Still Want To Raise Your Children In Thailand ?

[Livinginexile]

When I drop my boy off for school here in Thailand and pick him up I just think of how bad the schools were in California when I was a kid. There probably are schools that exude the love, laughter and general pleasantness of his Thai school back home, but I've never seen them. I'm very happy with the total education he is receiving.

thats great that your son is happy but what about his educational needs for his future?

How old is your boy jumnien?

[jumnien]

1. Healthcare.

2. Child mortality rate.

3. Education (costs and quality).

4. Opportunities to fulfil potential.

For me the choice would be obvious (if I had kids).

Agree 100%, Thailand wins out on all accounts. That said, if I was raising a little critter to make a lot of money to support me in my old age I'd probably farm him off to an international school in America or the UK.

i think he was NOT implying Thailand

Number 2 sort of spells it out, unless you come from a country with a higher child mortality rate.

The child mortality rate in Thailand is not at all high in comparison with other countries for children of folks with a bit of dosh like the vast majority of farangs.

[JacknDanny]

When I drop my boy off for school here in Thailand and pick him up I just think of how bad the schools were in California when I was a kid. There probably are schools that exude the love, laughter and general pleasantness of his Thai school back home, but I've never seen them. I'm very happy with the total education he is receiving.

thats great that your son is happy but what about his educational needs for his future?

How old is your boy jumnien?

You seem to imply that a good International school in Thailand would not be able to provide that

My son is 8. Fortunately I am able to afford International schooling for him. If I was not in that position, then I certainly wouldnt stay here and put him through the 'Thai System'

I am more than happy with the education ( both curriculum-wise and social skills) my son receives, but its like anything else, you have to pay for anything decent in this country.

My sister is working within the education system in the UK, and I do not believe the public schools in UK are better than the schooling I am paying for over here.

[jumnien]

When I drop my boy off for school here in Thailand and pick him up I just think of how bad the schools were in California when I was a kid. There probably are schools that exude the love, laughter and general pleasantness of his Thai school back home, but I've never seen them. I'm very happy with the total education he is receiving.

thats great that your son is happy but what about his educational needs for his future?

How old is your boy jumnien?

A buddy of mine, a rice farmer in Sakhon Nakon, just dropped his daughter off at Thammasat University to start her UNI career. She attended backwater schools in Isaan, but was highly motivated, inately smart and eager to learn. There are a lot of examples of luk kreung kids around my town that are pretty much what I'd hope my son and daughter to be like.

[think_too_mut]

1. Healthcare.

2. Child mortality rate.

3. Education (costs and quality).

4. Opportunities to fulfil potential.

For me the choice would be obvious (if I had kids).

Then, I should do whatever it takes to remain in Japan, the best place for raising kids.

The best places to breed

Thailand, with 5.79 index, is No. 38.

Surrounded by:

32 China 5.06

33 Belarus 5.15

34 Qatar 5.16

35 Brazil 5.63

36 Romania 5.76

37 Paraguay 5.77

38 Thailand 5.79

39 Belize 5.82

40 Mexico 5.87

41 Peru 6.20

42 Albania 6.25

43 Ecuador 6.33

44 Syrian Arab Republic 6.40

45 Algeria 6.57

46 Venezuela, RB 6.74

47 Jordan 6.84

48 Turkey 7.12

49 Kazakhstan 7.48

Edited June 2, 2009 by think_too_mut

[garro]

For me, the most important factor in my child's development will be my own parenting skills.

[think_too_mut]

For me, the most important factor in my child's development will be my own parenting skills.

Be greatest parent in the world but environment plays it's role.

Agra, India's getaway point when visiting Taj Mahal....

[garro]

Of course the environment plays a role. That is why I said 'most important'. In my opinion though, spending time with my child, helping him to learn, is far more effective than just paying somebody else to do it. I think that always blaming the way kids turn out on the environment is just a cop-out. A good student can be found in the least promising environment; the opposite is also true. The child's personality and the parent's attitude are the most important factors when it comes to learning - IMHO.

[think_too_mut]

...spending time with my child, helping him to learn, is far more effective than just paying somebody else to do it.

Other than those not living with their children, we have no dutchesses and dukes here who "just" pay someone to educate their children and see them once a week or a month.

[Artisi]

For our forthcoming child what I and my wife want is someone who is comfortable, articulate and accepted in both the Thai and Western cultures. This means a lot of effort in the guidance and the application of education, thinking, tolerance and understanding to be able to see, accept or disregard the good and bad of both cultures. This will come by being involved and educated in both cultures at all levels without favoring or having one dominate the other, probably not an easy goal but one we aspire to achieve.

