Best country for socially integrating kids?

[Anonymous]

We are seriously thinking about leaving the country. One of my biggest concerns is leaving DC’s tight circle of friends.

We are fortunate that visas are not an issue - we have the right to go to multiple Commonwealth and EU countries through family. Which would be the best for kids making friends? I have found some Brits vicious but appreciate that there’s no language barrier. Would Ireland be more friendly? I don’t want this to be more disruptive than it has to be. Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Anonymous]

Really???

[Anonymous]

What languages do they speak?

[Anonymous]

It’s complex and I say this as a mixed Asian person, but I would choose Singapore because it is so friendly to children and very international, transient and very diverse. You’ll need to look for an international, American or Canadian school and you do have to choose carefully to avoid too much privilege. But people are very open and welcoming and as a society it does a lot to support happy families and children.

[Anonymous]

99% chance this will never happen.

Sheesh. As a long time former expat (15 years abroad) the grass is never greener on the other side of the fence. You want to leave US totalitarianism for.... Singaporean or UAE totalitarianism? Or EU countries that all have major populist movements?

[Anonymous]

“I don’t want this to be more disruptive than it has to be.” JFC.

[Anonymous]

I recommend a racially and socially diverse country like the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:99% chance this will never happen.

Sheesh. As a long time former expat (15 years abroad) the grass is never greener on the other side of the fence. You want to leave US totalitarianism for.... Singaporean or UAE totalitarianism? Or EU countries that all have major populist movements?

Not op but just curious, how does this affect a normal expat (other than the right to protest)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:“I don’t want this to be more disruptive than it has to be.” JFC.

Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Whenever I hear about people doing this I think of all the people from those same countries who chose to come to and stay in the US.

[Anonymous]

Wow. And we thought it would be too disruptive to move our DCs to New Jersey. Anyway, I know things look pretty bleak here right now, but I wouldn't assume the grass is much greener anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

I think about this too OP with moving to the UK. Though the way my in-laws complain about things there, I’m not sure we’d actually be happier there. My kids are super happy here, it’s more about my spouse hating the US and I do see things getting worse here. If you are prioritizing your kids, I think staying here with their good friends is probably best (assuming kids are older).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I hear about people doing this I think of all the people from those same countries who chose to come to and stay in the US.

Yes, it doesn't seem like it at times, but American kids (allllll American kids living here in America) have the best chance to be well-socialized, confident leaders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What languages do they speak?

OP said Commonwealth countries. Those are all English language. With a bit of Gaelic, Celtic language, Welsh and some Frrench (if Quebec is the goal).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think about this too OP with moving to the UK. Though the way my in-laws complain about things there, I’m not sure we’d actually be happier there. My kids are super happy here, it’s more about my spouse hating the US and I do see things getting worse here. If you are prioritizing your kids, I think staying here with their good friends is probably best (assuming kids are older).

I'm the former expat from earlier in this thread. I have family and many friends in the UK. They all worry about similar things as we do in the US. People are unhappy about mass migration and inability of governments to do anything about it, there's frustrations with a monolithic woke institutional culture that tells you if you complain you're racist, there's significant belief that young people today need to leave the country to better themselves due to economic factors (shockingly expensive housing costs and low/stagnant wages while immigration to the UK never ends), making migration to the UAE or Australia very popular and many would love to come to the US if they could, they also worry about overburdened social services due to the mass migration etc cetera, the NHS is always teetering on the point of collapse. If you pay any attention to British politics, the Reform party (new party headed by Nigel Farage) is now leading the other two parties in the polls and the Labour party is deeply unpopular despite being elected in a landslide last year albeit with the lowest share of the vote for a governing party.

All the major EU countries are having significant political and cultural upheavals. Germany with the ADF, France with Marie Le Pen (who is the biggest party in France right now). Uber progressive Denmark is doing everything it can to effectively ban immigration from outside the EU and is resolutely nationalistic with plenty of Danish pride clearly dividing people into Danish and non Danish. The Netherlands is seething with tensions over immigration. I find it fascinating that fearful American progressives seem to think it's nothing but honey and sugar overseas.

At the end of the day, the country with the best reputation for diversity is....ta de da.... the United States. Even Trump's own administration isn't immune.