Rasing children in the DR...CHEAPER ???

[Danny W]

One is 5,the other 3. As far as I know,they are the only kids with an "American" parent. Our family is the "Token Poor" of the place! The Dominicans try to "outdo" eachother at all levels! The most obvious is at the "Birthday Parties" held at the school. I "allowed" my wife to participate for the first 2 years my oldest daughter went there, NO MORE! The dominicans "Send In The Clowns",but not me!! I don't send out "Invitations",and expect fancy gifts from the other kids in my daughters class. What I do,is get a big cake,a few 2 liter bottles of sodas,and just show up on my daughters birthday! We sing "Cumpleanos Felis" AND "Happy birthday tu Jew" it IS,AFTERALL, a "Bilingue" Colegio! and all the kids are happy! The lavish parties are just a showcase for the parents,not the kids!
My "Van" is now a "Piece-of-$hit"! I drive with impunity!! Some of my Dominican "friends" have told me that it an embarasment to my children to arrive at school in such an "Old Car"! "GOOD!"
I happen to be in Boston right now! Why? Because I get free medical care here! I have little faith in the treatment in the DR,(With a FEW Exceptions!) and it cost a LOT of money there!
My daughters want a "Fisher Price" car racing set. I saw it at "La Sirena" for 4,000 pesos. It is on sale at "Toys "R" Us" this week for $40 ,and you get a $10 gift certificate if you spend $75 in the store. I THINK I can reach that amount!!
"FOOD" here is 100 to 200 percent less expensive that in the DR! The selection is FAR greater,and the quality is higher! The "pork" in the DR IS better,as far as the "Flavor" is concerned,if not the health benefit!
There is only ONE thing that is cheaper AND "Higher Quality" in the DR,and decorum keeps me from going "INTO DeTail" about exactly what THAT is!!!
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CC - I'm curious. Where would you rather bring up your kids? (Off subject, I know.)

 

[Criss Colon]

I Really Can't Decide.

I think there are more educational and economic opportunities in the US,but I "Used" to think that was offset by the traditional value of the Family in the DR. But crime and "drugs" are taking a serious toll on the "family" now!
I hope to give my children the opportunity to experience some time and education in the US. Then they can deside for themselves where they wish to live.
Cris Colon

 

[billt8552]

Wow!!!

What an interesting thread! We still want to try raising our kids in the DR. It would probably be easier if they were younger--they will be 18, 16, and 13 when we move there. Actually the 18 will possibly stay in the USA to attend college--the 16 has a lot of questions--the 13 is really excited. I think everything is relative to your standard of living and your expectations. I am thinking about home-schooling them through one the recognized HS organizations--I am a life-long teacher. What do you think? I am open-minded, so don't worry about offending me.

 

[expatsooner]

We spent nine years in the DR - our oldest was 1 when we moved there and our youngest was born there in SD. We were fortunate to have a great nanny (with us all 9 years) and due to having good jobs were able to have our kids go to CMS and live in a very nice apartment. IF you feel comfortable with your lifestyle (whatever that may be) then the DR is a great place to raise kids. I would think it costs us about the same as raising kids in the middle class in the States (at least the area I am from)

In regards to home schooling I would only like to suggest that you ask your younger children if there are any particular colleges or universities that they would like to attend. If there are perhaps you should contact their admissions offices to see how home schooling will effect your child's chances for admission. (unless they are another Tebow of course)

 

[Criss Colon]

If You Can Not Afford Private English Language Schools,.....

You should "Home School"!
And "Private" for your children will cost at least one thousand US a month! I might suggest a good Catholic school AND home schooling! Since "school" in the DR is only about 4 hours a day. Several "shifts", you can let them learn "spanish",socialize, and "get out of the house" in the morning,and home school in the afternoon and evening. It would be a shame not to meet Dominican kids,and learn spanish while you are here. I think that what your children learn at home,and through travel are much more important than what they "learn" in school. After all,I didn't learn much at school,but at home and through "World Travel",and look how I turned out!!!
"Huuuum!",you may want to re-consider home schooling afterall!!:cheeky:
I STILL can't "spell",OR "punctuate"!
My little girls (5 & 3) go to "Tiny Cloud",a private pre-school.
My boys,(16 & 10) go to "Santa Cura de Ars", a Catholic pre-K to 12th. $150 a month for each girl, $50.00 a month for each boy.
I spend more money on "Ballet","Tai-Kwon-Do",computers,and "Toys" than on "School"!
Cris Colon

 

[billt8552]

Thanks--I was actually thinking about sending them to school in the morning and home-schooling them on certain subjects--thanks also about contacting colleges about hs students--have already done that--we currently live in Virginia Beach which is one of the largest hs areas in the US (behind Colorado of course) and have a lot of good resources for hs. We definitely want them to socialize--my 14 year-old will probably know everyone in the DR within 3 months anyway.

