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I don't get - if you are from Eastern Europe and it was so wonderful there, why are you asking about Belgium, and not the same country you came from? Lithuania? Estonia? Latvia? Belarus? Russia? And who is better to know how parenting has evolved in your native country, but your friends and family back home?
The place in Russia where I came from, is transforming at a breakneck speed -- compressing decades into years. Developing skyscrapers, highways, increasing vehicles per capita, and architecturally it is becoming a Western world, - with the suburbs and social disconnect. Not the best practice to copy, but it is what it is.
It is up to you, how to live, in any country. Some people here in America do get the wrongs of this society - and choose to do something about it, instead of whining. Have a look at the Small town and Rural living, and Frugal Living forums on here, - some wise people who are doing it their own way, getting clean food and making their family life more meaningful.
I am floored with the negativity of your posts here. One of the tune of your posts was "people should not be having kids" -- while enjoying your own 2 and 5 year olds??? There is something very very sad in your system.
And by the way, how are your friends back in Eastern Europe? Are they feeling sad for you living in the terrible USA, or do they want to get over the ocean, themselves?
"The land of blueberry and lobster" has spoken , and very well.
It is all about choices. I've observed many of the same trends as the op, and yes, I find those parents annoying too. But I just smile and live my life how I want to. Right now, my girls are playing dolls in the treehouse that their father built with their two friends from the street. All four of those girls are filthy-dirty from running around the yard all day. Yes, there are the soccer parents and the piano parents and the hanging the periodic table in the nursery parents, and that is exactly why my husband and I chose to live in a good old-fashioned neighborhood where the guy across the street is a ditch-digger and keeps the everyone on the street supplied with fresh garlic and raspberries from his backyard garden.
Some days, I think I have to talk to one more helicoptering PTA mom, I'll scream. Other days, I just kind of observe, amused. It depends on my mood. Regardless, my kids are beyond expecting us to be like other families, and since most of their friends want to be here as much as possible, I'm guessing that the kids know that the hyper-competitive, over-structured lifestyle is all bunk too.
So even though I agree that many American parents are a little too controlling of/involved in their children's lives right now (that is the trend), I don't see the point behind judging and finger-pointing. I just do my own thing.
I don't get - if you are from Eastern Europe and it was so wonderful there, why are you asking about Belgium, and not the same country you came from? Lithuania? Estonia? Latvia? Belarus? Russia? And who is better to know how parenting has evolved in your native country, but your friends and family back home?
The place in Russia where I came from, is transforming at a breakneck speed -- compressing decades into years. Developing skyscrapers, highways, increasing vehicles per capita, and architecturally it is becoming a Western world, - with the suburbs and social disconnect. Not the best practice to copy, but it is what it is.
It is up to you, how to live, in any country. Some people here in America do get the wrongs of this society - and choose to do something about it, instead of whining. Have a look at the Small town and Rural living, and Frugal Living forums on here, - some wise people who are doing it their own way, getting clean food and making their family life more meaningful.
I am floored with the negativity of your posts here. One of the tune of your posts was "people should not be having kids" -- while enjoying your own 2 and 5 year olds??? There is something very very sad in your system.
And by the way, how are your friends back in Eastern Europe? Are they feeling sad for you living in the terrible USA, or do they want to get over the ocean, themselves?
I sure hope the OP reads your post!
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, and very well.
