This is a very deeply thought of video. As an outside observer, you have very sharply picked up very interesting contrast that we do not see living in the culture here. I think the patterns of raising kids in our culture have not been described or documented enough. It is the first time I hear this analysis. I actually believe this work should be expanded into a more comprehensive analysis, it will definitely be very rewarding for parents here. Thank you. Very genuine and deep.
I cannot stop watching your videos 😂 Anyway, again, from a Jordanian living in the UK I find 100% of what you said accurate. However, I feel like you should give a bit more credit to English parenting style, the kids here are just very well behaved, compared to Jordan where half of the kids are so naughty. Anyway, I think the right balance is somewhere in between
According to your observation on how the British kids and Jordanian kids were grown ups, I find it's amazing to raise a child in Jordan by British mother, so the child would learn the high confidence, self-deal with problems by Jordanian environment and the child would perfectly learn how to discipline himself from British mother like you. Be proud of your children half Jordanian half British and best luck. BTW I see you from two days to now and your content was fruitful and you will never ending dive deeply into Jordanian culture cuz it's a 3000 year or more ancient civilization. Welcome to Jordan civilizations land.
Of course kids of Zarqa are much more different than Abdoun kids for example :) in some areas you will find kids playing in the small streets since early ages, while in other areas you will never see kids in the street. Also manners change with time, in my childhood we used to be in bed by 8:00PM while now when I go visit my parents in Jordan, specially in Ramadan, you'll find kids playing after midnight! Even shops used to close after sunset, while now they are open till late.
oh yeah, definitely depends on where you are. Although I find it hard to get my head around the late nights during Ramadan, it makes a lot of sense to me that there's that freedom to change the rules sometimes whereas I don't see that flexibility in the UK.
*I find Arab kids very aggressive, rude, disrespectful and misbehaved here in the United States. Even at the Elementary school levels. Very wild, no manners, no respect for anyone, and parents don't care teaching them ANY etiquette.*
@Ava Streeter Probably true. However, when we look at immigrant families from India, Pakistan, China and compare their kids with the immigrant families from the Arab countries, then there is a difference of day and night. So probably, it DOES have to do something with the Arab culture, and the way they bring up their kids.
As an Arab living in England then Wales for a decade I can really appreciate what you're going thru in those videos and your life. I experienced what you did in reverse and I found less than 1% of English people had your level of understanding and even empathy. I salute you. You're going to raise very sensitive and sensible boys. Bless you MIA.
Agree with all your observations, children here have a lot of freedom. Also I liked that a lot of places are here kids friendly, and people always ready to help you with kids and don't judge you, when your baby started to cry or misbehave a little on public places😊
Yeah that's really so true that people aren't judgemental! I found that hard to get my head around because in England people are extremely judgemental, especially if you have a public scene...which we often do these days 😅
If I don’t have anything to say or comment I will just leave a dot in comments to support your Channel because I am really proud to see someone who speak and explain our culture for others . ✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻 Thank you 🙏 Good luck 🍀 😁
Hi also I’d like to mention that kids in jordan feel more safe to be outside alone with their friends even going to school without being kidnapped and sexually molested and abused unlike in England or the western nations in general where priests and church’s do to kids.Kids in Jordan for example they feel very safe in our masjed’s Mosques and just walking by themselves in the streets And play outside the house without their parents around them
Thanks Rachel, I have lived for four years in the Middle East and love the night culture. I have been shocked to see kids out at midnight, though, especially when they have school the next day. One thing I noticed in Jordan is that the girls are not outside and it is the boys who play in the street. Would be interesting to discuss the different upbringings the girls have compared with the boys, if you can do that? I think in England, it really depends on the neighbourhood you are raised in. England has different peoples and many different parenting styles because of the different areas and cultures in the UK. I often found the British kids are not always so polite and often quite wild and cheeky!
I live in Jordan and all what you said is true and it's also with most Jordanian kids not like the people you know and there are few families that aren't like that but everything you said is right
beautiful speaking about the part how children can development...... It funny that I saw it..... I liked it.... but didn't know that it was.... your explanation is so good....
The coke thing is mainly the latest generations, when I was a kid things were different. Imo those companies shouldn't have been allowed to exist in the first place. Selling a beverage that make people addict to increase consumption and revenues...
