Comments on: More questions http://american-family.org/2008/10/30/more-questions/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:57:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: NaechsteHaltestelle http://american-family.org/2008/10/30/more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-95498 NaechsteHaltestelle Sun, 02 Nov 2008 06:17:37 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1600#comment-95498 That was also my concern. When I lived in China, I didn't worry all that much about stuff like food poisoning and getting sick, but I did get ill often, often requiring hospitalization. I figured, with my rather hardy immune system, if I got sick that often, my kid (who gets sick at the drop of a hat) might be worse off. We're still going, though. Thanks for the bit about the bath, too. I had forgotten about the water. That was also my concern. When I lived in China, I didn’t worry all that much about stuff like food poisoning and getting sick, but I did get ill often, often requiring hospitalization. I figured, with my rather hardy immune system, if I got sick that often, my kid (who gets sick at the drop of a hat) might be worse off. We’re still going, though.

Thanks for the bit about the bath, too. I had forgotten about the water.

]]> By: AmericanFamily http://american-family.org/2008/10/30/more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-95417 AmericanFamily Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:56:11 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1600#comment-95417 Mar, I don't really think it is an issue of where we live. We actually lived in some really gritty parts of San Francisco for about 5 years. Including my first apartment there which was located on "pee alley" and my job in the Tenderloin where we often saw the effects of a rogue pooper who left his marks of explosive diarrhea dripping down many buildings. I think my biggest concern was making sure the kids didn't get sick when we were traveling. In our most recent trip, we had to move/fly every 3-4 days and a sick kid would have been really miserable and not able to recover well. Also, Al lived in China for a year and had to be hospitalized at one point, so we are familiar with the Chinese medical system and did not want to have to subject the kids to that. When it is just the two of us adults traveling, we don't mind filthiness. We lived in cambodia for about 3 months and it was much much dirtier and less developed than China, but we weren't really bothered. We have also both traveled quite a bit in underdeveloped countries prior to having kids. We didn't worry about eating street food and often got food poisoning etc. but just took that as par for the course. As adults, we take responsibility for our choices, but the kids have to depend on us to keep them healthy. I think there is something different about worrying that my kids will get food poisoning, get dehydrated and need medical attention. AmFam Not quite as sheltered in suburbia as one might think. Mar,
I don’t really think it is an issue of where we live. We actually lived in some really gritty parts of San Francisco for about 5 years. Including my first apartment there which was located on “pee alley” and my job in the Tenderloin where we often saw the effects of a rogue pooper who left his marks of explosive diarrhea dripping down many buildings.

I think my biggest concern was making sure the kids didn’t get sick when we were traveling. In our most recent trip, we had to move/fly every 3-4 days and a sick kid would have been really miserable and not able to recover well. Also, Al lived in China for a year and had to be hospitalized at one point, so we are familiar with the Chinese medical system and did not want to have to subject the kids to that.

When it is just the two of us adults traveling, we don’t mind filthiness. We lived in cambodia for about 3 months and it was much much dirtier and less developed than China, but we weren’t really bothered. We have also both traveled quite a bit in underdeveloped countries prior to having kids. We didn’t worry about eating street food and often got food poisoning etc. but just took that as par for the course. As adults, we take responsibility for our choices, but the kids have to depend on us to keep them healthy. I think there is something different about worrying that my kids will get food poisoning, get dehydrated and need medical attention.

AmFam
Not quite as sheltered in suburbia as one might think.

]]> By: Mar http://american-family.org/2008/10/30/more-questions/comment-page-1/#comment-95413 Mar Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:07:06 +0000 http://american-family.org/?p=1600#comment-95413 Delurking to comment on the taking infants/toddlers to China question. It makes a HUGE difference whether the planned trip is for the more cosmopolitan cities or for the provincial towns. We took our then- 7 month old from NYC to Shanghai for Chinese New Year and, except for the jetlag, the trip was very smooth and easy. We did bring his own food and used bottled water (including for his baths) but used a stroller just fine and his carseat whenever we took a car. He was a blond haired blue eyed cherub at the time and he did get a TON of attention - most was appropriate and friendly but there were a few times when we had to intervene when people tried to touch him. We had a great, though exhausting, trip. As I write this though, I wonder if the contrast between your midwestern suburb and China accounts for the extreme measures you note, AmFam -- the difference between NYC and any major city is most likely a great deal less jarring. Delurking to comment on the taking infants/toddlers to China question. It makes a HUGE difference whether the planned trip is for the more cosmopolitan cities or for the provincial towns. We took our then- 7 month old from NYC to Shanghai for Chinese New Year and, except for the jetlag, the trip was very smooth and easy. We did bring his own food and used bottled water (including for his baths) but used a stroller just fine and his carseat whenever we took a car. He was a blond haired blue eyed cherub at the time and he did get a TON of attention – most was appropriate and friendly but there were a few times when we had to intervene when people tried to touch him. We had a great, though exhausting, trip.

As I write this though, I wonder if the contrast between your midwestern suburb and China accounts for the extreme measures you note, AmFam — the difference between NYC and any major city is most likely a great deal less jarring.

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