Readers Corner

This time we have a reader who wishes to share her views on bringing up children outside India. While living abroad has many conveniences for parents, there are sacrifices in the areas of family and culture to consider. But read on for information direct from a NRI Indianmom :-

Growing kids abroad
"I have been living in the middle east for the past four years growing kids in the middle east (I cannot speak in general as the as live style is different from that of the states) is a pleasure. Here children are considered as a "gift from god". Children are given a lot of importance. It is consider a crime if you inflict pain on children. Large family and joint family are the order here. There are some privileges and disadvantages when growing children here

Advantages -

• Pollution free environment: - the place as such is very clean, be it the road, school, hospital etc the municipality makes frequent visits to the school and checks the place for cleanliness.
  
• Immunisation: - Children are checked for immunisation before they go to school and certificate given by the government that they are immunised before they are even admitted in school. From then on all the vaccination is done in the school. A full-fledged clinic with an efficient nurse is a must in these schools here.
  
• Education: -schools based on the Indian CBSE syllabus is found in each area, so education is not a problem.
  
• Television: the media is filtered so the programs coming through the regular television and video cassettes are safe for children to view
  
• Children learn a lot from children of different culture.
  
• Closer family ties and family values as the family circle are small.
  
• children and women are given topmost priority in any place.

Disadvantages -

• Since most of the family are nuclear children have to tag along with parents when they go for parties etc and hence lack sleep, tag behind in homework etc.
  
• Indian festivals are not celebrated in grandeur except at home so children miss the social aspect of festivals.
  
• Kuwaiti children are pampered a lot by being given a lot of pocket money this has a negative impact on our children. Kuwait children are pampered so much and spoilt that they are never chided when are wrong, and when we correct them in a gathering it is we who are chided by others in return. Extremes in climate have a negative impact on these kids.
  
• On the whole it is possible to give a wholesome environment for these children, and since the positive outweighs the negative it is indeed a privilege to grow our children here."

Jacklyne Anand

Thank you J for taking the time and trouble to share your views with all of us. If any of you are interested in doing the same, please feel free to write in.