I was raised with an "all things in moderation" approach. People panic in the west about health-conscious foods, and I think that's because so many things are processed. But when you look at the Mediterranean diet as a whole, there are much less processed foods. Yes, you can find plenty of things in the stores that are processed products, but that's not what makes up the majority of the diet. So as a child, I was able to have whatever I wanted because even if it was a sugary treat from the store, my mom also knew that I would have a well-balanced meal later on in the day. The child also learns their limits because of potential consequences. I once had a very bad rash because I drank 2 liters of pineapple juice in a matter of 2 hours. My uncle has a camp in Gilead and I was hot and very thirsty (dead of summer), so I kept going back to the concession stands for another pineapple drink. When I woke up the next morning, I was covered in hives and because we weren't sure what was wrong, I was promptly bundled into a car and taken back to Amman. My parents were not actually in the country, so they called my mom and were talking to her about the situation. They put me on the phone and her first question was to ask what I had eaten the day before. So I told her. She told me that she hoped that I had learned my lesson and I have never drank that much pineapple juice in one sitting since! I think the manners can vary, depending on the community you are a part of. Because my family is Christian and also very involved with the expat community, behavior and manners were always very important. There are very clear boundaries that the child knows, and the child would be disciplined if they crossed those boundaries. However, I have seen other children, even when they're raised in the west but of Arab descent, where the parents will spoil vs. discipline and they can be some of the rudest little children you have ever met, so I completely understand! I think it is a matter of what the parent instills in the child as proper versus the society as a whole. I was a spoiled child, because I was the only surviving child for my parents, so I got whatever I wanted from my parents and family (still do, even in my early 30s 😂), but they would have spanked me in a heartbeat if I had been rude or impolite to another adult. From a different cross-cultural aspect: The one thing that my mom was never able to wrap her mind around when we came back to South Carolina when I was a little older was the southern mannerism culture that exists here. Some of my friends parents thought I was rude because I did not use "ma'am" or "sir," when in reality I was acting more polite towards them as an adult that I respected versus their child who used those words but still acted very disobediently. I think the main point when you're raising a cross-cultural child is to make sure that they are able to blend and transition well between the cultures. It may look a little different, but I think if the values of putting others first and respect for others are instilled in the child, it will take them far, no matter where in the world they go.
Love the thorough details, observations, and opinions. Pros and cons with all cultures and I'm sure your experience brings balance to your family. Please continue sharing even the "insignificant" moments, it's very helpful for those who can often relate and sometimes commiserate with the adjustments 🤣 Best wishes and health to you and your family! يعطيكي العافيه اختي
I’m soo glad i found your channel, I am a jordanian living in the us for 13 years. Things you talk about reminded me of things i forgot about, and just want to say: when relative come and we stay up all night with our cousins; it is THE BEST THING EVER to happen in our childhood. Love your channel, keep it up, god bless you and your family
Nice job 👏👏👏. I agree with you. I grow up in Jordan years ago and I agree with your comments on jordanian children. I grow up that way and it is fun to live there and very differnt from the USA where I live now. Thank you for the video and bringing many good memorries about Jordan and kids in Jordan (Free Play!). All the best wishes to you and your family.🙏👏🙏
I was born in Jordan finished my studies and worked as a supply teacher in wales for almost 2 years. I disagree with some and agree with some of what you said, I would love to have a discussion with ya if you want about some of the issues that children do face in both the UK and Jordan and trust both are extreme the other way, and that leads to negativity for raising children in both countries.
I'm an Egyptian living in Canada and I can say that even Egyptian kids are like that. There is something I noticed though, children in the West sometimes talk back to their parents and argue with them, you do that in many Arab homes and your safety is in question!!!!
I hope you read this comment very well an advice rise your kids like the way you rise in England behavior specially Let them deal with negative emotions that’s will make them stronger in life but in a polite way they should just get confident so just mix it but please focus on behavior because later on school you will hear them cursing if they don’t rise in polite way and good luck in your life and you’re doing very well good luck 🍀👍
Honestly this video is a surprise to me as I was expecting to tally the opposite of what you said! Again great content that you provide in a short simple wording you truly give an honest overview Jordanian lifestyle and am sure you do the same for your culture
That’s interesting. I see such a big difference, especially with kids outside of Amman or not in private schools. It’s nice to get other perspectives though, so thank you for your thoughts! ☺️
I had similar view on all your points which I have been talking to Jordanians around me.i am also so much annoyed and disappointed with " Children have No strick bed time & they can even sit and listen to all the conversation adults are talking even late night" sometimes it can be so uncomfortable for a person to share persona or adult conversation. .. " Eating habits, behavior, attitude, are definite differently, in Jordan. A child can simply utter " hamara, hiwani". ..yelling to get anything they want! Worst, when visiting someone home and letting the children do anything they want while parents watching them of saying "" aadi" the do and don't are not imposed on early age. OMG, you should highlight on this visiting behavior and lack of parents coaching during the visit, if you have observed any. The point is Where does all these parentening leads to as they become adult? People hardly line up for the turn , cars are drive &parked with no respect to trafic rules , double triple parking and blocking are so common...... As an academician,I observed failed parenting in their University life... No offend to anyone..just sharing my personal experience
does your child speak arabic? i want to be come a software engineer expat and jordan and hopefully marry an arab woman and have kids, but i dont want to go if the country speaks english all the time, i would like my kids to learn arabic not english, if i wanted them to learn english i would just stay in the united states lol. any information you could give?
@@farishope6540 why are you confused on that part? i never specified what religion i was so how would you know i am not muslim? well can they understand other dialects or even communicate with anyone who uses saudi dialect?? because if they only speak their dialect then that means they can only understand other Jordanians and no one else. thank you for your help i would love to have more info about Jordanian people
Hi Prince Montanaa, Ehap Ahmed pretty much covered everything I’d say. It can be a bit complicated for foreigners to marry Arab women for various reasons as mentioned above. Regarding your children learning Arabic not English, most (private) schools teach both however you will find some prioritise one over the other so you just have to look for the right one for you :)
Ehap Ahmed really? my family is from Amman, we vacation there at times, and most kids can speak English, Arabic, and even French. My mother made a comment saying, “They speak English better than I do” and she has lived in America since she was 16, it is probably just the kids in Amman or Irbid, the more “high-class” areas.