 

[dietcokeplease]

Make that winter, spring or fall clothes !!! 3 seasons depending on where you are from !!! LOL

And not every kid has a flat screen tv or play station in their room by the age of 7 either..

I was just wondering how different is it ??? My friends in the DR tell me that it costs about 100$ on average per month ??? I disputed that fact, so I was just wondering...

P.S. How much are school fees ?? Is that the equivalent of putting your children in private schools ???

For a good private school, that isn't even close to as good an education in Canada, it costs something like 500$ a month, I believe. That would equal 6,000$ a year, times the amount of years at school (13 including kindergarten), is 78, 000$. Plus textbook fees (50$ a year), 650$, and cafeteria fees (60$ a month), 9360$, and of course, uniform fees (70$ a year), 910$.

All in all, you end up spending 88,920$ to send your child to school (a semi-okay private school) until age 18. For an only half decent education, to me that's quite a lot of money. FOR ONE CHILD. IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY!! Comment if you will.

Sincerely,
Dietcoke.

 

[dietcokeplease]

I also think homeschooling is a good option. Having tried out a private school (not naming names) for a series of years, our family decided to try homeschooling, or correspondences.
Dietcoke

 

[dietcokeplease]

Usa Vs. Dr

In fact the whole "question" is IMPOSSIBLE to answer! You CANNOT get an answer when you are comparing "Mangos and Apples"!
The living standards are impossible to compare! EVERYTHING is impossible to compare. Most "Civilized" Countries provide basic services to their citizens in exchange for the taxes paid by those citizens. In the DR the taxes are VERY high,but the services are very low,por quality,or non-existant! How can you even think about comparing health care,education,police/fire/paramedic services in the DR with "REAL" other countries???

I have raised a child in the USA,and I AM raising four more here in the DR! I will say that for an "Average" middle class family in the USA,(whatever "Average" is???)it costs less,to give your child "More" than it does here!

"EVERYTHING" is a challenge to do here! It either costs more,or you can't find it here!

The "Real" question is;..."Is it BETTER to raise children in the USA,or the DR???"

I WISH I knew!
My position is, "Raise your children the best you can,with what you have,wherever you are!" It is MUCH more important what goes on "Inside Your House" than what goes on "Outside"!
I will say that we have much more of "Bubble" mentality here in the DR than we had in the USA! You must be very self-reliant here. In the USA you canlook to "others" to make life a little "easier" to live!
I'm going to Boston tomorrow. The "Benefits" of living in a "Civilized" country always become more obvious when I am there!!!
I must start acting like a responsible part of a civilized society tomorrow!
No more driving like an "IDIOT",EVEN though it IS Boston! No more throwing trash in the street! No more "PUBIC" drunkeness! and worst of all, I can't beat my wife and kids whenever I feel like it!!!:ermm:

Oh Well!" At least there will be lots of young girls,(All "MODELS are 18 years or older! "Records on file in our office!) to sleep with!!!..."NOT!!!"

"Gee,I haven't left,and I can't wait to get back!":cheeky::cheeky::cheeky:
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That may not be of any help,but that is how I feel!

Okay, first of all, I COMPLETELY agreed with you, up until you said,

'I'm going to Boston tomorrow. The "Benefits" of living in a "Civilized" country always become more obvious when I am there!!!
I must start acting like a responsible part of a civilized society tomorrow!
No more driving like an "IDIOT",EVEN though it IS Boston! No more throwing...'

At that point, I think you started to point out that there are no rules in DR, which is not a great thing. I think you started to say that no rules was a good thing. Maybe you weren't. :tired: This quote was just an example so I can justify the following:

NO RULES IS A BAD THING!

Down here, you can beat your family.
Drink and drive.
Murder anyone you want anytime you want.
Abuse people and animals alike.
Pollute.
Throw garbage anywhere you please.
Kidnap, rape, and murder.
Hold no responsiblities for your actions.
And much more that I don't have time to list.

Sounding like paradise? Im not so sure... aranoid: I say got to USA/Canada for an education, but that's just my beliefs.