It is often Mom and Dad whose conviction leads the family to move overseas into ministry. So, when kids are told that they are going to move to a country they have never been to in order to pursue ministry (that they may not even care for…), leave their friends and activities that they love, it can be extremely difficult for them. Yes, it may be exciting to see new things, places, and people, but that excitement will fade with time. They soon begin to miss their friends and familiar things, such as their room, toys, and books. They will have to adjust to new sounds and smells in an unfamiliar environment as well as learn a new language, relationships, and social interactions at a stage that is pivotal in their development.   

At CIT, we have a deep place in our hearts for TCKs. Many of our staff were TCKs themselves or are parents of TCKs and can empathize with the struggles of TCK’s at every age because they went through similar experiences.  Many kids often feel left out of the process of transition overseas. At CIT, we want every kid to feel a part of the process and be included in their family’s move overseas. We are here to listen to them as they share their struggles and frustrations. To help them understand and adjust to the struggles of moving overseas and to teach them resilience. To empower them and help them feel confident during a season of so many uncertainties through stories, fun, and food – kid’s three favorite things. We use games, movies, field trips, cooking lessons and playtime to teach lessons on different cultures. 

We are grateful that we live in an age that now has so much research on TCKs. We use that research to continually refine our curriculum to be age-appropriate and match what the parents are learning in their own pre-field training. We also help families think through the needs of their children during this critical time and give them tools to have a balanced approach to ministry and family life.