Mashallah what beautiful insights. Thank you for sharing. I’m half Jordanian and half American and I see some of the same comparisons you have expressed in this video about the differences in how to raise children based on the culture your raising them within. I love to watch your channel and learn more before I move to Jordan, inshaAllah
This is not very true it really depends on the parents.. Like I don't allow my kids to stay up late and m strict about sleeping time. But yes we do Co sleep till they r 2 years old. Same with food.. Kids in the UK have horrible food, McDonald's chicken nuggets, sausages all the time, very unhealthy so even if Arabs do make a separate meal for them it will still b healthy coz not all kids like grown up food. A bit ironic teaching kids respecting elderly at a young age while when they grow old they send their parents to care homes. While parents are very very important to Muslims for the whole of their lives.
I'm Jordanian and I'm sorry to say that nowadays most kids in Jordan are ill mannered and it drives me crazy because it wasn't like this before, general morals, respect for others and for elders is vanishing.
Who could possibly dislike these videos? I just stumbled across them, and I love hearing about her life in Jordan. I’ve always heard that Jordanians were kind and had an amazing culture. She seems to affirm that.
Great video! As some one who is of mixed Jordanian/British heritage who grew up in Jordan I found this video very fascinating. I guess this gave me a bit of insight in to what my mum (she is my English parent BTY) would have experienced moving to Jordan and raising both me and my sister in what would have been a foreign culture. Some of your observations really hit the mark I think, and as soon as you mentioned them I could relate immediately! particularly about the bed times... I remember as a child going to visit my grandparents in England and not understanding the whole set bedtime thing, and seeing my English Aunt struggle with putting my English cousins to bed and just not understanding why she bothered trying to make them go to bed at a particular time... lol
I’m a Jordanian mom but I’ve been teaching about kids raising from western books, and when I had my first baby I was acting very protective with him, but I noticed that he is becoming very sensitive compering with other children so I changed this way with my younger kids, and they are really different in this side .
It actually shows how you always get positives and negatives in adopting any particular system for raising your kids. As i see it, either way has its negatives and positives. I will give only one example of that: letting kids at their own room from early years in uk vs the opposite her in jordan has its cons. Kids there will actually practice privacy and grow knowing it while here in Jordan the meaning of privacy will be more blur for the kids. which is not a good thing. You can find alot of positives in the uk way. it depends on the angle you are looking from.
I completely agree with everything you said in this video.. I am Egyptian and have kids raised in UK and as you said raising a child in Arabic way will make them more solid and have strong personality and not to get depression over every little thing in their life.. I am so glad that someone from UK finally understood that.
I am actually not surprised, but i for example, and my entire family were raised a bit different than what the common kid in Jordan was maybe. My father used to be like an officer and we used to sleep at 8 or if we beg at 9. We also used to bring water to my father and mother and clean the house and do stuff like that. I was also not allowed outside at all after 5 and some years i used to go to a taekwando club after school then study and sleep. Its different in different areas for sure. great video nonetheless :)
You are a wonderful person with a well balanced mind and way of thinking , unbiased . If I were in your shoes in another foreign country, I don't think I would embrace such a big change in my life .
funerals really? i never been to a funeral until my grandma died when I was 16 not true that they take their children to funerals same for weddings unless its for close family.
I find something really interesting in the food aspect I'm Jordanian but my family was quiet health conscious growing up not too many sweets but yet can have some like special treats and stuff now even in the not very health conscious familys kids like veggies its a fact they might dislike something but for the most part we love vegetables and enjoy eating them not like what's advertised in the movies
So much honesty in one video! When we first got married everyone assumed my husband would be able for a British passport and his future would be set, as Britain and American are the same place and obv6we wanted to live in England 🤪 More videos about cross cultural relationships Pls! Loved this one:) I was a big fan, you deserve nothing shame on you
I assure you Arab kids have rules. But we also have more independence, more responsibility, more chores, "more parents". If we did something wrong someone, somewhere saw something and there were consequences. My personal pet peeve is when parents bring their children to dinners. It might not be such a problem back home because the kids were always in the orchards but in the u.s. we have smaller spaces. Our children are mostly polite but I don't care where you are if you put more than 5, 10, or 15 in a room it gets loud.
That is not all true. You're generalizing based on a few observations. My family allowed us to drink sodas at a young age, however, my uncle's family only allowed their kids to drink freshly squeezed juices and water. Growing up, I had to be in bed by 9:00 pm except on the weekends or holidays. I was also provided with a "kid's meal" when certain dishes were being served because I didn't like them. When I misbehaved or didn't behave in a respectful way, I got timeout or was grounded. I learned to say please, thank you and excuse me at a very young age as well. Some kids in the UK or the USA are much worse than those Jordanian kids you're talking about.
I hope you don't think that I am suggesting that Jordanian kids have poor manners or are not raised well in comparison with british or US kids. In the contrast I am just trying to show some some of the immediate differences I often notice and of course I speak only from my personal experiences, as you say. Thank you for your addition to the conversation Luai :)
She said in the beginning that she's talking about her own experience. You can't deny the presence of such careless parents and their ill-mannered children she talked about. Like for me, I was raised so strictly just like you and so were my relatives. It just differs from one family to another.
