Ex-Pat Kids? Third Culture Kids? What to do?

I've been spending way too much time thinking about how my munchkins are growing up. There are so very many things that they are growing up not knowing about their home country, so many things that most citizens of our home country take for granted. Do I worry about this from time to time? Yes, I do.

So...what am I doing about it? What can I do about it?

First, I make certain that we spend as much time back in the home country as possible.

Second, I do my best to to have my munchkins do lots of normal/typical things kids do in our home country. For my munchkins, these normal/typical things are very much something they look forward to.

Third, my munchkins read books and spend loads of time in museums in the home country. I teach, teach, teach. Anything I can do to make our culture more real, more tangible, anything I can do to help teach the history of our country - I do it. We spend a small fortune on history books from the home country. Any time we see some bit of history about our home country in a movie, I use that opportunity to teach. Did the movie portray the history accurately? Why? Why not?

Fourth, we teach our munchkins about our family's faith. We work very hard not to criticize anyone who is different from us. We teach by example. When the munchkins ask questions, we provide thorough mature answers. Munchkins deserve to be treated like individuals with minds that can think. Munchkins are intelligent individuals, they are just adults in the making!

On the flip side, what my munchkins are learning by living here is priceless. Munchkin #2 recently finished a unit on 'explorers' and 'exploration'. For me growing up, that meant studying the men who were involved with colonial era conquest. But for Munchkin #2, that meant studying all the usual colonial era conquest men but also modern people, explorers important to countries other than European countries. She learned about the roles women have played in exploration! My munchkin #2 now knows way more about exploration than I did at her age!

My munchkins are learning Arabic. ARABIC! What an amazing opportunity. They must take Arabic in school, and just like with any of their school subjects, we expect them to work to the best of their abilities in Arabic class.

Is it tough growing up outside of the home country culture? Yes, to be sure. But....in an increasingly 'global' world, my munchkins are going to be much better prepared for the future.

Peace.