Caregivers inevitably reflect their culture’s attitude toward children and life. The story goes that when Pearl Buck was a child in China, someone asked how she compared her mother to her Chinese amah. It is said Buck replied, “If I need to hear a story read, I go to my mother, If I fall down and need comforting, I go to my amah.” One culture valued teaching and learning while the other placed a greater value on nurture, and as a child, Buck instinctively knew the difference.
– From Third Culture Kids by David C. Pollock and Ruth E. Van Reken

When I was growing up, my parents often floated the idea of moving and I was always horrified. The thing is, when they brought up the idea, I wasn’t in the happiest of circumstances. When I was a child, or under 14 at least, my best friends were my brother and sister. At school I was either bullied or shunned and always felt more comfortable with adults. This was before bullying was taken seriously by either parents or teachers and so I had to deal with it by myself. Why then, was I so worried about going somewhere new? I …read more