One thing not all kids are rude, misbehaved, etc I’m Jordanian and I disagree with u my parents are really discipline. And their are some parents who just let their kids be kids. I live in the UK and when my family and I were in a line to get our passports checked a kid was running. and he wouldn’t stop! Not all kids are like that. There is good and bad in all cultures, people
I congratulate you in staying all these times in jordan and adopting new culture. Also living in Zarka is hell for Jordanian , it is crowded place mostly fundamentally religions and culture that required lots of adjustment .You deserve better place and apportunity. You seem smart women and can do a lot more than under this restricted culture. You should try to write a book about your experience in Jordan.
Sometimes it depends on the family system. For me my parents had a strict time for sleeping. We were not allowed to drink Pepsi and my mom used to focus on feeding us a healthy food, so I think it depends on the family. But to be honest what you said about the food or letting them have sugar, Pepsi, etc..as I'm speaking of my family, they don't see it right plus the night visit if it's too late like 11:00 PM in my family it's INAPPROPRIATE AT ALL and we don't receive any body in that time. Our night visits can be at from 7:00 or 9:00 till maximum 10:00.. and to be honest my family is very different from the people here in Jordan even though I'm a Jordanian but we don't have the same life style because we find some of the habits are rude, inappropriate and impolite. Unfortunately many of the Jordanians live their lives without organization for their actions or routines. Behaviors: MANY of Jordanian people don't raise their kids in the right way that's why you see many rude kids
Its so real vedio... But the first 2 or 3 notices are different from one family to another here in jordan....me,for example, like to have a certain routine with my kids according to sleep and food time... And Im so strict with them about being polite with elders and wont except from them anything else than saying(thank u, soory, can I?) when its needed,... So its depends on the parenting your getting not for being jordanian or not.... Anyway, I love your vedios and hope for u alot of success 🌹
Sorry to disagree! I’ve been nursing for 3 years (nearly continuously). Jordan has some of the lowest rates for nursing and it’s of course a conservative country but saying that, I’ve been nursing in public, under a scarf or blanket, for the past three years and not once had a comment or even a look. That’s probably because no one even knows I’m doing it though - you cannot ever think of doing it without a cover... ever... ever 😂
It’s just different... schoolwork and schools are VERY disciplined and taken as seriously as everyday manners in the UK, but in their off time kids have more freedom somehow. I find the kids I know (from various places and backgrounds) are extraordinarily responsible and reliable especially when it comes to taking care of younger children for example. Kids also do less/no rebelling when they’re teenagers here too which I think is interesting
This was a really interesting video thank you! However I would like to know more of your thoughts on 2 things you addressed: 1. Kids staying up at night with parents - where i live (Finland) it is strictly taught that kids should have bed times and routines with sleeping and waking bc otherwise they develop problems in appetite, eating, sleeping, behaviour, you name it. Which way you think is better, or does having bedtimes even matter in terms of anything? 2. Kids eating same food as adults - again i'd just like to hear your opinion do you see the british or the jordanian way better, how, or does it even matter? (I would only think that a certain age of a kid getting too salty food for example could result in higher blood pressure and being susceptible to other conditions later in life)
If I may try explaining here: 1. Most of the time the kids have a bed time and they are not allowed to stay up late. But on special occasions (ex. Christmas eve., Eids, etc.) where the whole family get together, you will let the kids stay up a little late since it is a special occasion and they will be playing with other kids having a great time. It really does help with their mental health, behavior, and relationships. It is usually the one night where they have the most fun, so you jest let them have it and bend the roles a little bit. 2. Usually Jordanian food that is cooked at home is pretty health (lots of vegetables) except Mansaf. They do not feed the kids adult food all the time but every day they will give the kid a very little bit of adult food to get use to the taste of it. I have never had fast food when I was a child, I was always fed home cooked food. I hope I've made my explanation clear enough and I hope it helped.
This is a very deeply thought of video. As an outside observer, you have very sharply picked up very interesting contrast that we do not see living in the culture here. I think the patterns of raising kids in our culture have not been described or documented enough. It is the first time I hear this analysis. I actually believe this work should be expanded into a more comprehensive analysis, it will definitely be very rewarding for parents here.
Thank you. Very genuine and deep.
very insightful
I cannot stop watching your videos 😂
Anyway, again, from a Jordanian living in the UK I find 100% of what you said accurate. However, I feel like you should give a bit more credit to English parenting style, the kids here are just very well behaved, compared to Jordan where half of the kids are so naughty. Anyway, I think the right balance is somewhere in between
Õ_Õ
According to your observation on how the British kids and Jordanian kids were grown ups, I find it's amazing to raise a child in Jordan by British mother, so the child would learn the high confidence, self-deal with problems by Jordanian environment and the child would perfectly learn how to discipline himself from British mother like you. Be proud of your children half Jordanian half British and best luck.
BTW I see you from two days to now and your content was fruitful and you will never ending dive deeply into Jordanian culture cuz it's a 3000 year or more ancient civilization.
Welcome to Jordan civilizations land.
Of course kids of Zarqa are much more different than Abdoun kids for example :) in some areas you will find kids playing in the small streets since early ages, while in other areas you will never see kids in the street. Also manners change with time, in my childhood we used to be in bed by 8:00PM while now when I go visit my parents in Jordan, specially in Ramadan, you'll find kids playing after midnight! Even shops used to close after sunset, while now they are open till late.
oh yeah, definitely depends on where you are. Although I find it hard to get my head around the late nights during Ramadan, it makes a lot of sense to me that there's that freedom to change the rules sometimes whereas I don't see that flexibility in the UK.
