When the Weather Changes Everything
Helping your family build a life in a climate that feels nothing like home
The fourth wet Wednesday
By the fourth wet Wednesday in a row, Amina Okafor checked the weather twice before asking the children to put on their shoes.
Zuri, eleven, stood by the window in the trainers she used for netball at her old school in Lagos. Her new after-school activity in Rotterdam was indoors. She said indoor games did not count.
Eli, seven, had built a fort between the sofa and the radiator. He said he would not go to school if it rained “forever.”
Amina looked for three dry coats and two pairs of gloves. She tried to get everyone out of the flat on time. She knew that rain did not stop Rotterdam. Children still cycled to school. Parents still stood outside at the school gate. But each wet morning made her feel unprepared.
The weather was not her family’s only challenge. But it affected almost every part of their day.
It was not only about the rain
At first, Amina thought the answer was simple. They needed better rain trousers. Warmer coats. A good place to dry shoes. She bought more hooks for the hallway and a bigger umbrella. She learned which tram to take when the children did not want to cycle in the rain.
These things helped. But they did not explain why Zuri had become quieter after school. They did not explain why Eli struggled with getting out of bed. He has always woken up full of energy. They did not explain why Amina felt that every normal task needed more planning than before.
A new climate can affect a family in this way. It changes what you need to do each day. Light, heat, cold, rain, snow, humidity, dust and air quality can change how you get dressed, leave the house, travel to school, exercise, meet friends or rest.
It can also change the way daily life works around you. In many places, people plan meals, weekends, play, social time and rest around the weather. Families often need to learn these new routines while trying to manage daily life.
Sometimes, people do not only miss sunshine or warmth. They miss the family life that came with it. They may miss easy outdoor play, a familiar weekend routine, a sport they loved, a walk home in daylight or simply knowing what a normal day looks like.
The same weather felt different for each person
One evening, after another plan had changed because of the rain, Amina asked a new question at dinner.
“What is the hardest part about the weather?”
She expected everyone to give the same answer.
“Netball,” Zuri said. “I knew what I was good at there.”
“I miss running outside after school,” Eli said. “Here, we always have to put on so many clothes.”
Amina laughed, because it was true. Then she said, “I miss leaving the house without planning every little thing.”
The answers did not fix the problem that evening. But they helped Amina understand it better. Zuri did not only miss dry weather. She missed feeling confident with other children. Eli did not only dislike being indoors. He missed the freedom of his old after-school routine. Amina did not only feel tired of wet coats. She was trying to build a new family routine in a place she was still learning about.
People in the same family can feel very differently about the same weather. One person may enjoy a new season. Another may feel limited by it. There is no need to decide whose feelings are more important. It can help to ask what each person misses, what makes their day harder and what helps.
You could try Amina’s question with your own family: What has this season changed for you?
A small idea: the weather week
The next Monday, Amina put a small notepad on the fridge. There were no rules. Each evening, she asked the children to write three short things: what the weather had been like, how their energy had felt and one thing that had helped.
By Friday, they could see a few patterns. Zuri found the days harder when she came home to an empty afternoon. Eli did better when he moved his body before homework. Amina noticed that she felt low when she had been indoors all day, even if she had been busy.
The Okafor Family had not found a perfect answer. But they could see the problem more clearly. Instead of saying, “This weather makes everything hard,” they could say, “Tuesday afternoons are hard,” or “We all feel better when we go outside before dinner.”
You can try a weather week too. For one week, notice when everyone has more or less energy. Notice when it is easy or hard to go outside. Notice what happens to sleep, movement, play and time with other people. Write down one thing that helped. The goal is not to add another task. It is to notice one pattern and try one helpful change.
Learning how local families live with the weather
The next Saturday, Amina was waiting at the school gate while rain ran along the pavement. Another parent, Farah, said that her children were going to a local indoor play area later that afternoon.
“That is what many families do when it is like this,” Farah said. “The children can run around, and the parents have coffee.”
Amina almost said no. She felt tired. She did not know anyone there. But Zuri looked interested. Eli stopped complaining long enough to listen.
