What happens when your family life changes dramatically while living far from home? In this heartfelt and deeply honest episode of Expecting Expats, we sit down with author, speaker, and founder of Ignite Spark, Louisette Winkel, to discuss one of the most challenging topics many families face: navigating separation and divorce while raising children abroad.

As an expat mother of three, Louisette shares her personal journey of moving from the Netherlands to Germany, building a new life abroad, and later facing an unexpected separation. Through her story, she offers powerful insights into resilience, personal growth, and creating a healthy co-parenting relationship that keeps children's wellbeing at the centre.

Together, we explore how expat parenting can become even more complex during major life transitions, especially when you're far from your usual support systems and navigating different legal systems, languages, and cultural expectations.

This episode is filled with practical advice, hope, and reminders that even in life's most difficult moments, it's possible to create stability, connection, and a new vision for your family.

In this episode, we talk about:

* Navigating separation and divorce while living abroad

* How expat life can add additional challenges to co-parenting

* Supporting children through major family transitions

* Creating a new family structure after divorce

* Why personal growth is essential during difficult seasons of life

* Helping children feel safe and heard during change

* The importance of communication and collaboration in co-parenting

* Finding community and rebuilding your support system as an expat parent

* Creating new family traditions and redefining what family looks like

Key Takeaways for Expat Parents

✨ Children need honesty, reassurance, and stability during periods of change.

✨ It's okay to acknowledge your own grief while still supporting your children.

✨ Co-parenting works best when parents focus on what they can control and keep their children's needs at the centre.

✨ Building a new version of family life takes time, patience, and flexibility.

✨ Seeking professional support, such as family or play therapy, can make a huge difference during transitions.

Our Favourite Expat Parenting Tips from This Episode:

* Keep communication open and age-appropriate with your children.

* Involve children in conversations about new family routines when possible.

* Inform schools and caregivers about major changes happening at home.

* Lean on your community and ask for support when you need it.

* Focus on creating a sense of safety and consistency for your children.

* Remember that healing and rebuilding take time.

A Reminder for Every Expat Parent

Separation and divorce are never easy, and navigating them while living abroad can feel especially overwhelming. But this episode is a powerful reminder that there is no perfect way to move through difficult transitions.

With patience, support, and intentional communication, families can find a new rhythm and create a version of expat family life that still feels loving, connected, and secure.

Whether you're currently navigating separation, supporting a friend through it, or simply looking for expat parenting tips and insights into building resilient families abroad, this conversation offers compassion, practical advice, and hope.

Because sometimes the greatest gift we can give our children is showing them that even in difficult seasons, families can adapt, heal, and grow together.

Connect with Louisette Winkel

Book: Flip Your Script

Instagram: @ignitespark4u

Website: https://www.ignitespark4u.com

Summer has officially arrived, and for many international families, that means a season filled with sunshine, travel plans, school holidays, and a healthy dose of chaos. In this special catch-up episode of Expecting Expats, Amanda and CJ sit down for an honest conversation about what life looks like right now as moms raising children abroad.

From summer bucket lists and family traditions to the realities of traveling with kids and attending weddings with little ones in tow, this episode is a reminder that expat parenting is often a balancing act between creating magical memories and simply surviving the logistics.

CJ shares exciting personal news as she completes her couples therapy training and prepares to open her own practice supporting international families and couples in Frankfurt. Amanda opens up about the anticipation—and anxiety—of a summer packed with family adventures, including a formal wedding with two energetic boys.

Together, they reflect on the changing seasons of expat motherhood, the freedom that comes as children get older, and the importance of embracing both the beautiful and messy moments of expat family life.

In this episode, we talk about:

* Creating summer bucket lists and family traditions

* Managing the end-of-school-year chaos as an expat family

* Travel hacks for long journeys with kids

* The realities of bringing children to weddings and special events abroad

* Finding time for yourself during motherhood

* Embracing the changing stages of parenting as children grow

* Building community and support while raising a family overseas

Our Favourite Expat Parenting Tips from This Episode:

* Create a simple family summer bucket list with experiences everyone can enjoy.

* Lower the pressure and focus on connection over perfection.

* Travel days are easier with snacks, screens, and realistic expectations.

* Remember that children are allowed to be children—even at fancy events.

* Give yourself permission to enjoy this season of life and say yes to a little fun.

A Reminder for Every Expat Parent

If you're feeling both excited and overwhelmed by summer, you're not alone. The pressure to make magical memories while managing work, travel, and everyday parenting is real. This episode is your reminder that there is no perfect way to do summer or parent abroad.

Whether you're planning adventures, visiting family, or simply trying to survive the school holidays, we hope this conversation makes you feel seen and supported.

Because expat family support starts with knowing that other parents are navigating the same joys and challenges right alongside you.

We'd Love to Hear From You

What are your family's summer plans? Are you already in holiday mode? Send us a voice message on Instagram—we'd love to hear your stories and may even feature them in a future episode of Expecting Expats.

Happy summer from our family to yours!

Podcast recommendations:

Molly’s morning meditations

Link to Amanda’s website: www.mindfulmamafrankfurt.com

Link to CJ’s webside: www.worldsapartcounseling.com

Have you ever found yourself standing in a crowded hallway, desperately searching for a missing shoe while one child refuses to get dressed, another is asking a thousand questions, and you're already late? If so, you're not alone.

In this episode of Expecting Expats, Amanda and CJ dive into what they're calling "hallway claustrophobia"—that overwhelming feeling that seems to strike during family transitions, especially during hectic mornings, school drop-offs, travel days, and bedtime routines.

Together, they explore why these moments feel so intense, how overstimulation affects both parents and children, and why these everyday challenges can feel even bigger when you're navigating expat family life. From managing the emotional load of parenting abroad to handling transitions in a new language and culture, this episode is a reassuring reminder that you're not failing—you're simply human.

Amanda and CJ share honest stories from their own experiences with expat parenting, discuss how stress and sensory overload impact the nervous system, and offer practical strategies for staying regulated when family life feels chaotic.

Whether you're newly abroad or have been living overseas for years, this conversation will leave you feeling seen, validated, and equipped with a few new tools to navigate the everyday challenges of expat motherhood, expat parenting, and raising children far from home.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

* Why mornings and family transitions can feel overwhelming

* The science behind parental overstimulation and transition fatigue

* How moving abroad impacts stress levels for parents and children

* Why kids often struggle with transitions and routines

* The connection between time pressure, sensory overload, and emotional regulation

* Practical ways to manage overwhelm during busy family moments

* The importance of repair after losing your patience

* How to create more calm and connection during daily routines

* Why self-compassion matters in expat family life

Expat Parenting Tips from This Episode:

* Slow down when possible—everything is not an emergency

* Notice signs of overstimulation before reaching your limit

* Take a breath or step away briefly when emotions start rising

* Prepare for transitions by giving children advance notice

* Remember the HALT check-in: Are you Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?

* Focus on repair rather than perfection after difficult parenting moments

* Give yourself grace—raising a family abroad comes with unique challenges

Resources Mentioned

* Good Inside Podcast with Dr. Becky

* Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women's Anger by Soraya Chemaly

Connect With Us

Have you experienced "hallway claustrophobia" or another version of transition overwhelm? We'd love to hear from you.

Share your experiences, questions, and favorite expat parenting tips with us. Your stories help strengthen the expat family support community we're building together.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with another parent who might need the reminder that they're not alone.

Because parenting abroad is hard—but you don't have to do it alone.