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Has anyone here brought their children with them to China?

 
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greenwillow



Joined: 18 Jul 2003
Posts: 22
Location: Georgia, USA

PostPosted: Sun Jul 20, 2003 12:16 am    Post subject: Has anyone here brought their children with them to China? Reply with quote

Or, do you personally know teachers who have? I would really appreciate hearing how it has worked out, i.e. do the schools welcome or at least accommodate this?
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aaronschwartz



Joined: 17 Jul 2003
Posts: 145
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Sun Jul 20, 2003 12:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Leave your kids at home with a baby sitter.
Or, better yet, stay home with them.

China is one big, nasty adventure.

Yes people have brought kids but most regret doing so.

Some have had success but most leave unhappy.

China is a very difficult gig and children make it harder.

You will get many varied responses but when it is all said and done, you would be smart to not bring kids, to China.

Try reading the thread - Bringing Your Family To China - in the China on topic forum. Your prior post was in the "off topic" forum.

Hope this helps.
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Roger



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138

PostPosted: Sun Jul 20, 2003 8:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

First, you ask your children, then your relatives, and finally, you decide upon the answers and opinions gathered!

In a place like China, you and your children may at first feel welcome. However, there are various issues here that might put a spanner in the works:
- Your kids take it badly that locals stare at you, touch your children, take pictures, laugh about you in the presence of everybody;
- job stability is low, and if you lose your employment you are also
losing your accommodation in one stroke.
- Legal requirements are often ignored by employers, putting YOU at
risk.

On the other hand, China is a relatively child-friendly country and nation, perhaps too child-friendly. Unlike in the West, you hardly ever notice a kid crying. This and the educational value for your child of a stint in China speak in favour of it. There are westerners with children here, to be sure; unfortunately I know of parents who left prematurely for obvious reasons as mentioned above.
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aaronschwartz



Joined: 17 Jul 2003
Posts: 145
Location: Beijing

PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2003 10:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A family runner is much harder than an individual runner!
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Linda L.



Joined: 03 Jul 2003
Posts: 146

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

greenwillow this is really a bad idea. Think it through very carefully. Please?
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greenwillow



Joined: 18 Jul 2003
Posts: 22
Location: Georgia, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jul 24, 2003 2:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Linda!
Thank you for being concerned. I am researching *thoroughly* before deciding anything, in fact we are not even looking at going until Fall 2004 at the earliest, most likely even 2005. We may end up looking for something in international business instead (hubby's qualifications are business, but with a HEAVY English/Communications emphasis). But, who knows what will turn up ? Smile
I appreciate your help!
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Guest






PostPosted: Sat Jul 26, 2003 7:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I knew a guy who had three kids and a wife with him in China. There are problems with this, mainly being that it will not be easy for the kids to make real friends, and the monetary trouble involved with covering everyone from a single income. Additionally, you'll probably have to home school your kids as finding English speaking tutors for them in various disciplines might be difficult (though Chinese university students often have decent English and are certainly willing to tutor).

There are a few benefits, though. Children are the ultimate passkey if you need a seat on a train, for instance -- and this kind of a benefit extends into less trivial aspects of life there. If you find a good school they will be more willing to put some faith in you because they'll be well aware of the importance kids add to steady employment. If either you or your husband photograph well you can expect to be in brochures for the school along with the kids, and perhaps receive promotions to quasi-managerial levels so that they can have a foreign name among the staff at their school.

If, on the other hand, you end up at a bad school or with a nasty foregin relations director, your kids could become leverage against you as sudden and unexpected delays come up with your paycheck during a time of stress. Make sure you have a contract with every possible monetary stipulation (how much, when, in what currency) faxed to you WITH A SIGNATURE before you leave your home country.

I don't think your kids would be comfortable at all in China if they were more than teenaged, though -- pubescent Chinese are every bit as mean or petty as pubesecent North Americans. If they're between 6 and 10, you may be able to pull it off.
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ipasia



Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 5
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 6:30 pm    Post subject: greewillow Reply with quote

I have seen a couple of answers that seem really terrifying, but they do not explain much. Sheep-goats is more specific, thank you! What I would really like to read here is the experience of somebody who DOES have children. Anybody there?
So Greenwillow, have you taken a decision? I have a child too, and I am curious.
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