I was speaking with a parent at post last week and they shared they already had their cars rented and their summer appointments set. 😳 That lit a fire under me to get things going for our summer plans! Last weekend and this week I -
Anything else we need to add to our collective list for summer prep? What do you think? COMMENT BELOW YOUR IDEAS! Summer's coming and it's right on time! ☀️ P.S. These photos are from last summer's summer adventure - Looking back, "camp mom" doesn't seem so bad!
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Alix, the creator of US History Abroad, and I met nearly 5 years ago when my family was posted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Before meeting Alix, I didn’t even think about my kids missing American history requirements that Stateside public schools have. Needless to say I am grateful to have found Alix and this online history experience for our kids. Our kids have many unique opportunities in this life we live, but they also face unique challenges. American history education is one those challenges and US History Abroad provides the simplest, most comprehensive solution. As Alix moves onto her next chapter, I am thrilled to pick up the baton and serve as the host of the US History Abroad experience for your family. I want to note 3 quick things as we begin the next part of our adventure in American history for your kids: 1) What changes for you and your kids? Not much! Alix and I worked together to make this a smooth a transition. The only real change you'll see is that the company will newly operate under "US History Worldwide." The courses will remain the US History Abroad curriculum you know and love. 2) What changes for the US History Abroad team? The small and mighty team that supported US History Abroad yesterday continues on with me today. While Alix is not an active part of the US History Abroad experience or US History Worldwide team, we have endless gratitude for what she built and created for our kids. 3) Who is Amber, anyway? I am an EFM, mom to 3 incredible girls, entrepreneur, and positive psychology fan. Growing up, I spent four years living in Saudi Arabia - 2nd grade through 6th. I look back on that experience fondly and my husband and I were also excited to share a life abroad with our kids. Our two youngest daughters, Audrey and Harper, are in school in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire where we live now. Our oldest daughter, Lilly, recently graduated from UCSB and lives in San Diego. She was here visiting for the holiday season and she just left yesterday…Yes, I cried.
Cha-cha-changes! (And a heads up!) In case we haven't had the pleasure of meeting yet, I am Amber McCue the new EFM, owner of US History Worldwide, formerly called US History Abroad. Yes, it's true! We are currently working through a rebrand from US History Abroad to US History Worldwide.
Please pardon the virtual dust while we do a bit of housekeeping! If there are any questions please reach out. We are in this together in more ways than US History and it's not my intention to cause confusion, rather I want to keep things as smooth sailing as possible for your kids as they navigate US History while living around the world. Transitions and moves can get a little messy sometimes (I know our community knows all about the moves ). We intend to update many things in the coming weeks and there will likely still be things we find as we move through the year. This month, I've included some great crafts and ideas to help you and your family enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday wherever you are. These aren't just useful for one year, but can turn into treasured traditions! 1. Engage Locally Most Foreign Service families won't be driving to Grandma's for this American holiday, but we will be gathering around the table with some new and old friends to celebrate the time-honored celebration. Here are some ideas to brighten up your holiday and share your meal.
2. Make a Thankful Tree
3. Movies and MORE!
Happy Thanksgiving from U.S. History Worldwide!
Look, there are a ton of gift guides out there with lists of hundreds of toys, games, and gadgets kids will love, so I figured, instead of creating another one and adding to your (theoretical) decision paralysis, I’m just going to bring all the good guides to you in one place.
I’ve gone through each of these and I sincerely think they’ll help you find the perfect gift for every kid in your life. But, before you jump into those, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you start going through these lists and making your purchases.
Let’s face it, we all do most of our shopping on Amazon these days (especially if you’re overseas at post)! Amazon has compiled its own list of all the toys kids are wanting this year, so you can get them straight from the source. Buzzfeed Buzzfeed is well-known for two things: its quizzes and its gift guides. They have very niche and very specific round-ups, a few notables are: 49 Gifts To Cover Every Child On Your List From Tots To Teens and If You're Looking For A Gift, Here Are 40 That Are Kid-Approved. They also have gift-guides for different ages and for different budgets. Good Housekeeping They’ve compiled a list of 40+ gifts for kids in a slideshow gallery. From budding scientists to the more artistic kids, and little ones too—this gift guide has you covered. Today Today has multiple gift guides for kids of all ages, all newly updated for 2022. Each guide is broken down by age, so you can be assured that the gift you end up getting will be stimulating and age-appropriate. Goop Gwyneth Paltrow’s gift guide has a few notable picks for the super-cool kids in your life. Finally! A beautiful way for your FS kids
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Boxes have been sent out and our U.S. History Abroad students are starting to get their surprises in the mail! Nearly 100 foreign service kids participated from all over the world!
