Source: Tanya Crossman, A Life Overseas
“I have been working in TCK research for over ten years. That includes six large scale surveys (with 200-2000 responses) and over 600 interviews. The data I’m currently analyzing comes from TCK Training’s 2024 survey of 1,643 TCKs around the world. It was a long survey covering a lot of topics and I wish I could spend ten hours a day delving into the details! For now, the initial data on missionary kids has a lot to say about their experiences.”
The article unpacks key findings about missionary kids (MKs) through the research:
- Most missionary kids are glad they grew up abroad.
- Good things and hard things are often intertwined.
- Missionary kids feel a lot of pressure.
- Emotional support and mental health are key.
Read more and check out TCK Training. You might be interested in their workshops on raising kids cross-culturally.
Some of this was also included in the May/June 2025 edition of Mission Frontiers magazine, which is focused on the lives and experiences of third-culture kids (TCKs). Much to chew on. Note that the Mission Catalyst calendar includes several June and July events for missionary kids.