(Reason) Why did I choose to leave Japan when my kids were little?
As I wrote in my profile, I am learning English. But this studying abroad to NZ was for my children.
Reason 1; I wanted my children to experience a new culture without having indirect knowledge.
Reason 2; Girls around or over ten years old start to form small groups...
Reason 1; I wanted my children to experience a new culture without having indirect knowledge.
Little children can absorb everything naturally without being interrupted by indirect knowledge. They do not become defensive like adults when they learn new cultures and make friends overseas.
They can live the same as they live in their countries, meaning children will be children wherever they live. I can not explain this nicely, but my husband and I agreed with this idea since we had a similar experience; we had a hard time abroad after graduating college. There were invisible walls to overcome, even though we enjoyed the trip or studying abroad. If you are learning languages, you might have felt the same as us. So, we strongly preferred to take my kids abroad when they were young to be fun and build their personalities!
As we expected, my kids' way of thinking became broader than ours as a child, and they are finding something fun and playing after returning to Japan.
Reason 2; Girls around or over ten years old start to form small groups.
I think girls become more mature than boys when they are around ten years old, right? I remember when I was that age, there were some girls' groups to spend break time at school. This situation might be only in Japanese schools, which is a bit complicated for girls. So, I strongly felt I should take my oldest daughter before she becomes 4th grade. When I took her and my sons to NZ for the first time, she was eight years old. The class was energetic, and the boys and girls were playing together. That was what I expected! She made best friends, was invited to Birthday parties, and she visited friends’ homes to play after school. Also, she spended alone when she prefers to draw, and she could choose what she wants to do in her free time.