We had 38 different countries represented—from Argentina to Kazakhstan to Vietnam! And it’s been so exciting to hear about all the goodies our families sent and received! Kids in our U.S. History Abroad community were asked to build a box with items that were unique to their post. They also filled out a sheet with clues to where their box was coming from. Our team then coordinated the swap and boxes were sent out! Kids got to receive and open a box that way sent by another FS kid somewhere else in the world! And they got the chance to guess where it came from too. |
Someone even included a local newspaper in their box!
A box from Mexico had cookies, marzipan candy, handmade bookmarks, Mexican cocoa, and a lotería game. A box from Thailand had fruit candies, seafood chips, a t-shirt, and elephant collectibles. A box from Botswana included a pin of the country’s flag, a tub of peanut butter, a handmade zebra ornament, tea, and some money! The importance of the Box Swap I’ve always found that the more you learn about the world, the more you want to know about the world—and our kids are the same! With every new post and every new country, they’re learning more and more and their curiosity grows. That’s partially what inspired our U.S. History Abroad Box Swap! |
It’s a unique lifestyle that comes with benefits and advantages that you may not be aware of!
Inside this free guide, I will share hacks like:
As a FS Member, there are so many free resources, services, and reimbursement opportunities that you might not be aware of, and I've included the best of the best inside this guide.
I truly believe that implementing even one or two or three of these hacks can make a big impact! Don’t miss out on the perks!
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It only takes a few years in the Foreign Service to realize that each move, each time you leave a post, marks a significant part of your life. So it’s only right that you commemorate and celebrate your time there. Usually, once we get the information for a new assignment, that’s what we start focusing on, because it is important to make sure our kids and families are able to quickly adjust to somewhere completely new. But it’s also important to spend some time remembering the people you’ve met, friends you’ve made, food you’ve eaten, and home that’s sheltered you for however many months (or years) you’ve been living there. Here are five creative ideas I’ve seen FS families do to say ‘good-bye’ to their friends, home, and post before leaving: 1. Memorialize your home. The more you travel, the more you recognize how special your physical home is; after all, not only did it provide you shelter in an unfamiliar place, but it was also the backdrop for many great memories. And let’s face it, all the homes we’ve lived in can become a blur after a while, so make an effort to remember each one before you leave. Take photographs, get a painting or sketch done of it, you can even turn your key into an ornament. A keepsake like these will help moving on to somewhere new a little easier, since you’ll be able to take a bit of the old with you. 2. Give your kids a way to reflect and an opportunity to look forward. The "Life as a Foreign Service Kid" activity book is a fun way to preserve your child's unique experiences and memories. It’s full of colorful pages for your child to fill in with memories (about the places they’ve lived, the souvenirs they’ve collected, etc.) and hopes for the future (like writing a letter to their future selves). You can get it here, free for a limited time: www.ushistoryabroad.com/activity-book/ | 3. Get everyone’s contact info. This one’s pretty obvious, but make sure you check in with your kids too. It’s better to be thorough here than wish you were still in contact with so-and-so years from now. Did they get all their friends’ emails, messenger app information, or phone numbers? You can get your kids an old-school phone book to keep their friends’ contact info or even help them create a ‘yearbook’ (on Shutterstock, or another photo program; or with polaroids photos, tape and a notebook), so their friends can write their contact info as well as a note saying good-bye. 4. Start a group chat or set up a kid-safe social app for your kids and their friends. If your child doesn’t have a phone yet, create a special group chat in your phone along with the parents of their friends so everyone can stay in communication. Facebook has a kid-safe messenger app you can set up for them as well. 5. Throw a ‘House Cooling’ party! You’ve heard of a housewarming party, but what about a house cooling party? You throw it right before you move as a way to say goodbye to your old home and enjoy a final meal together with the people you’ve met while at post. Remember to invite neighbors, your CLO, and other local friends, and encourage everyone to share their favorite memories they’ve made in the house. After this, you could make a toast to your old house and wish its new owners all the happiness you’ve enjoyed there. It may be rough to say goodbye, but remember, your next post will hold just as many amazing experiences and cherished memories! Want more tips and tricks for making your life in the Foreign Service a bit easier? For an ongoing list of ideas like these, delivered straight to your inbox each week, subscribe to the 3-Things newsletter: www.ushistoryabroad.com/3things |
