regardless of where
your child meets new friends, it is certain that they will have
to invest time and energy into forming these relationships.
YFU encourages exchange students to become acquainted
with many different people so that they experience as much
of the host culture as possible. Although it is easy to have

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