Is it possible to raise a Canadian in the US?

[Emancipation 2]

Oh man you are so CDN that you don't even realize how CDN you are!!

Hee hee.

YES!

And I am so much so that I can laugh at myself.

Bahaha!

Sometimes misguided passion...and yet...hmmmm.

Thanks Emancipation and Trailmix.

I did not mean to say that there was an issue here about any country being better.

I guess just this subject matter gets me going...

what does it matter.

Do teach/show/present all kinds of views, places, ideas, etc.

That is a gift.

I love that we Canucks can laugh at ourselves.. such a lost art I believe..

And I totally agree that being well rounded and well studied and travelled is something that everyone should aspire too.. thankfully I was raised in that environment.. I know my hubby had to go looking for that (join the Navy and see the world type thing) cause he would never have had that through his upbringing.. whether that's a US/CDN difference.. i'm not sure, but I know that I'm glad for the very inclusive and outward looking way I was raised!

[Cassie 8]

Oh man you are so CDN that you don't even realize how CDN you are!!

Hee hee.

YES!

And I am so much so that I can laugh at myself.

Bahaha!

Sometimes misguided passion...and yet...hmmmm.

Thanks Emancipation and Trailmix.

I did not mean to say that there was an issue here about any country being better.

I guess just this subject matter gets me going...

what does it matter.

Do teach/show/present all kinds of views, places, ideas, etc.

That is a gift.

Amen to that -- some of my biggest lessons have come while travelling oversees and experiencing other cultures. I am grateful to my family for providing me the opportunities to have those kinds of experiences. If J and I ever have children, it is our hope and plan to broaden their horizons to include the world.

[Caladan 19]

i don't think anyone here is saying that Canada is better then the US...

we just want our kids to know that they are part Canadian too...

it would be like a Chinese person living in the US wanting their children to know about their home country and traditions etc.....

Except that it's a little harder for the Canadian given that the two countries are so similar. There's more differences within both countries (Toronto and Whitehorse, NY and the South, etc.) than between them. So it comes down to what -- basically American, but not warlike? Nice? (Not a characterization a lot of Americans would like!) I mean, it's hard to know what pernicious influence one is trying to avoid that one couldn't encounter in Canada.

If it's just a matter of wanting the child to feel ties to Canada, regular visits home should help.

[thermophile 0]

This conversation is pretty interesting. Neiks, I'm with you-I want my kids to be Canadian with a side of American rather than the other way around. Of course we're hoping to move back to Canada as soon as we can, which should help with that. but on the plus side you're so far north that all the kids are going to be a little Canadian.

I agree with the people that say experiencing other cultures is what makes a good/interesting person. But I also think that Canadian kids are much more aware of other cultures than American kids. Its the basic problem with being a superpower-it warps the common sphere of influence to be nearly exclusively American.

[thermophile 0]

tried to add this but was too slow

There are alot of differences between the 2 countries-not necessarily superficially, but as you dig deeper they become apparent. The way that Canadians relate with/to the world, science/learning, the environment, etc. are significantly different and, in my mind, better than the typical US views. And since I'm American I get to say that.

There are alot of great things about both of our countries and all of our kids are going to have a significant advantage by being able to cross the border at any time. And considering how different I am from my parents and how different all my sibs and I are from each other-what we want our kids to be probably only has the slightest influence on how they'll grow up. Therefor, we're back to the brainwashing while their asleep.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Yes, it should be quite simple--as there is only incremental difference anyway between Canuck and Yank (I know I'll get some serious riposte for this but....)

[Caladan 19]

tried to add this but was too slow

There are alot of differences between the 2 countries-not necessarily superficially, but as you dig deeper they become apparent. The way that Canadians relate with/to the world, science/learning, the environment, etc. are significantly different and, in my mind, better than the typical US views. And since I'm American I get to say that.

There are alot of great things about both of our countries and all of our kids are going to have a significant advantage by being able to cross the border at any time. And considering how different I am from my parents and how different all my sibs and I are from each other-what we want our kids to be probably only has the slightest influence on how they'll grow up. Therefor, we're back to the brainwashing while their asleep.

Typical where? Sure, the Canadian stereotype is different, but I honestly think that parents are more important in all the realms outside of politics for what are relatively small differences. There are U.S. kids who grow up respecting science and the environment.

I guess I see it as hard to get any kid not to identify with the place where they're growing up, and to the extent that Canadians flatter themselves as peaceful, social conscious North Americans, that it's not that hard to raise a kid to be peaceful and socially conscious given that that's what the parents are.

[Earmuffs 1]

might sound like an a$$hole but if you want your kids to be Canadian with a bit of american then maybe you should have stayed in Canada..

[Marilyn. 340]

I just want my kid to know and appreciate that he or she will be half Canadian and half American...

[Emancipation 2]

might sound like an a$$hole but if you want your kids to be Canadian with a bit of american then maybe you should have stayed in Canada..

Just wanted to agree with you and note that I think the point that many of us would make is we would have stayed in Canada gladly if it were not for our USC spouses. We didn't move to the US for any other reason than to be with our spouses. That is one thing that colors most of my postings anyway.

[Krikit 1,163]

might sound like an a$$hole but if you want your kids to be Canadian with a bit of american then maybe you should have stayed in Canada..

Just wanted to agree with you and note that I think the point that many of us would make is we would have stayed in Canada gladly if it were not for our USC spouses. We didn't move to the US for any other reason than to be with our spouses. That is one thing that colors most of my postings anyway.

I was thinking that it sounded like a very simplistic and uneducated response.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Hope you come up with a solution! i would bet most (not all) would be stil living in Canada if it wasn't for the American spouse. Life is an adventure, never know where it will take ya.

[T.O_2_FL 0]

ahhhh the things we do for love

[thermophile 0]

Typical where? Sure, the Canadian stereotype is different, but I honestly think that parents are more important in all the realms outside of politics for what are relatively small differences. There are U.S. kids who grow up respecting science and the environment.

I guess I see it as hard to get any kid not to identify with the place where they're growing up, and to the extent that Canadians flatter themselves as peaceful, social conscious North Americans, that it's not that hard to raise a kid to be peaceful and socially conscious given that that's what the parents are.

lets see major differences: most of Canada's military action is as peacekeepers rather than aggressors-this is less of a choice of either country than fact of the difference in size. However, it does color the way that the Canadians that i know view the world and the way the Americans I know view the world.

Science and education-in Canada there isn't this ridiculous evolution/creation debate, which is evidence of the way that people view facts vs. beliefs. Also, (and this is mostly from talking to elementary teacher in both countries) the US has a very serious problem of the cult of the ignorant which most of my Canadian friends that are teachers or parents don't see nearly as often in Canada. It is a societal level problem, that young smart kids pretend to be dumb to fit in with their classmates. It's something that I see carrying over into the students in my university level classes-they may know the answer that I'm looking for but they are so used to being socially rewarded by being stupid that they won't voice that answer.

anyway, these are problems that our country needs to address but there doesn't seem to be any interest in trying to address them. yes I know that Canada isn't perfect, but for my (hypothetical) kids, I want them to be raised Canadian

[SpiritAlight 1]

Please do take this with a grain of salt.

A friend once told me, ha, so do not hold me responsible...

The difference between a U.S.ian and a Canadian:

Canadian at fast food counter

Can I have a Coke?

Est-ce que je peut avoir un Coke?

(My Franglais abounds.)

USian at a fast food counter

Gimee a Coke!

It's a philosophical variance that goes deep!

Flame away...

I am ready.