Korean Job Discussion Forums

[huck]

For those who have married Koreans and have children....

I've been wondering if you've had any difficulties when it comes to different outlooks on raising children. I know people from the same culture would have differences, but are they magnified when you're from two different cultures? For instance, I would never allow my 5 or 6-year old child to have two hours of homework at night...I also wouldn't want them to sacrifice their lives for the sake of studying.....School is important, but I think playing is just as important when you're younger.

Or little things, like saying, "No really...It's okay to walk barefoot on the grass - it's not dirty.. Plus, that's why we have soap."

I'm not picking on Koreans or their beliefs...I'm just curious if you have to make concessions or if you try to raise your children how you were raised? Where do you decide whose way is right or not (i.e. studying, corporal punishment, spoiling, etc)

This is probably the main reason why I've held back from emotionally committing myself to someone here...How difficult is it to mesh the different cultures into a strong, loving family?

[BigBlackEquus]

Two hours of homework isn't bad. I'd require that.

Four hours... hmmm... that is too much, in my opinion. For an average day, anyway!

The trouble you will face is the fact that every other Korean kid'll be in hagwons much of the evening. That is how they meet and make friends here. You might be depriving your child on the social level. Maybe send them to a fun hagwon (not intensive studying) like a magic hagwon, etc. There are many options. Of course, you could always invite the neighbors over to play with your kid. The Korean parents might think it's good, because some English might rub off on them. Have you seen a house of 3 or more screaming Korean kids? It's nuts. My home would probably have rules that Korean kids just wouldn't like to deal with!

[Homer]

To be honest we have had very few disagreements regarding raising our son. Then again he is just one year old!

We have similar values when it comes to kids and both feel certain things are not to be done. I think the culture is not the deciding factor here but rather the people involved.

My brother is married to a Japanese woman, they live in Tokyo (he has been there 8 years now) and have kids. They pretty much agree on most issues when it comes to their kids. Then again, they had similar ideas about kids before having any....