بلمختصر اطفال زرقا قرود وما بهدو مو زي اطفال عبدون😂
I strongly agree with your opinion about kids in Zarqa 😅 they are really different
*I find Arab kids very aggressive, rude, disrespectful and misbehaved here in the United States. Even at the Elementary school levels. Very wild, no manners, no respect for anyone, and parents don't care teaching them ANY etiquette.*
@Ava Streeter
Probably true.
However, when we look at immigrant families from India, Pakistan, China and compare their kids with the immigrant families from the Arab countries, then there is a difference of day and night.
So probably, it DOES have to do something with the Arab culture, and the way they bring up their kids.
As an Arab living in England then Wales for a decade I can really appreciate what you're going thru in those videos and your life. I experienced what you did in reverse and I found less than 1% of English people had your level of understanding and even empathy.
I salute you.
You're going to raise very sensitive and sensible boys.
Bless you MIA.
Agree with all your observations, children here have a lot of freedom. Also I liked that a lot of places are here kids friendly, and people always ready to help you with kids and don't judge you, when your baby started to cry or misbehave a little on public places😊
Yeah that's really so true that people aren't judgemental! I found that hard to get my head around because in England people are extremely judgemental, especially if you have a public scene...which we often do these days 😅
If I don’t have anything to say or comment I will just leave a dot in comments to support your Channel because I am really proud to see someone who speak and explain our culture for others .
✌🏻✌🏻✌🏻
Thank you 🙏
Good luck 🍀 😁
ومن قااك انو التعليق بفيد كل تعليق فدولار مثلا🤦♂️
I will married jordanian,i hope u was my neighbor so we can share some stuff,am a bit worry omg 😓
Don’t be worried! Inshallah it’s going to be great :) congratulations!
Am ready to married , also i can make you her neighbor 😏
Saif Abdullah nice try 🤣🤣
alice north yes.. i’m serious as well 🧐
Saif Abdullah lol make me her neighbor 😂 i like your confident!
Really like the comparisons discussed about how kids are raised in the two cultures. Very balanced points of view.
you have that observing and analytical mind, I think you will do great if you studied psychology or social studies.
So random but your voice is very soothing I could hear you talk for hours. And such an interesting topics! Great channel
Hi also I’d like to mention that kids in jordan feel more safe to be outside alone with their friends even going to school without being kidnapped and sexually molested and abused unlike in England or the western nations in general where priests and church’s do to kids.Kids in Jordan for example they feel very safe in our masjed’s Mosques and just walking by themselves in the streets And play outside the house without their parents around them
Or maybe it’s just that we prosecute pedophiles, whereas in other countries they get away with it?
Thanks Rachel, I have lived for four years in the Middle East and love the night culture. I have been shocked to see kids out at midnight, though, especially when they have school the next day. One thing I noticed in Jordan is that the girls are not outside and it is the boys who play in the street. Would be interesting to discuss the different upbringings the girls have compared with the boys, if you can do that? I think in England, it really depends on the neighbourhood you are raised in. England has different peoples and many different parenting styles because of the different areas and cultures in the UK. I often found the British kids are not always so polite and often quite wild and cheeky!
Be it Jordanian or British, mixed babies are cute!
I live in Jordan and all what you said is true and it's also with most Jordanian kids not like the people you know and there are few families that aren't like that but everything you said is right
beautiful speaking about the part how children can development...... It funny that I saw it..... I liked it.... but didn't know that it was.... your explanation is so good....
My husband and I are mexican and palenstine Jordan his family palenstine. I wanted to give birth in jordan it's beautiful 😍
May U do write translation for your videos
The coke thing is mainly the latest generations, when I was a kid things were different. Imo those companies shouldn't have been allowed to exist in the first place. Selling a beverage that make people addict to increase consumption and revenues...
I was raised with an "all things in moderation" approach. People panic in the west about health-conscious foods, and I think that's because so many things are processed. But when you look at the Mediterranean diet as a whole, there are much less processed foods. Yes, you can find plenty of things in the stores that are processed products, but that's not what makes up the majority of the diet. So as a child, I was able to have whatever I wanted because even if it was a sugary treat from the store, my mom also knew that I would have a well-balanced meal later on in the day. The child also learns their limits because of potential consequences. I once had a very bad rash because I drank 2 liters of pineapple juice in a matter of 2 hours. My uncle has a camp in Gilead and I was hot and very thirsty (dead of summer), so I kept going back to the concession stands for another pineapple drink. When I woke up the next morning, I was covered in hives and because we weren't sure what was wrong, I was promptly bundled into a car and taken back to Amman. My parents were not actually in the country, so they called my mom and were talking to her about the situation. They put me on the phone and her first question was to ask what I had eaten the day before. So I told her. She told me that she hoped that I had learned my lesson and I have never drank that much pineapple juice in one sitting since!
I think the manners can vary, depending on the community you are a part of. Because my family is Christian and also very involved with the expat community, behavior and manners were always very important. There are very clear boundaries that the child knows, and the child would be disciplined if they crossed those boundaries. However, I have seen other children, even when they're raised in the west but of Arab descent, where the parents will spoil vs. discipline and they can be some of the rudest little children you have ever met, so I completely understand! I think it is a matter of what the parent instills in the child as proper versus the society as a whole. I was a spoiled child, because I was the only surviving child for my parents, so I got whatever I wanted from my parents and family (still do, even in my early 30s 😂), but they would have spanked me in a heartbeat if I had been rude or impolite to another adult.