[LolaSamui]

I was schooled in the UK. My mother was told, when I was about 5 years old, to stop tutoring me at home because I was too far ahead of the rest of the class and the teacher was finding it difficult to cater for my needs.

The simple facts are that most state schools in the UK have overcrowded classes and inexperienced teachers. The individual needs of children are not catered for. Couple that with the growing rate of violent crime among teenagers and I think there are some very good reasons not to educate your child in the UK. Of course, I am only speaking about the UK here as I do not have experience of the situation in other Western countries.

Any parents thinking of moving to the UK may be interested in this article that arrived in my inbox today:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jun/02/y...rime-prevention

Also, Channel 4 aired a very interesting 3 part series about teenagers and their effect on the NHS - I think it was called Hospital. Worth a watch and enough to convince me that I will definitely not be raising my children in the UK.

[think_too_mut]

Also, Channel 4 aired a very interesting 3 part series ....

You see, that alleged advantage at 5 has been lost. Television would dumb you down, wherever you are.

Still watching, I guess.

No TV in our house.

[LolaSamui]

Also, Channel 4 aired a very interesting 3 part series ....

You see, that alleged advantage at 5 has been lost. Television would dumb you down, wherever you are.

Still watching, I guess.

No TV in our house.

It was not alleged. I had a reading age of 14 when I was 5 years old. The teacher was not happy with my mum for teaching me outside of school and there was a big show down about it. Throughout my entire education I was given separate tasks from the rest of the class and was made to feel like a nuisance for it.

And for the record I don't have a TV either - I watched the series on Channel4 OnDemand when I was back in the UK. Clever this modern technology.

[Boo]

think_too_mut, if you disagree or have an alternate opinion to other posters on how to educate their children then please express it without being rude. I have read through this thread & you have made far too many snide comments on other's posts.

This is the family section & as such shouldn't be subject to people attemtping to flame or insult.

That goes for anyone else thinking of posting in the same manner as well.

[miksguevara]

We came to Thailand when my son was six, he goes to an all Thai school that still costs a fair amount of money...we will be heading home for his secondary education...we are usure if the Thai educational system is up to scratch, but at the end of the day my son has experienced a different culture and now speaks a fair amount of Thai. As his mother is Thai we both felt it would be valauble for him to live in Thailand for a few years, I wouldn't want him to study at university in Thailand , nor would I want him to work in Thailand for peanuts but by that age what he does is up to him.....

[maccaroni man]

For our forthcoming child what I and my wife want is someone who is comfortable, articulate and accepted in both the Thai and Western cultures. This means a lot of effort in the guidance and the application of education, thinking, tolerance and understanding to be able to see, accept or disregard the good and bad of both cultures. This will come by being involved and educated in both cultures at all levels without favoring or having one dominate the other, probably not an easy goal but one we aspire to achieve.

if one parent is from a developed country and the other is from a developing country imho it will be very difficult to find an equal appriciation of both cultures. typically one will dominate be it langauge, education, morez etc.....

[miksguevara]

For our forthcoming child what I and my wife want is someone who is comfortable, articulate and accepted in both the Thai and Western cultures. This means a lot of effort in the guidance and the application of education, thinking, tolerance and understanding to be able to see, accept or disregard the good and bad of both cultures. This will come by being involved and educated in both cultures at all levels without favoring or having one dominate the other, probably not an easy goal but one we aspire to achieve.

if one parent is from a developed country and the other is from a developing country imho it will be very difficult to find an equal appriciation of both cultures. typically one will dominate be it langauge, education, morez etc.....

Im not sure this is true, my other half is fluent in english , but both languages are spoken in our house hold, we lived in the UK for 10 years and we always discuss in length the good and bad points of both countries.....

[SNGLIFE]

My wife and I struggled with the decision, too. We home-schooled our daughter as we traveled to/from/around the States for my work for a few years, but eventually decided on Thailand. She started this current term at a semi-private school and loves it, so far.

My reservations were/are all around what may happen after uknowho passes. Chaos or stability? I still lean to the former over the latter, but knowing we can "flee" to our home in the village (where I am sure we would be safe) or back to the States is comforting enough. The imminent collapse of the dollar was the final straw - I do not want to be in the States with a family after that happens. I'm young now, but would never be able to afford to retire in the future like so many affected senior citizens working both Wal-Mart and McDonald's just to get by...

Edited June 4, 2009 by SNGLIFE

[BigSnake]

Yes, you are the primary source of learning for your kids, if you are doing the right THINGS more than likely your kids will follow YOUR Lead. My Humble Opinion it ALL start at HOME So now question for you are you a good Parent?? It's not the teacher, grandma/grandda, the aunt, etc it is mom and dad job to rise the kids. A good starting point for mom and dad is KNOWING when to say NO(mean it and standby it)