The play area did not make the rain disappear. Zuri did not make new friends that day. Eli did not suddenly enjoy putting on waterproof trousers. But the children ran. Amina spoke to two other parents. They made a plan to go back the following weekend.
Learning local habits does not mean you have to forget or value your old life less. It means watching how people around you make daily life work. What do local families do after school on a wet afternoon? Where do people go when it is very hot, cold or rainy? What clothing, times of day or simple routines make life easier?
One small question can lead to useful ideas and new connections.
Keeping something from home
Amina also saw that they had been so busy trying to adjust that they had stopped talking about what they missed. She did not want Rotterdam to be a place where they only waited for the next visit to Lagos. But she did not want the children to feel that they had to choose between their old life and their new one.
So they made two small plans. On Saturday mornings, they would make the breakfast they used to have at home and call Amina’s sister while they ate. On Wednesday evenings, they would try one thing from their new city: a walk by the water when the rain stopped, a visit to the library or a local activity they had not tried before.
The aim was not to make Rotterdam feel exactly like Lagos. It was to make space for both places in their week.
Missing the weather, routines or lifestyle you left behind does not mean you are failing to adjust. These things can be linked to memories, identity and time together. A familiar meal, music, sport, photos or a regular call can help your family keep something important while building new routines where you live now.
Living here, not waiting for the season to change
A few weeks later, the forecast had not changed much. There was still rain. Zuri still missed netball. Eli still complained about all the layers he had to wear. Amina still had mornings when the hallway felt too small and getting to school felt too hard.
But their week had changed. They went to the indoor play area on Saturdays. They knew which route felt easier on a wet morning. Eli had an indoor game after school. Zuri had started talking to one of the girls she met at the hall. Their Wednesday routine helped them see what the city could offer, not only what the weather had changed.
They did not need to become a family who loved rain. They were learning how to be themselves, together, while it rained.
It is easy to start waiting. “We will do more when spring comes.” “We will see friends when the rainy season ends.” “The children will be happier when summer returns.”
But seasons pass. Your family’s life is happening now.
You do not have to love every part of a new climate. You only need to notice what your family needs to live well where you are now. Try to choose one thing this season can offer that home could not, and one thing from home you want to keep in your life now.
When more support may help
Many families have a hard time when they adjust to a new climate or season. But if changes in mood, sleep, energy, appetite or interest in daily life last for weeks, or affect school, work or relationships, it is a good idea to speak to a doctor or another qualified professional.
If your family needs help with the bigger changes around the move, the Family Support Discovery Call offers a space to speak with a Global Family Expert about possible next steps. You do not need to have every answer. You only need to find one next step that feels possible.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the weather affecting our family so much after moving abroad?
Weather changes daily life. It can affect light, sleep, movement, school routines, play, social plans and the activities that help family members feel like themselves. It can affect practical things and feelings at the same time.
- What if one family member likes the new climate and another does not?
Different feelings are normal. Try not to decide whose experience matters most. Ask what each person misses, what makes their day harder and what helps. Your family can make routines that work for different needs.
- How can we help children when the weather limits outdoor play?
Look for simple and regular alternatives. This could include local indoor spaces, short times outdoors, movement at home, seasonal activities and time with friends. Ask your child what they miss most about play at home. Then choose one small way to bring some of that feeling into the week.
- How do we stop waiting for the season to change?
Choose one activity that works in the climate you have now. Also choose one familiar activity from home to keep. The goal is not to change the weather. The goal is to help your family see that connection and enjoyment are still possible this season.
- When should we look for more support?
Speak to a qualified professional if changes in mood, sleep, energy, appetite or interest in daily life continue for weeks or affect school, work or relationships. If you need help with the wider family changes around a move, a Global Family Expert can help you think about a next step.
Join the conversation
On Tuesday, October 13 at 2:00 PM CEST, Karlijn Jacobs and Julie Marx will host the live Global Family Webinar, When the Weather Changes Everything. Together, they will explore how families can notice what is changing beneath the weather, build a rhythm that fits where they are now and choose one manageable next step.
Guidebook members can join live, access the recording afterwards and explore related resources in the Global Family Library. Guidebook is €15 per month and can be cancelled at any time.
« Back