From a different cross-cultural aspect: The one thing that my mom was never able to wrap her mind around when we came back to South Carolina when I was a little older was the southern mannerism culture that exists here. Some of my friends parents thought I was rude because I did not use "ma'am" or "sir," when in reality I was acting more polite towards them as an adult that I respected versus their child who used those words but still acted very disobediently.
I think the main point when you're raising a cross-cultural child is to make sure that they are able to blend and transition well between the cultures. It may look a little different, but I think if the values of putting others first and respect for others are instilled in the child, it will take them far, no matter where in the world they go.
Good videos. But u are speaking from a very Middle Class background. Don't let them watch SHAMELESS on video!
Love the thorough details, observations, and opinions. Pros and cons with all cultures and I'm sure your experience brings balance to your family. Please continue sharing even the "insignificant" moments, it's very helpful for those who can often relate and sometimes commiserate with the adjustments 🤣 Best wishes and health to you and your family! يعطيكي العافيه اختي
Thanks so much! I do worry about focussing too much on the small details but like you say those are often the interesting bits! الله يافيك
I’m soo glad i found your channel, I am a jordanian living in the us for 13 years.
Things you talk about reminded me of things i forgot about, and just want to say: when relative come and we stay up all night with our cousins; it is THE BEST THING EVER to happen in our childhood.
Love your channel, keep it up, god bless you and your family
Nice job 👏👏👏. I agree with you. I grow up in Jordan years ago and I agree with your comments on jordanian children. I grow up that way and it is fun to live there and very differnt from the USA where I live now. Thank you for the video and bringing many good memorries about Jordan and kids in Jordan (Free Play!). All the best wishes to you and your family.🙏👏🙏
I was born in Jordan finished my studies and worked as a supply teacher in wales for almost 2 years. I disagree with some and agree with some of what you said, I would love to have a discussion with ya if you want about some of the issues that children do face in both the UK and Jordan and trust both are extreme the other way, and that leads to negativity for raising children in both countries.
I'm an Egyptian living in Canada and I can say that even Egyptian kids are like that. There is something I noticed though, children in the West sometimes talk back to their parents and argue with them, you do that in many Arab homes and your safety is in question!!!!
It actually depends on the parents themselves no matter where they are from
I hope you read this comment very well an advice rise your kids like the way you rise in England behavior specially
Let them deal with negative emotions that’s will make them stronger in life but in a polite way they should just get confident so just mix it but please focus on behavior because later on school you will hear them cursing if they don’t rise in polite way and good luck in your life and you’re doing very well good luck 🍀👍
Are you raising the children Muslim and Christian?
How rude?
@@EmsaMun why is it rude? This was a genuine question
Honestly this video is a surprise to me as I was expecting to tally the opposite of what you said! Again great content that you provide in a short simple wording you truly give an honest overview Jordanian lifestyle and am sure you do the same for your culture
It is not confident it is child abuse
can you do a video about teenagers in Jordan and the Uk .like so she can see it .
fascinating - thank you x
I'm a British muslimah, retired teacher. Very little difference between cultures in children's overall behaviours in my life experience.
That’s interesting. I see such a big difference, especially with kids outside of Amman or not in private schools. It’s nice to get other perspectives though, so thank you for your thoughts! ☺️
I had similar view on all your points which I have been talking to Jordanians around me.i am also so much annoyed and disappointed with
" Children have No strick bed time & they can even sit and listen to all the conversation adults are talking even late night" sometimes it can be so uncomfortable for a person to share persona or adult conversation. ..
" Eating habits, behavior, attitude, are definite differently, in Jordan. A child can simply utter " hamara, hiwani". ..yelling to get anything they want! Worst, when visiting someone home and letting the children do anything they want while parents watching them of saying "" aadi" the do and don't are not imposed on early age. OMG, you should highlight on this visiting behavior and lack of parents coaching during the visit, if you have observed any.
The point is Where does all these parentening leads to as they become adult? People hardly line up for the turn , cars are drive &parked with no respect to trafic rules , double triple parking and blocking are so common......
As an academician,I observed failed parenting in their University life...
No offend to anyone..just sharing my personal experience
does your child speak arabic? i want to be come a software engineer expat and jordan and hopefully marry an arab woman and have kids, but i dont want to go if the country speaks english all the time, i would like my kids to learn arabic not english, if i wanted them to learn english i would just stay in the united states lol. any information you could give?
@@farishope6540 why are you confused on that part? i never specified what religion i was so how would you know i am not muslim? well can they understand other dialects or even communicate with anyone who uses saudi dialect?? because if they only speak their dialect then that means they can only understand other Jordanians and no one else. thank you for your help i would love to have more info about Jordanian people
Hi Prince Montanaa, Ehap Ahmed pretty much covered everything I’d say. It can be a bit complicated for foreigners to marry Arab women for various reasons as mentioned above. Regarding your children learning Arabic not English, most (private) schools teach both however you will find some prioritise one over the other so you just have to look for the right one for you :)
do you really think an arab country would talk english in their daily life
yea we understand english and can talk but we're proud of our language
Ehap Ahmed really? my family is from Amman, we vacation there at times, and most kids can speak English, Arabic, and even French. My mother made a comment saying, “They speak English better than I do” and she has lived in America since she was 16, it is probably just the kids in Amman or Irbid, the more “high-class” areas.
