Kids Are Our Future

A variety of conditions compel emigration from a homeland to a new country. Different immigrants came to the United States with different purposes. Some of them want to pursue increased economic opportunity, some are looking for a chance to reunite with their family members, and some want to seek freedom from political or religious persecution. Some are pulled to the United States by the hope of a higher standard of education and living. These immigrants are often highly trained professionals and white-collar college-educated people who enjoyed high social and family status in their home cultures. They want to seek a better life for their children and sacrificed their well-built up present.

The varied background including political, economic, and social conditions on immigration means that different immigrants arrive with different expectations about and attitudes toward their new life, which affect their adjustment in the new country. For example, some immigrants arrive with the intention of becoming citizens of the United States, while others plan only temporary stays.

Immigration to a new country has never been easy, because usually immigrants start with little money and it is not easy for them to find a job, they experience poverty, and dangerous and intolerable situations jeopardizing their health and survival. In addition, immigration sometimes means dealing with ethnic, racial, and language biases. For many immigrant families there are many new social rules and norms to learn, some of them will find their basic beliefs and values challenged, and some behaviors that served well in their home culture may not be easily accepted in the new country. When it comes to educate their children, immigrant parents have even more obstacles because of the cultural conflicts.

All immigrant families must confront the following major challenges:

1. How to learn about a new culture
2. How to handle conflicts between home culture and new culture
3. How to survive in a new environment
4. How to thrive in a new environment

The following are some key factors affecting the experience of immigrants to adjust to their life in the United States:

• BackgroundIncludes economic and social situation back in their home countries
• Reasons for immigrationSuch as want better education, better living condition, etc.
• Economic statusThose with more money have more chance to survive and thrive in the new country.
• Marketable skillsThe U.S. is a market-driven society, which needs marketable skills in order to make a living.
• Language issueEnglish proficiency is one of the basic and crucial factors.
• Immigrant statusSuch as family-based immigration, employment-based immigration, etc.
• Family and cultural supportsThose have family already in the U.S. and or cultural group support will be easier to make the transition than those who do not help.
• Cultural difference For those who have big difference, they have more challenge to handle cultural differences.
• Acceptance by U.S. mainstream societyIn order to assimilate into the new country, immigrants need to be acceptable by American mainstream
• Adjustment issuesThe more issues that the new immigrants need to adjust, the more difficulties they will face.

Each of these factors may affect the schooling experience of immigrant children. How parents and children of immigrant families learn and assimilate into the new country? In the same time, how they inherit their family values to take the advantage of their strength? How to help immigrant children to achieve? In the following several posts we want to share our thoughts and discuss these topics with you.

Related Posts

1. How Parents and Children of Immigrant Families Inherit Their Family Values to Take the Advantage of Their Strength?
2. How Parents and Children of Immigrant Families Learn and Assimilate Into the New Country?
3. Family Education and Cultural Values
4. How to Help Immigrant Children to Achieve?
5. What is Family Education for you?
6. Family Education’s Role
7. How to Teach Kids to Resolve Culture Conflict?