Raising Your Children Thai vs Western?

[ericjt]

I don't get the problem. Children are smart. You can explain that some Thai people do things differently than some Western people do things. You can also explain to your child which ways you think are better. And, best of all, you can act in ways from which your child will learn from you.

Children watch their parents closely and they notice everything you do. Act in accordance with your beliefs and you won't have to explain much at all. As for Thai schools, I have heard that questioning and independent thinking is discouraged, so our daughter is in an English speaking International School. She thinks for herself, questions us constantly (which we encourage), and seems to have no problem dealing with differences between Thai and Western culture.

Mom is Thai. Dad is Western.

Children adapt very well with even minimal guidance from their parents. If you are sincerely troubled by what you have written about, OP, take a look at your own feelings and conflicts. You might find you are projecting them onto your children.

[krisb]

I am a father of two and IMO the Asian way of thinking and behavior towards the family unit is a very healthy atmosphere to raise a child. I was raised in a comservitive environment that had a very ridge view of honesty, responsibility and accountability and these attitudes have served me well. Our approach has been a fusion of both cultures and both boys seem happy well adjusted and on track to a bright future. Having said that anything can happen and they may end up lost souls

You can't sum up how 70 million people raise their kids in one word as healthy.

I shudder seeing how most Issan kids are raised.

No way in this world my child would be raised like I see around the villages. I will say those same kids grow up tougher than most Aussie kids.

[thehelmsman]

I am a father of two and IMO the Asian way of thinking and behavior towards the family unit is a very healthy atmosphere to raise a child. I was raised in a comservitive environment that had a very ridge view of honesty, responsibility and accountability and these attitudes have served me well. Our approach has been a fusion of both cultures and both boys seem happy well adjusted and on track to a bright future. Having said that anything can happen and they may end up lost souls

You can't sum up how 70 million people raise their kids in one word as healthy.

I shudder seeing how most Issan kids are raised.

No way in this world my child would be raised like I see around the villages. I will say those same kids grow up tougher than most Aussie kids.

I can't speak for what you've seen of the villages, but I'm in a typical part of Issan and my almost 3 yr. old baby girl has a good life. She's outside playing all day, the only time watching TV is before bed. She is growing up tough, but with the all the love any kid could want. Never a short supply of kids to play with.

My plan is for her to go to international school, my wallet willing. But, in the meantime for her the village life is quite good.

[Blackandwhite]

The only responsible way to raise a child is to raise it as far away from Thailand as possible. The western world even though a little over bearing offers a safe and educational environment with free thinking and generally appealing way of life.

Even Thai families given the chance would raise their children in a western society with a western education and a secure and safe environment that the western world offers.

If your in a mixed race relationship and considering a family it would only be fair to say maybe do not consider having a family unless you can afford to offer the best environment for that child to grow up in and based in the way Thailand always appears to be heading then the western world although tough probably offers the best choices.

[Gecko123]

I rarely get into philosophical arguments with my wife about how to raise my Thai step-daughter.

Because we're all in Thailand, she's being raised in a typical Thai way. Only thing special is that she goes to private school. But I'm not passively sitting back at all, in fact, I'm very active.

I talk to her all the time about life and values. I feel like I've instilled in her values like honesty, hard work, having dreams and goals, being thankful, kind, respectful, polite, sense of humor, environmental awareness, what they want to be when they grow up, how to handle interpersonal problems, that sort of thing. I try to instill critical thinking skills in her by asking her "What do you think about...?" type questions every chance I get.

East v. West doesn't really come up. Maybe I've been here too long.

[AnotherOneAmerican]

I see consistent lack of planning for the child's future. I know many farangs married with children here. I see very few farangs sending their children to the better schools, here or abroad. The majority of these children attend Thai public schools. They often do not speak the farang parent's native language; most can barely speak English, no better than other Thai children.

My daughter (15) speaks almost perfect English in less than 3 years with me, comes first in every English exam in her Thai government school. Happily converses in English.

My boy (3) confidently speaks Thai (Lanna and Central mix), Burmese and English, no school at all yet.

PS

I'm not farang, so my post probably doesn't count.

[dutchisaan]

I see consistent lack of planning for the child's future. I know many farangs married with children here. I see very few farangs sending their children to the better schools, here or abroad. The majority of these children attend Thai public schools. They often do not speak the farang parent's native language; most can barely speak English, no better than other Thai children.

My daughter (15) speaks almost perfect English in less than 3 years with me, comes first in every English exam in her Thai government school. Happily converses in English.

My boy (3) confidently speaks Thai (Lanna and Central mix), Burmese and English, no school at all yet.

PS

I'm not farang, so my post probably doesn't count.

Your post count mate. There are just to many negitive people on this form.

My son is 6 and speaks Thai, Englsh, Dutch and Lao.

So a question to some form members?

How many languages you can speak?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[benalibina]

I see consistent lack of planning for the child's future. I know many farangs married with children here. I see very few farangs sending their children to the better schools, here or abroad. The majority of these children attend Thai public schools. They often do not speak the farang parent's native language; most can barely speak English, no better than other Thai children.

My daughter (15) speaks almost perfect English in less than 3 years with me, comes first in every English exam in her Thai government school. Happily converses in English.

My boy (3) confidently speaks Thai (Lanna and Central mix), Burmese and English, no school at all yet.

PS

I'm not farang, so my post probably doesn't count.

Your post count mate. There are just to many negitive people on this form.

My son is 6 and speaks Thai, Englsh, Dutch and Lao.

So a question to some form members?

How many languages you can speak?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

5. Enough for you ?

[thehelmsman]

The only responsible way to raise a child is to raise it as far away from Thailand as possible. The western world even though a little over bearing offers a safe and educational environment with free thinking and generally appealing way of life.

Even Thai families given the chance would raise their children in a western society with a western education and a secure and safe environment that the western world offers.

If your in a mixed race relationship and considering a family it would only be fair to say maybe do not consider having a family unless you can afford to offer the best environment for that child to grow up in and based in the way Thailand always appears to be heading then the western world although tough probably offers the best choices.

Your forum name says it all.................

[smotherb]

I see consistent lack of planning for the child's future. I know many farangs married with children here. I see very few farangs sending their children to the better schools, here or abroad. The majority of these children attend Thai public schools. They often do not speak the farang parent's native language; most can barely speak English, no better than other Thai children.

My daughter (15) speaks almost perfect English in less than 3 years with me, comes first in every English exam in her Thai government school. Happily converses in English.

My boy (3) confidently speaks Thai (Lanna and Central mix), Burmese and English, no school at all yet.

PS

I'm not farang, so my post probably doesn't count.

Your post count mate. There are just to many negitive people on this form.

My son is 6 and speaks Thai, Englsh, Dutch and Lao.

So a question to some form members?

How many languages you can speak?

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

5. Enough for you ?

Please note I neither said nor implied all half-farang children do not speak their farang parent's native language. I congratulate you on your children who do speak English well. I'll wager either they are exceptionally bright or you have spent sufficient time with them, or both. However, that does not change the fact that many half-farang children do not speak their parent's native language well.

[harryfrompattaya]

Many are kidding themselves they are Thai and will have a Thai ID that is how it is.

Wake up to the facts