Mashallah what beautiful insights. Thank you for sharing. I’m half Jordanian and half American and I see some of the same comparisons you have expressed in this video about the differences in how to raise children based on the culture your raising them within. I love to watch your channel and learn more before I move to Jordan, inshaAllah
This is not very true it really depends on the parents.. Like I don't allow my kids to stay up late and m strict about sleeping time. But yes we do Co sleep till they r 2 years old. Same with food.. Kids in the UK have horrible food, McDonald's chicken nuggets, sausages all the time, very unhealthy so even if Arabs do make a separate meal for them it will still b healthy coz not all kids like grown up food. A bit ironic teaching kids respecting elderly at a young age while when they grow old they send their parents to care homes. While parents are very very important to Muslims for the whole of their lives.
I'm Jordanian and I'm sorry to say that nowadays most kids in Jordan are ill mannered and it drives me crazy because it wasn't like this before, general morals, respect for others and for elders is vanishing.
Who could possibly dislike these videos? I just stumbled across them, and I love hearing about her life in Jordan. I’ve always heard that Jordanians were kind and had an amazing culture. She seems to affirm that.
Great video! As some one who is of mixed Jordanian/British heritage who grew up in Jordan I found this video very fascinating. I guess this gave me a bit of insight in to what my mum (she is my English parent BTY) would have experienced moving to Jordan and raising both me and my sister in what would have been a foreign culture. Some of your observations really hit the mark I think, and as soon as you mentioned them I could relate immediately! particularly about the bed times... I remember as a child going to visit my grandparents in England and not understanding the whole set bedtime thing, and seeing my English Aunt struggle with putting my English cousins to bed and just not understanding why she bothered trying to make them go to bed at a particular time... lol
I’m a Jordanian mom but I’ve been teaching about kids raising from western books, and when I had my first baby I was acting very protective with him, but I noticed that he is becoming very sensitive compering with other children so I changed this way with my younger kids, and they are really different in this side .
It actually shows how you always get positives and negatives in adopting any particular system for raising your kids. As i see it, either way has its negatives and positives. I will give only one example of that: letting kids at their own room from early years in uk vs the opposite her in jordan has its cons. Kids there will actually practice privacy and grow knowing it while here in Jordan the meaning of privacy will be more blur for the kids. which is not a good thing. You can find alot of positives in the uk way. it depends on the angle you are looking from.
I completely agree with everything you said in this video.. I am Egyptian and have kids raised in UK and as you said raising a child in Arabic way will make them more solid and have strong personality and not to get depression over every little thing in their life.. I am so glad that someone from UK finally understood that.
I am actually not surprised, but i for example, and my entire family were raised a bit different than what the common kid in Jordan was maybe. My father used to be like an officer and we used to sleep at 8 or if we beg at 9. We also used to bring water to my father and mother and clean the house and do stuff like that. I was also not allowed outside at all after 5 and some years i used to go to a taekwando club after school then study and sleep. Its different in different areas for sure. great video nonetheless :)
You are a wonderful person with a well balanced mind and way of thinking , unbiased .
If I were in your shoes in another foreign country, I don't think I would embrace such a big change in my life .
funerals really? i never been to a funeral until my grandma died when I was 16 not true that they take their children to funerals same for weddings unless its for close family.
Thanks for sharing. Great point of View. I grew up in Amman. There was room for children to play in the street and not fear for their safety.
I love your comparison. You taught me new things about your Western culture.
As a bicultural family, I watch this video to shed light on differences I might have forgotten , plus as a comedy show! Keep posting!!
I find something really interesting in the food aspect I'm Jordanian but my family was quiet health conscious growing up not too many sweets but yet can have some like special treats and stuff now even in the not very health conscious familys kids like veggies its a fact they might dislike something but for the most part we love vegetables and enjoy eating them not like what's advertised in the movies
So much honesty in one video! When we first got married everyone assumed my husband would be able for a British passport and his future would be set, as Britain and American are the same place and obv6we wanted to live in England 🤪
More videos about cross cultural relationships
Pls! Loved this one:)
I was a big fan, you deserve nothing shame on you
Why!!
I love the deep insights 👌
If children dont learn respect ealy on in life they ill be criminals, so rules are very important.
I assure you Arab kids have rules. But we also have more independence, more responsibility, more chores, "more parents". If we did something wrong someone, somewhere saw something and there were consequences. My personal pet peeve is when parents bring their children to dinners. It might not be such a problem back home because the kids were always in the orchards but in the u.s. we have smaller spaces. Our children are mostly polite but I don't care where you are if you put more than 5, 10, or 15 in a room it gets loud.
Allah الله
Question •.. how old are you? Wish that not Embarrassed
I’m 27 :)
That is not all true. You're generalizing based on a few observations. My family allowed us to drink sodas at a young age, however, my uncle's family only allowed their kids to drink freshly squeezed juices and water. Growing up, I had to be in bed by 9:00 pm except on the weekends or holidays. I was also provided with a "kid's meal" when certain dishes were being served because I didn't like them. When I misbehaved or didn't behave in a respectful way, I got timeout or was grounded. I learned to say please, thank you and excuse me at a very young age as well. Some kids in the UK or the USA are much worse than those Jordanian kids you're talking about.
