Educating Our Children! ( With Culture In Mind & We Can't Change It)

[Thomas]

For me, Let them Grow up naturally with the Customs and Culture they will need to Survive after we oldies have gone. We can all say many things that will not Change a thing.

Yes.

The Filipino culture RESPECTING the elder is very good,

BUT I will teach my kids to LISTEN, and then THINK THEMSELVES   :)

 

Compare: When I talk business thinking with Filipinos, I say they better think a COMBINATION of Filipino and foreign thinking, because if they do it only Filipino way, then they will only earn Filipino salary...  :mocking:      (I say "You need to think of this and this" and "You need to check this and this" including explainations, when they need any for understanding, but then they put things together themselves.)

[Jake]

Hmmm......the mixture of two different (and sometimes opposing) cultures.  As parents with mixed blood or a status of dual citizenship children, there no books on how to become a perfect guardians of the family future.  My children was exposed to abject poverty -- sight, smell and taste. They were taught to respect Mother Nature and yet I would catch them littering, just like the locals.

 

When we finally went back to California, no teaching was necessary to have them readjust to the western culture.  The peers (classmates, workmates, cousins, etc) provided the necessary peer pressure to show them that they are in Kansas now.  

 

Being a stepfather is inherently more difficult of course.  Your own solution may not work for another father-daughter relationship.  Even with your best intentions.  This thread is very interesting because all your answers are just as unique as your DNA.  No two solutions are exactly alike, or exactly with the same positive outcome.  

 

When was the last time you hugged your young adult children?

[MikeB]

One thing most expats don't realize, or want to accept, is that a country that produces great wives for older foreigners isn't exactly the best place to raise kids.

I don't disagree. So why would anyone who had other options do so?

[Larry45]

 

One thing most expats don't realize, or want to accept, is that a country that produces great wives for older foreigners isn't exactly the best place to raise kids.

I don't disagree. So why would anyone who had other options do so?

 

Having other options implies that one has the finances to return to their country or another first world country.  So assuming that, most expats raising their kids in the Phils are doing so because they themselves (or their spouse) prefer to live here.  I haven't figured out where exactly is the best place to raise a kid, but IMO, it's not the Philippines. 

[Jack Peterson]

 I haven't figured out where exactly is the best place to raise a kid, but IMO, it's not the Philippines. 

 

Yet! so many expats are and at the End of the day it will all come down to Money,

I asked our Daughter recently, when you have done whatever you intend to do wherever that is, here or  abroad where will you settle? Here in Dumaguete Daddy, it is my home. So all we spent on this Education thing and trying to integrate her into some sort of Western life is for what? Just to be a Filipino that went abroad to Study then come back as a Filipino Adolescent . This was my meaning of the Topic to Start with. Learning to Live and Develop here not in the West.

 

Jack :)

[sonjack2847]

 I haven't figured out where exactly is the best place to raise a kid, but IMO, it's not the Philippines. 

I don`t know about the best place to raise kids is either but the responsibility is with the parents to give the children their best start and with that I mean teach them the good ways of life.Kids do mimic their parents behaviour to a great degree so if you are a bad ass your kids will more than likely be a bad ass.

[Larry45]

 

 I haven't figured out where exactly is the best place to raise a kid, but IMO, it's not the Philippines. 

 

Yet! so many expats are and at the End of the day it will all come down to Money,

I asked our Daughter recently, when you have done whatever you intend to do wherever that is, here or  abroad where will you settle? Here in Dumaguete Daddy, it is my home. So all we spent on this Education thing and trying to integrate her into some sort of Western life is for what? Just to be a Filipino that went abroad to Study then come back as a Filipino Adolescent . This was my meaning of the Topic to Start with. Learning to Live and Develop here not in the West.

 

Jack :)

 

Yeah, if one is determined to stay in the Philippines, it's best to raise your kid as a Filipino.  It all depends on where the child will ultimately end up....that's common sense.  And your case is a little different, Jack, as your daughter is Filipino and fits in better than a mixed child would.  If I was in your position, I would likely be doing the same as you.

[Thomas]

And your case is a little different, Jack, as your daughter is Filipino and fits in better than a mixed child would. If I was in your position, I would likely be doing the same as you.

Do you mean it's common that mix kids get more troubles as grown ups in the Philippines than the whole Filipinos?

[MikeB]

I haven't figured out where exactly is the best place to raise a kid, but IMO, it's not the Philippines.

Agreed.

[Larry45]

 

And your case is a little different, Jack, as your daughter is Filipino and fits in better than a mixed child would. If I was in your position, I would likely be doing the same as you.

Do you mean it's common that mix kids get more troubles as grown ups in the Philippines than the whole Filipinos?

 

Discrimination is alive and well in the Philippines, Thomas.   My wife and I deal with it every single day here.  It would be nice if my child doesn't have to deal with that, once she's old enough to understand it.   The bigger issue is that it's just a negative culture, wishing bad fortune on anyone who is not in your inner circle, or not helping you financially.  Primitive tribal mentality.  An example is when my kid graduated summer school a few months back. When the kids got their awards, mine was the ONLY one that clapped for everyone.  The other kids just laughed and made jokes about the one getting the award.  I would say that's  "just kids", but their parents are the exact same way....unable to be happy for another person.  How long can I influence my kid positively before she realizes it's not practical to be decent and respectful in the Philippines?    /rant   :cheersty:    

Edited November 1, 2015 by Larry45