Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The perfect time

Say if you have kids…. Then one day they decide to study abroad… When do you let them go?

My personal opinion, I won’t let my kids study abroad for getting bachelor degree. I do it just to decrease the harm of study abroad.

Studying overseas is very good to give them perspectives how to be independent, to manage themselves well, to choose one from many options, and to take responsibility. They have to take care (mostly) by themselves.

However, if they are not mature enough, it will be disaster. Let me give you some examples when I was studying abroad. I have known very well some university students from other countries. Most of them are pursuing bachelor degree. In average, they are in late teens and early 20s.

Living in other country and far away from their controller (parents) makes them (sometimes) out of control. Going out until midnight, partying all times with alcohol as main beverages and accessing adult material freely are just a few examples. If they have no good self control, they will experience what we call as culture shock. These experiences are more difficult for students from strict religion countries or country with rigid culture.

Can you imagine, in your own country to get adult materials whether from electronic or print out stuffs, you have to be like a thief. Always be aware as if anyone spies on you. But overseas, anything is on displays. Looking for adult magazine? You just need money. Entering the sex shop? You just need ID card declaring your age is over than 18 years old.

For me, people in early 20s still need parents as their guidance and role models.

2 comments:

Marshmallow said...

how if the kids were prepared in their whole life to be responsible, and letting them go is just giving a chance to prove that they can, and allowing them to enrich themselves?

*ngomong opo tho kuwi*

Bakhrian said...

20 years of age i think it is not enough to prepare our kids becoming an adult... and taking responsibility for themselves...

i have seen some reflections...