Ideally, where would you like to bring up your kids?

[Badhairday]

I am rather keen on the idea of raising my kids in Singapore. I understand that Asian schools are big on learning things parrot fashion and there is less emphasis on creative thinking. I'm hoping that an International School would help solve that problem. I like the idea that my kids would be in a safe environment, and a relatively outdoorsy lifestyle.

My husband is still in the process of looking for work in Singapore. Before we make the leap, I would be interested to hear your thoughts on what you believe is the best place to raise kids, and why.

[nakatago]

The various schools--local, international and others--have already been discussed at length in various threads. Please do a search for these, read through. If you have more specific questions, then ask them. As of now, your question is too general such that existing threads already address your query.

-Moderator

[sundaymorningstaple]

Have you ever lived in the tropics? I don't think your kids will have "an outdoorsy lifestyle" but more of a "airconditioned indoor Mall/Shopping Centre lifestyle".

[Badhairday]

Nakatago: I did not have any questions relating to schooling. I was just sharing my thoughts. As my heading stated, my question was - 'what do the (expats) feel is the best place to raise kids' .

I figured that expats, as a group of people more likely to have travelled, would have first hand knowledge/opinions.

sundaymorningstaple: I visited Singapore to visit my sister and spent a lot of time in the pool. I guess I have blocked out any memory of scorching heat. As I recall, I was out all hours. I need to ask my sister for a reminder of the weather conditions.

[teck21]

I am planning on moving away so my child can have "an outdoorsy lifestyle".

It was still somewhat outdoorsy when I was a child, maybe 20 years ago!

That poor Indonesian boy who got washed away and drowned in the drain near Balestier during an afternoon of torrential rain recently? I used to play in that very drain with my friends, catching drain fish etc.

It never flooded like that back then, ever.

Probably nothing to do with unfeterred condominium construction anyway. So much for outdoorsy lifestyle.

[ScoobyDoes]

It is still more likely the parents go where the work is and schooling/lifestyle is decided upon where they end up.

You don't decide first where to send the kids to school then look into employment, especially to Singapore where living without visas and working without EP engaged first makes it tricky to determine how long one can stay first.

It does depend on the line of work your husband is in and the likelihood of finding work etc. but for most the choice about work comes first.

[Vaucluse]

Badhairday, it may help to know where you are living currently or what the alternatives are for you.

Singapore is many things but an 'outdoorsy' place is not one of them unless you live in a condo and spend the day swimming.

It is safe, yes.

Oz is safe, generally.
The US is safe, generally.
The UK is . . . close to France.
NZ is very safe and very outdoorsy - godzone if you ask me or anyone who has been there.
Indonesia can be safe.
Thailand is a rathole and semi-safe.
Philippines (can't call it Flipland anymore it seems) is a dungheap and not safe.
Malaysia is safe and quite outdoorsy - lots of options to do many things.

So, it really depends on what you are comparing Singapore to.

I quite like your idea of looking where to raise your kids and then looking for work there, it shows that you place greater emphasis on your children than on yourself. Well done!

[gravida]

Ideally, I would like to bring my son in our home country, with the whole family(ies) around him, so he could get know his grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles. Where he would have a chance to observe the culture of his ancestors and not consider for example sleeping on the sidewalks as a norm, if you know what I mean
Ideally I would take what's nice about Singapore and bring it back home.

Now, going back to reality, if you have enough money to pay for your children education, afford good housing and if you can survive without family circle (you have mentioned your sister is here, that's +), Singapore is a good place. It is safe, it is well run country, you can easily have great holidays, lifestyle is not extremely fast (even though a lot of locals will claim otherwise), but there is little you can do outdoors. Even taking my little one to the condo's playground sometimes ends up with a disaster, because (a) it was raining heavily the night before and everything is still wet (b) every surface i burning hot (c) there is nobody to play with (d) they are just "fogging" to kill the mosquitoes + few others.

[boffenl]

We chose Singapore mainly for the local school system. Coming from the US/Canada we knew that system did not play to her strengths. But wishes are great so here's what I'd want:

Singapore school syllabi and calendar year cycle plus the safety in school
my (dirt cheap) house in Indiana and cheap car and Wal-Mart
Hawaii for the weather (and cheap Wal-Marts)
Malaysia or Phillipines for the nice people

That would be darned near perfect.

[aster]

NZ is very safe and very outdoorsy - godzone if you ask me or anyone who has been there.

Never been, but what makes things confusing is that for such a small place there are such immensely different opinions as to which are the best place to live in, even when it comes to the "bigger" cities so not even an urban vs. rural thing.

[mrswkn]

NZ?

[Vaucluse]

NZ is very safe and very outdoorsy - godzone if you ask me or anyone who has been there.

Never been, but what makes things confusing is that for such a small place there are such immensely different opinions as to which are the best place to live in, even when it comes to the "bigger" cities so not even an urban vs. rural thing.

It's a good 'confusing', though, isn't it.

Mrs 'Cluse just spent a few months down there taking care of her Mum and the kids went with her the first month during school hols . . . snow in July, clear skies and clean air. Friendly people, non-aggro driving (!!!!!), good food . . .

Can't get better than that

[sundaymorningstaple]

My niece & her husband & two boys moved down to New Plymouth early this year. They are loving it but it is also quite an adjustment for them as they are Singaporean HDB dwellers! They are pushing us to go down for Xmas for a week.

[Badhairday]

Badhairday, it may help to know where you are living currently or what the alternatives are for you.

Singapore is many things but an 'outdoorsy' place is not one of them unless you live in a condo and spend the day swimming.

It is safe, yes.

Oz is safe, generally.
The US is safe, generally.
The UK is . . . close to France.
NZ is very safe and very outdoorsy - godzone if you ask me or anyone who has been there.
Malaysia is safe and quite outdoorsy - lots of options to do many things.

So, it really depends on what you are comparing Singapore to.

I quite like your idea of looking where to raise your kids and then looking for work there, it shows that you place greater emphasis on your children than on yourself. Well done!

I'm British and husband is Italian. We live in Germany but since we only moved here recently and speak limited German we are worried about how we can help our little one with his homework etc. Besides, it's cold here and I don't much feel like going out in the cold to play with my son.

Interesting that this forum considers Malaysia more child friendly.

Germany offers a generous paternity/maternity leave so we have 6 months in which to explore our other options. I figured I would use this time to look around and think about my families future.