The Well‐Being of Transnational Families: Views and Relationality

ABSTRACT A complex and contested concept, the well‐being of individuals has been researched extensively; however, the well‐being of families, as more than the sum total of its members' well‐being, has not. In our research, we observe the collective, relational and processual sense of family well‐being within Ukrainian and Moldovan transnational families through the plurality of voices and agencies that belong to both adults and children. Parents migrate to ensure the well‐being of their children, including their health, which is essential for the well‐being of the family. Therefore, a conflict arises between material and emotional well‐being and transnational families attempt to balance the two. Finally, they maintain relationality in well‐being through shared decisions and strategies, as well as the redistribution of roles and responsibilities. All along, family members, including children, represent well‐being collectively, as the ‘well‐being of us’ that is a togetherness or a relational whole, their individual well‐being remaining relative to that.