Caring for Kids New to Canada tells us that immigrant youth move through four stages when they adapt to their new country. These steps are happiness and fascination; disappointment, confusion, frustration and irritation; gradual adjustment or recovery; and acceptance and adjustment. This process does not happen along a straight path – youth move forward and backward along the way. Cultural discordance can occur at any step along the way.

Learn more about adaptation and acculturation from Caring for Kids New to Canada.