can family members visit for extended periods but non-permanently?

[EmilyW 1,222]

a) Boiler is a grandparent? Shooketh.

 

b) Per what SusieQQQ said, if the culture isn't what you want, there's always the option of living in a country where the culture IS what you want.  The beauty of the US is that no-one is demanding you stay.  Perhaps the US just values the ability of its citizens to find work and support themselves over non-citizens, to whom they owe NO obligation whatsoever.  To me that's common sense, but mileage may vary.

[Unlockable 7,306]

Grandparents babysitting/caring for grandchildren definitely happen in the US. It just may not be as prevalent as other cultures. For example, last year my mother took care of my niece and nephew for 2 months while my brother and his wife moved from one state to another. But even then, my mother had to put them in camp/day care during the day because my mother is still employed full time. So third party child care was still utilized.

 

Many foreigners don't understand the bird's nest style culture America and other countries have where the family are together until they are old enough (or capable enough) to venture off on their own. We raise our kids then send them off to other states for college. Or they join the military. Or they start working and venture off to their own residence only to return to visit every so often. Regardless, it doesn't mean it is a worse way of having a family. It is just different.

 

Also, EVERY culture has some cultural practices that are controversial to others. It is not just an American thing.  

Edited October 23, 2018 by NuestraUnion

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

56 minutes ago, NuestraUnion said:

Grandparents babysitting/caring for grandchildren definitely happen in the US.

 

 

Of course it happens.... for families where the extended family is already living there. I do find this intermittent idea that pops up on VJ that extended family “should” be able to visit the US indefinitely to do this for immigrants, odd. Immigration is not a right, and it is also a choice of the people who have come... they should know what the consequences of their choice are.

 

Of course this is all a bit of sidetrack here as OP has specifically said this is more a case of grandparents wanting to visit for quality chunks of time rather than move permanently to help out with the kids.

[lierre 224]

2 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Immigration involves a choice - your choice- to leave your family behind. This is one of the consequences. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you can’t expect the US to allow your extended family in for childcare just because that’s the norm where you come from. If it’s that critical it should form a conscious part of the decision about whether or not to emigrate/which spouse moves where. 

 

Unfortunately, you missed the point.

 

I was not critiquing Immigration. I was critiquing the general American attitude towards providing affordable childcare.

 

The US has a long history related to providing childcare to its families & how several piecemeal policies have failed to create a better system... Talking about that at length requires a new thread.

[SusieQQQ 11,584]

2 minutes ago, ivyyy said:

 

Unfortunately, you missed the point.

 

I was not critiquing Immigration. I was critiquing the general American attitude towards providing affordable childcare.

 

The US has a long history related to providing childcare to its families & how several piecemeal policies have failed to create a better system... Talking about that at length requires a new thread.

Affordable childcare has zero to do with this topic (and as others have intimated the American system provides people - well let’s be frank we are mainly talking extended female family members - plenty of other options apart from just being a cheap childcare network) so if that was your point then perhaps yes you should start a new thread somewhere non-immigration/visa related.  

Edited October 23, 2018 by SusieQQQ