Consider These Important Things When Moving To Portugal With Children

Read about important aspects of childhood for children living in Spain to help the whole family prepare for this huge change in lifestyle.

Portugal is a stunning country with gorgeous coastline, friendly communities and culture, and of course, rather beautiful weather most of the year round.

This is an exciting prospect for any family looking to completely change their lives by moving all the way from the UK to Portugal. However, children who may love the idea of two weeks of fun in a Portugese holiday destination, may not necessarily come round to leaving everything they know well at home in exchange for being a full-time Portuguese citizen.

If you are thinking about moving to Portugal with your children these important aspects of Portuguese life are something to seriously consider before you make a definite decision:

Children In Portuguese Culture

Children are at the forefront of Portuguese culture and can rarely do wrong. Children are always present with families all day and all night in local events, eateries and cafes. You're very unlikely to see a place that bans children in Portugal. This is a really important consideration to make when it comes to integration into your new country. You should feel comfortable in the fact that your family, including your children will be very much valued.

Older Children May Not Be Guaranteed A Job

If you have older children moving with you it is important to recognise that employment in Portugal sits at around half of the population being unemployed. Unfortunately around 16% of Portuguese youth are unemployed and that percentage is showing a downward trend. So if you do have older children who will be looking for employment, it is worth looking at the employment market in Portugal with your child to discuss the best way to enhance their future career prospects in the country's current climate. One advantage your children may have is that if their language skills are good enough there is always a demand for translation services and they may even be able to work at a voiceover agency adding an English-speaking voice to videos.

Children & Teenagers Embracing The Outdoors In Portugal

Children and teenagers are brought up to embrace the outdoor life and that love for the outdoors tends to stick. If course they still love computer games and reality TV and social media is definitely still a problem, but there are some great outdoor facilities as well as the coast to encourage children and teenagers outdoors.

Education Is Good, But Portugese Is The Primary Language

Educational facilities in Portugal are great, with both public and private options available depending on your needs. It is however important to know that Portugese is the main language in schools and although English is taught, it is not the primary language. This is a significant consideration when it comes to the wellbeing and future of your child. Younger children do tend to do better with learning the language than older children. It could make sense to start Portuguese lessons and learning well before a move to the country, including some trips across to encourage your child to practise what they have learnt.

Moving to Portugal with children does make moving a little bit more tricky than if you were moving alone or in a couple. However, there are articles and statistics showing Portugal as being one of the most family-friendly countries in the EU so, it certainly makes sense to consider a move there ahead of other sunny, coastal locations. Do consider the information listed above and don't be afraid to ask those who have already made the move with children, the more you know, the more likely your move is to be successful.

It is highly recommendable to use some packing specialists to take the stress out of the move. https://packandgo.co.uk/ can help make the whole process as smooth as possible.