Deciding to move to Portugal to live should be a decision that the family makes as a whole, and every family member should be happy about it. The Portuguese are famous for their love of children, and will always be welcoming to a new family if there are children in tow. This could easily work to your advantage as you will; be more likely to find yourself invited to social events and to neighbours houses.

Once the move has been decided, a big concern will be the education of your children. If they are under the age of 8 or 9, they will find it easy to pick up the language and thus make friends. If this is the case then a Portuguese state school will probably be the best idea. The state schools are free and your child will soon make friends with the local children and learn the local culture and ways of life.

Your child may find it extremely difficult to integrate into a state school if they are older or of teenage years. This is because it will be harder for them to pick up the language and therefore socialise. If this is the case then a private international school may be a better choice. These schools will provide an education that your child is already used to and help them to integrate slower. The international schools can be found in Lisbon, Madeira, Porto and the Algarve, however you must be prepared to pay the fees if this is the education you want for your child.

Most children will spend their days and evenings outside playing with friends. The country has a low crime rate and the emphasis really is on getting children outside and not many will be found inside on computer games. In the summer months, the beaches are always packed and your child will be playing with friends, swimming and socialising. The winter months are just as fun filled, with the cinema and café’s becoming an ideal meeting place.

Making the move to Portugal can certainly be a benefit to your children, especially if you are moving from a town or densely populated area. Portugal will offer a much better quality of life and also mean that your child becomes bilingual easily. There is also fresh food, seafood, less pollution, less people, and cleaner air.

Children can be quite worried when it comes to moving house, let alone moving to a new country completely. It is important that you work with your children; sit them down and talk to them about the move, ask them if they have any worries or problems about the move. And also get them to talk about what they are looking forward to in the move, and what they are excited about. This is a good way to focus on the positive aspects of the move and help your children to feel a bit more relaxed about it.