Sign Up for Recreational Sports Many international schools include after school sports. For example, my kids participate in "rec" volleyball, track, soccer, etc.—all through their school. Of course, the options vary from post to post. When you enroll your child in a new school, make sure to ask about the different sports they offer. Try an Online Extracurricular Activity Most traditional (in-person) after-school activities are now taught online! If you can’t find art, music, or language lessons, or other skill-based activities at post, head to the internet. There’s definitely been an uptick in the types of online courses available. You can start here with a FREE online Karate class just for FS kids: www.ushistoryabroad.com/karate Help Your Child Find a New Hobby A “lack” of structured extracurricular activities gives your child the chance to explore new interests and hobbies. Maybe they’ve decided to start an herb garden or are determined to become the next star baker—either way, give them time to explore a little bit. By the way, the Kennett Kitchen has some great online baking classes (like Cupcake Wars) that can get them started on the right track. More here: www.thekennettkitchen.com | Look for Volunteer Opportunities Volunteer work is a great after-school activity for kids of all ages, since it can help them build life and social skills, learn more about responsibility, give them a greater awareness about the world (and your post), and teach them appreciation. If your child wants to volunteer after school, check with your CLO and/or community service organizations to see where help is needed. Start a New After-School Program If your child’s school doesn’t offer an activity they’re interested in, you may be able to start your own! Just make sure to ask their school what requirements or rules they have for these kinds of programs first. (Your CLO may be able to help share the activity with the community too!) Stock Up on Downloadable Activities Not every after-school activity needs to be social. Keep your kids learning after school with workbooks and activity books. It’s a chance for then to explore a school subject they enjoy or need more help in or even document their life. U.S. History Abroad a free “Life as a Foreign Service Kid” workbook you can download here: www.ushistoryabroad.com/activity-book |
Jennie Linton TheExpatMom.com Certified life coach and expat herself, helping other expat moms get unstuck and feel happy. | Sharoya Ham EmbraceBehaviorChange.com Behavior change specialist and parenting coach helping parents raising teens. | Sundae Bean SundaeBean.com Expat and intercultural strategist helping other expats love their life abroad. | Katie Fowle LearningToFlourish.org CEFAR and US Dept. of Overseas Schools consultant helping parents of elementary age kids. | Coach Angie ParentCoachAngie.com PCI Certified Parent Coach who works with mothers to help them empower their daughters. |
Our world is evolving faster than ever, and preparing a child for that world that doesn’t yet exist is an exceptional challenge. As part of the Foreign Service, our kids are already lightyears ahead of so many of their peers, but teaching them a few extra skills will give them an even bigger head start and make them better prepared for what’s to come in the New Year and beyond. Here’s a breakdown of some important life skills to teach your kids in 2021, along with a few suggestions for how you can tie many of them to their academic life. Don’t forget to join the Toolbox for Americans Abroad Facebook group for more tips and resources for FS kids! | 1. Adaptability Last year showed us just how adaptable kids can be! It’s great for them to learn this skill at a young age. Research shows that kids who are highly adaptable tend to be happier in life, have higher self-esteem, have a deeper sense of purpose, be more driven, and feel more confident. You can teach kids adaptability by mirroring flexibility and introducing new routines and/or ideas to them regularly so they keep having to practice this skill. 2. Problem Solving Problem solving is a skill that helps kids develop discernment, creativity, resilience, confidence, and leadership. Almost every job application they’ll ever have to complete will require this skill. Playing games, giving kids room to make mistakes, and asking questions instead of answering them are all great ways to get kids to practice problem solving. 3. Communication Kids of the digital age are social by nature. They’re constantly communicating in several different media formats—texts, posts, chats, emails, you name it. Make sure they’re getting some face-to-face interactions in too, and always model respectful language and communication in your household. 4. Collaboration The world of the future (and even present day) is globalizing due to the internet. The ability to collaborate in these situations is essential. The simplest way to encourage collaboration is tackling projects as a family; getting your child involved in team and group activities helps them learn to collaborate with their peers as well! 5. Accountability Teaching accountability means teaching responsibility, honesty, and integrity. Online, independent learning (which most of our kids are currently very familiar with) is an excellent way to teach kids accountability; they learn the importance of intrinsic motivation and take responsibility for their own work and success. |
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