Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The husband has landed and my role of the summer single parent pleasantly comes to an end.
It’s been a five-week stretch this year which is doable. In my experience a longer absence can turn myself and our expat brats into monsters!
Normal family dynamics are resumed as ‘Dad’ slides with ease into his familiar role and we all skip and burst into a song like The von Trapp Family (ok, that’s a slight exaggeration!).
Tensions melt and I smirk to myself when our youngest’s daily question is now redirected as he asks, ‘Dad, what are we doing today?’
It’s said that absence makes the heart grow fonder and indeed it does! We all show a new appreciation of each other and hugs are in constant supply.
Having spent years thinking that the forced separation between expat families over the long summer months was a negative aspect of expat life, I must now hold up my hands and say my opinion has changed!
Could it be that expats develop yet another strength by learning how to cope and adjust accordingly during these times? Surely, good relationships grow stronger and expat children develop another coping mechanism.
I feel a book could be written by many of us!