I hope you don't think that I am suggesting that Jordanian kids have poor manners or are not raised well in comparison with british or US kids. In the contrast I am just trying to show some some of the immediate differences I often notice and of course I speak only from my personal experiences, as you say. Thank you for your addition to the conversation Luai :)
She said in the beginning that she's talking about her own experience. You can't deny the presence of such careless parents and their ill-mannered
children she talked about. Like for me, I was raised so strictly just like you and so were my relatives. It just differs from one family to another.
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@@abdulrhmanshibli8403 شاطر
One thing not all kids are rude, misbehaved, etc
I’m Jordanian and I disagree with u my parents are really discipline.
And their are some parents who just let their kids be kids.
I live in the UK and when my family and I were in a line to get our passports checked a kid was running. and he wouldn’t stop!
Not all kids are like that.
There is good and bad in all cultures, people
I prefer Japanese kids rich or poor, from home to school, deciplined and independent.
nice
What is the account of Instagram????
Rachelshmachel :)
هلا
I congratulate you in staying all these times in jordan and adopting new culture. Also living in Zarka is hell for Jordanian , it is crowded place mostly fundamentally religions and culture that required lots of adjustment .You deserve better place and apportunity. You seem smart women and can do a lot more than under this restricted culture. You should try to write a book about your experience in Jordan.
Amazing
Sometimes it depends on the family system. For me my parents had a strict time for sleeping. We were not allowed to drink Pepsi and my mom used to focus on feeding us a healthy food, so I think it depends on the family. But to be honest what you said about the food or letting them have sugar, Pepsi, etc..as I'm speaking of my family, they don't see it right plus the night visit if it's too late like 11:00 PM in my family it's INAPPROPRIATE AT ALL and we don't receive any body in that time. Our night visits can be at from 7:00 or 9:00 till maximum 10:00.. and to be honest my family is very different from the people here in Jordan even though I'm a Jordanian but we don't have the same life style because we find some of the habits are rude, inappropriate and impolite. Unfortunately many of the Jordanians live their lives without organization for their actions or routines.
Behaviors: MANY of Jordanian people don't raise their kids in the right way that's why you see many rude kids
Legislating mortality is the key to haul this
Its so real vedio... But the first 2 or 3 notices are different from one family to another here in jordan....me,for example, like to have a certain routine with my kids according to sleep and food time... And Im so strict with them about being polite with elders and wont except from them anything else than saying(thank u, soory, can I?) when its needed,... So its depends on the parenting your getting not for being jordanian or not....
Anyway, I love your vedios and hope for u alot of success 🌹
she gave some notice that is public behavior . your family is out of her example ... I'm Jordanian and i agree with her about the notice
Is breastfeeding in public acceptable there?
Nope, Its part of body respect and public dressing code.
Yousef Quran ok, thanks for the reply
Sorry to disagree! I’ve been nursing for 3 years (nearly continuously). Jordan has some of the lowest rates for nursing and it’s of course a conservative country but saying that, I’ve been nursing in public, under a scarf or blanket, for the past three years and not once had a comment or even a look. That’s probably because no one even knows I’m doing it though - you cannot ever think of doing it without a cover... ever... ever 😂
MummyinAmman thanks for the reply. Visiting soon and have a newborn. Very helpful information!
I think i thought she meant the open boob out anywhere style breastfeeding in publicly like west ...has to b discreet....
It sounds like there isn't much discipline there.
It’s just different... schoolwork and schools are VERY disciplined and taken as seriously as everyday manners in the UK, but in their off time kids have more freedom somehow. I find the kids I know (from various places and backgrounds) are extraordinarily responsible and reliable especially when it comes to taking care of younger children for example. Kids also do less/no rebelling when they’re teenagers here too which I think is interesting
Let me tell u this I’m Jordanian and there is a lot of discipline
Kids in jordan rude ^_^
This was a really interesting video thank you! However I would like to know more of your thoughts on 2 things you addressed:
1. Kids staying up at night with parents - where i live (Finland) it is strictly taught that kids should have bed times and routines with sleeping and waking bc otherwise they develop problems in appetite, eating, sleeping, behaviour, you name it. Which way you think is better, or does having bedtimes even matter in terms of anything?
2. Kids eating same food as adults - again i'd just like to hear your opinion do you see the british or the jordanian way better, how, or does it even matter? (I would only think that a certain age of a kid getting too salty food for example could result in higher blood pressure and being susceptible to other conditions later in life)
If I may try explaining here:
1. Most of the time the kids have a bed time and they are not allowed to stay up late. But on special occasions (ex. Christmas eve., Eids, etc.) where the whole family get together, you will let the kids stay up a little late since it is a special occasion and they will be playing with other kids having a great time. It really does help with their mental health, behavior, and relationships. It is usually the one night where they have the most fun, so you jest let them have it and bend the roles a little bit.
2. Usually Jordanian food that is cooked at home is pretty health (lots of vegetables) except Mansaf. They do not feed the kids adult food all the time but every day they will give the kid a very little bit of adult food to get use to the taste of it. I have never had fast food when I was a child, I was always fed home cooked food.
I hope I've made my explanation clear enough and I hope it helped.