Migrant Adolescents, A Very Common Reality – Being Parents

Migration generates great stress for those who cross it, regardless of their age. However, young people are a very vulnerable group in this situation. In this article, we will talk about migrant adolescents, who are a very common reality.

Migrant adolescents: identity issues

When a family decides for different reasons – such as unemployment or war – to move to another country,  it “takes” with it a culture, a language and traditions which are certainly very different from those of the place where they arrive. .

Depending on the age of the people, this change can generate consequences which, in many cases, last a lifetime.

We don’t talk enough about migrant adolescents, as the focus is usually on babies and children. However, at this crucial stage of our existence,  any trauma, alteration or stress has short, medium and long term effects.

What is the life of migrant adolescents like?

Sometimes  young migrants unite with others with the same past because they share many experiences and feelings. However, in other cases, adolescents have to share their daily life with their peers who were born in the country that is now their home.

In this case,  we speak of “deculturation and crisis in the construction of identity”. This concept means that everything one learned in childhood is banned. Now that you are building your personality for adulthood, you have to think and act like the people of the host country.

All upheavals have consequences. It is therefore essential that parents or relatives are present during the migration process of an adolescent. 

At this defining stage of us as a person, a disruption as deep as leaving home, friends and country can cause instability that is difficult to control. This is then reflected in the adolescent’s behavior as well as his academic performance.

Already young people have to cope with a lot of stresses in terms of hormonal changes or growth. If we add to this the traumatic situation of having to move to another country, it is easy to understand why a migrant adolescent can become “complex to educate”.

“At this crucial stage of our existence, any trauma, deterioration or stress has short, medium and long term effects”

How to help migrant adolescents?

If you have made the decision to migrate, it is very important to help your children overcome these changes. Adolescents suffer enormously from moving house, separating with their friends, changing schools. Or adaptations to a new neighborhood.

On the other hand, the symptoms can be diverse. For example, lower grades at school, not getting along with other young people. Or revolt against parents, etc.

Of course, it can be said that this happens to any teenager because of the uniqueness of this stage. But the truth is, if you add a country change to the equation, parents need to take matters into their own hands.

How to accompany a foreign teenager?

It is essential to support adolescents to get through the upheavals as best as possible. Communication is the basics, including when they don’t want to talk. You can ask them how they feel, what they miss about their life before. Or what particularly bothers them in their new home.

Even if it is not possible to return to the country of origin for a while,  current technology can help to significantly reduce distances and stay connected  with the people we have left behind in the country or town of. origin. Encourage the use of this tool to reduce melancholy.

Another way to support them is to look for home groups in which young people feel happy and surrounded. This could be, for example, moving to a neighborhood where there are other families who also come from abroad. Or who speak the same language.

Finally, in some cases,  it is preferable for the adolescent to undergo therapy or receive professional help. A psychologist can be a huge support for a young person who is trying to forge their destiny and prepare for their future in a different place.