The Foreign Service Journal, June 2013

74 JUNE 2013 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT As it happens, many of the young people who struggle most withmoving are the ones who have not been involved in after-school activities. feelings of loneliness and isolation—two very prominent risk factors for adoles- cents. In sum, when evaluating a future assignment, it’s important to think about the availability of extracurricular activities and the logistics of participa- tion. Countries beset with civil unrest or extreme transportation issues may create barriers for kids. Some families decide on boarding school because they realize that the opportunities for activities beyond academics would be unacceptably restricted at the school at post. Peer group . A related factor in select- ing a particular school is whether or not a supportive and positive peer group can be found there. Perhaps the social group in the school is a bit too fast and socially sophisticated for your teen’s needs. Per- haps it’s not fast enough. Some Foreign Service children and teens may feel bullied, left out or pres- sured in ways that make them uncom- fortable. Still other teens may be in the cultural and linguistic minority, and find it hard to break into a well-established social circle of local teens. Because healthy peer relationships are so important to adolescent develop- ment, this factor can be a deal breaker— whether the school in question is at post or not. School culture. Like any institution, schools have their own cultures. We would like all schools to foster a culture of kindness, warmth, fairness, equality and acceptance. But not all schools do this well—and some might be quite sur- prised if you even raise the subject. As a result of working closely with students and families, I have heard a lot Continued on p. 82