Raising a half-American child in the Philippines

[Mark Berkowitz]

Raising a half-American child in the Philippines

 

I am 63 years old and I’m the father of a 9 month old baby boy. This is my second marriage and I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be a daddy again at my age.

 

I must say that raising a baby is much easier for me this time around. I have grown children in the USA (from my first marriage) and caring for them as infants was an exhausting experience. However, here in the Philippines, my wife and I have the support of her extended family with caring for our baby boy.

 

I’d be interested in knowing what other parents in a similar situation have done. What kind of future can I realistically expect for my son if I raise him in the Philippines?... or should I plan on moving back to the USA because my son will have a better future there?

 

BTW: I just learned from another topic that I can get a US Passport for my young child.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gratefuled]

10 minutes ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

should I plan on moving back to the USA because my son will have a better future there?

I have a 16 year old stepson and this is what I plan for him 

Finish high school, participate in sports followed by college and a a financially secure future.

[Gary D]

My stepson arrived in the UK aged 18 months and he is just starting his final year of a masters at Durham University here in the UK. The world will be his oyster, I don't see a future for him in the Philippines.

[Gratefuled]

1 hour ago, Gary D said:

I don't see a future for him in the Philippines.

I agree. Good for you and good for him. 

[Old55]

Congratulations Mark!

You and I are the same age. Mark you are far from the only man with a newborn at that age.

My wife and I have two sons, age ten and fifteen. When we first got married it was our plan that we would retire early and move to Philippines. It didn't take long for us to realize there is very little future for our children living there. So then we thought we would live near Cebu City until they were ready for college then move back to the States. Once again it became clear the advantages of them living here. The Jesuit school in Cebu City would clearly provide an over all better learning experience in most aspects but there are far too many advantages them living in the States. Anyway that was our decision and you and your wife may think differently. 

One more thing. My nephew is four living outside Cebu City and going to a Chinese school. His mother I think of as my daughter  he calls me Daddy (that can be another topic someday) He speaks perfect english with very little accent and is learning Mandarin Chinese now. He can read fairly well and is starting to write too. So there are very good schools in Philippines finding them is not always easy.

Good luck!

Edit; In regards to the topic HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME IN RETIREMENT we know Marks answer. 

Edited July 16, 2017 by Old55

[OnMyWay]

I guess if money was not an issue I would prefer to have my kids go to school in the U.S.  However, for most retirees, we moved here for the lower cost of living.  A huge part of the higher cost of living in the U.S. is university costs.  Expect to pay at least $30,000 per year at a good university.  In the Philippines, a top university will be less than $10,000 a year, and their are a few genuinely good universities.  In some countries such as U.K., I think university costs are much less, so going there for school might be a more affordable option than the U.S.

The fact is that many of us can't afford to return to the U.S.  I retired early at 56 and the only way to do that was to move out of the U.S.  My savings & upcoming SS pension are not enough for my family to live my desired lifestyle in the U.S.  Healthcare costs are still spiraling out of control with no end in sight.

It is helpful that my 2 kids will start collecting social security when I do next year.  We plan to save a lot of it and they should have a nice savings account when they are 18.  If their dream is to go to university in the U.S., they will probably have the option to do so.

[bastonjock]

depending on the age of the parent and his income ,university in the UK costs £9000.00 a year ,however if you are in a low income bracket the fees drop , it was £3000.00 a year until quite recently ,i managed to get all 3 of mine on the 3k tarriff .I may be wrong but i think that if you are on a low income then its free ,so if you are retired on money that goes some distance in the phils ,it may be that that same amount gets your kids a free education ,its the hard working familys in the UK  pay ,the bone idle do not ,thats not to say that someone on a hard earned pension is part of the job dodger community

[bows00]

9 hours ago, Mark Berkowitz said:

 

 

 

Raising a half-American child in the Philippines

 

 

 

 

 

I am 63 years old and I’m the father of a 9 month old baby boy. This is my second marriage and I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be a daddy again at my age.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So cool man.  Good to know guys like you.  At 56, it keeps my dreams alive to have a family of my own someday.  

[Gratefuled]

6 hours ago, Old55 said:

You and I are the same age. Mark you are far from the only man with a newborn at that age.

This is another reason for getting clipped.

I had a difficult time raising 3 sons and getting them thru college. I didn't want to start over again with a newborn  and not be around for his/her  graduation.

[Queenie O.]

After my stay in the US Peace Corps I returned back to the US and my Filipino fiance joined me shortly after and we got married in the US. Within a year we both decided to adopt a child from the Philippines after seeing the many children there without a family.  In less than a year we had a new lovely two year old adopted child originally from Davao. He was raised in Rhode Island with us and he later attended university in Philadelphia. We traveled a lot with him when he was a kid so he caught the wanderlust like us, and now lives and teaches abroad in South Korea. He's a great guy and we're very close.

Being raised as an American I see a young man who has a different sensibility and set of experiences. Raising a child in the Philippines would have many good advantages too, but also having many differences in outlook and experience. With good parents looking out for a child, I think that there are no real advantages on either side overall though, and in the end we all make the most of our circumstances if we're lucky.